What is a Signal?
A trading signal is a visual indicator on a chart that shows:
- Entry point - Where to enter a trade
- Stop Loss (SL) - Where to exit if the trade goes wrong
- Take Profit (TP) - Target levels to exit with profit
Signal Structure
Each signal consists of one or more points. A complete trading signal typically has:
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ TP3 ───○ │
│ TP2 ───○ │
│ TP1 ───○ │
│ │
│ ┌───┐ │
│ │ │ ◄── Candlestick │
│ └───┘ │
│ │
│ ENTRY ───▲ │
│ SL ───■ │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
Point Types
type: "high" - Above the candle
Use for:
- Take Profits on BUY signals
- Entry/SL on SELL signals
- Resistance levels
type: "low" - Below the candle
Use for:
- Entry on BUY signals
- Stop Loss on BUY signals
- Take Profits on SELL signals
- Support levels
Complete BUY Signal Example
{
"symbol": "EURUSD",
"timeframe": 60,
"indicator_name": "My Signals",
"points": [
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "low",
"price": 1.1725,
"label": "BUY",
"color": "#3b82f6",
"shape": "arrowUp",
"size": 2
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "low",
"price": 1.1695,
"label": "SL",
"color": "#ef4444",
"shape": "square",
"size": 1
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "high",
"price": 1.1755,
"label": "TP1",
"color": "#22c55e",
"shape": "circle",
"size": 1
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "high",
"price": 1.1785,
"label": "TP2",
"color": "#22c55e",
"shape": "circle",
"size": 1
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "high",
"price": 1.1815,
"label": "TP3",
"color": "#22c55e",
"shape": "circle",
"size": 1
}
]
}
Complete SELL Signal Example
{
"symbol": "EURUSD",
"timeframe": 60,
"indicator_name": "My Signals",
"points": [
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "high",
"price": 1.1780,
"label": "SELL",
"color": "#f97316",
"shape": "arrowDown",
"size": 2
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "high",
"price": 1.1810,
"label": "SL",
"color": "#ef4444",
"shape": "square",
"size": 1
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "low",
"price": 1.1750,
"label": "TP1",
"color": "#22c55e",
"shape": "circle",
"size": 1
},
{
"time": 1765540800,
"type": "low",
"price": 1.1720,
"label": "TP2",
"color": "#22c55e",
"shape": "circle",
"size": 1
}
]
}
Visual Reference
Shapes
| Shape | Icon | Best For |
|---|
arrowUp | ▲ | BUY entry |
arrowDown | ▼ | SELL entry |
circle | ● | Take Profit levels |
square | ■ | Stop Loss |
Colors
| Element | Hex | Preview |
|---|
| BUY Entry | #3b82f6 | ● Blue |
| SELL Entry | #f97316 | ● Orange |
| Stop Loss | #ef4444 | ● Red |
| Take Profit | #22c55e | ● Green |
| Neutral | #eab308 | ● Yellow |
Sizes
| Size | Value | Use Case |
|---|
| Small | 1 | TP levels, secondary info |
| Medium | 2 | Entry signals |
| Large | 3 | High-priority alerts |
metadata field to include additional information:
{
"metadata": {
"signal_type": "BUY",
"entry_price": 1.1725,
"stop_loss": 1.1695,
"take_profit_1": 1.1755,
"take_profit_2": 1.1785,
"take_profit_3": 1.1815,
"risk_pips": 30,
"reward_pips": 90,
"risk_reward": "1:3",
"strategy": "ICT Order Block",
"confidence": "high",
"notes": "Strong bullish structure"
}
}
Metadata is stored but not displayed on the chart.
Use it for analytics and tracking signal performance.
Best Practices
Use the time field
Always use the time field from the /bars endpoint.
This ensures signals appear on the correct candle.
Clear labels
Use short, clear labels like “BUY”, “TP1”, “SL”.
Avoid long text that clutters the chart.
Consistent colors
Stick to a consistent color scheme.
Green for profit, red for loss, blue/orange for entries.
Size hierarchy
Use larger sizes for important elements (entries)
and smaller sizes for secondary elements (TPs).
