What is PineScript

PineScript is a programming language that is used to create trading indicators and strategies for the TradingView platform. It is a simple, easy-to-use language that allows traders to create custom indicators and automate their trading strategies. PineScript can be used to create a wide range of trading indicators, such as moving averages, Bollinger bands, and oscillators, as well as more complex strategies that can be backtested and implemented on the TradingView platform.

Is PineScript hard to learn?

PineScript is a simple and easy-to-use language, and many people find it relatively easy to learn. It is a good language for beginners who are interested in creating trading indicators and strategies, as it has a relatively gentle learning curve and provides clear and concise syntax. However, like any programming language, PineScript does require some time and effort to master, and traders who are new to programming may need to invest some time and effort in learning the basics of the language.

Why should you learn PineScript

There are several reasons why someone might want to learn PineScript. For example:

  1. PineScript is a powerful and flexible language that allows traders to create a wide range of custom indicators and trading strategies. This means that traders who learn PineScript can tailor their indicators and strategies to their specific trading style and needs, rather than being limited to the pre-defined indicators and strategies offered by their trading platform.
  2. PineScript is relatively easy to learn, especially for people who are familiar with other programming languages. This makes it a good language for traders who want to create their own indicators and strategies, but don’t want to spend a lot of time learning a complex programming language.
  3. PineScript is widely used on the TradingView platform, which is a popular destination for traders who want to share and discuss their ideas with others. Learning PineScript can therefore help traders to engage with the TradingView community and potentially gain valuable insights and feedback from other traders.
  4. By learning PineScript, traders can gain a better understanding of how indicators and strategies are constructed, which can help them to develop a deeper understanding of technical analysis and trading in general. This can lead to more informed and successful trading decisions.

Overall, learning PineScript can be a valuable investment for traders who want to create their own indicators and strategies, engage with the TradingView community, and improve their understanding of technical analysis and trading.

Basic Example

You can use PineScript to send alarm notifications or emails based on a trading signal that you create. You can also visualize the signals (indicators) that you create when looking at your charts. With only seven lines of code you can create two simple moving averages (SMA 50/ SMA 20) and create a “signal” (shown as a blue flag below) where the moving averages cross each other. PineScript is extremely powerful, with a lot of inbuilt functions that you can use when creating your signals or indicators, that you can choose to show either on top of your main chart or as a separate chart below the main chart,

PineScript with a signal (blue flag), part of the chart


PineScript with signals (blue flags) in a separate chart