How To Use The Visual Strategy Builder (Custom Strategies)
How To Use the Visual Strategy Builder
The Visual Strategy Builder is where strategies are defined, connected, tested, and evaluated. Strategies are built as explicit logic graphs: price data flows into indicators, indicators feed conditions, conditions resolve through logic gates, and actions execute trades.
1. Select Price Data (Strategy Universe)
Every strategy starts with Price Data.
Price data represents the market(s) the strategy operates on
You can select:
A single market
Multiple related markets (typically within the same category)
All indicators and conditions downstream consume this price stream
Purpose
Defines the time series used for indicators
Ensures strategies are tested consistently across comparable markets
2. Define Logic with Indicators
Indicators transform raw price data into numeric signals.
Common examples:
SMA / EMA → trend and smoothing
RSI → momentum and exhaustion
MACD → trend + momentum shifts
Bollinger Bands → volatility and mean reversion
Indicators:
Do not place trades
Emit numeric outputs
Must be paired with conditions to drive decisions
3. Apply Conditions
Conditions convert indicator outputs into true / false decisions.
Compare
Compares a signal against:
Another signal, or
A fixed value
Supported operators:
>,<,≥,≤,=
Example
RSI > 65
Price < lower Bollinger band
Crossover
Detects directional crossings between two signals
Types:
Cross Above
Cross Below
Example
10-period SMA crosses above 20-period SMA
MACD crosses below signal line
Crossovers are event-based and only trigger at the moment of crossing.
4. Combine Logic with Gates
Logic gates allow multiple conditions to be composed into a single decision.
AND
All connected conditions must evaluate to true
Used for confirmation-heavy strategies
OR
Any connected condition may evaluate to true
Used for alternative entry or exit logic
These gates make strategy intent explicit and inspectable.
5. Execute Actions
Actions are the only nodes that place trades.
Buy
Executes a buy order when upstream logic resolves to true
Uses configured order size and capital constraints
Sell
Executes a sell order when upstream logic resolves to true
Can be used for exits, reversals, or risk control
Actions are deterministic and only fire when logic conditions are satisfied.
6. Set Strategy Parameters
Before running a backtest, you configffure execution parameters:
Order size (units per trade)
Initial balance
Optional profit targets
Optional stop-losses
Fixed ticks
Percentage-based
7. Run Backtests
Once logic and parameters are defined, you run the strategy against historical data.
Click "Validate" to ensure that the logic is consistent and testable. Once the strategy logic is validated, click "Run Backtest" to begin the task.
Backtests simulate:
Trade-by-trade execution
Balance updates
Position accumulation and unwind
Sequential fills over time
8. Interpret Backtest Results
Each backtest produces a full performance breakdown:
Summary Metrics
Total return
Total PnL
Win rate
Total trades
Max drawdown
Diagnostics
Cumulative PnL curve
Price history with execution context
Order-level trade history
Equity progression over time
These outputs make it clear:
Where profits are generated
Where drawdowns occur
Whether returns are smooth or path-dependent
Whether execution or signal quality dominates outcomes
9. Iterate and Refine
The builder is designed for fast iteration:
Modify indicators or thresholds
Swap conditions
Add or remove confirmation logic
Re-run under identical assumptions
This enables rapid movement from: hypothesis → test → evidence → refinement
10. Deploy
Once a strategy is validated:
It can be run in a simulated environment
Or prepared for live execution workflows
The same logic used in backtesting carries forward—no translation step, no hidden assumptions.
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