So I am a curious wannabe trader dreaming about automated trading. What do the professionals used for automated trading? I'm not talking about Tradestation, I hear the program can be inefficient when it comes to processing code (although this would only matter for super scalping). But maybe I heard wrong. What language do the powerful systems use, and what is the best way to learn to code? (I understand coding takes experience to learn just like trading, so no need to mention it will take me years to master, I know) Thanks for any input.
Its not about a programming platform, its all about the knowledge! You can be successful even with such an inefficient tool like Easy Language. Its not the language that is important its how you use it ....
I'm a manual systems trader. I've tried auto trading. It's not ready for primetime. The problem...the systems don't continuously calculate conditions. I've found the delay of 3-5 sec. for calculations to complete and orders to be placed to be unacceptable. Also, the NET is too unreliable to trust real money while you kick back and watch.
Using IB as my platform for quotes, orders and fills I have written my own interfaces (C++) to support my AT. I use SQL Server for trade data, historical prices and backtesting. Good luck!
The Professionals? Usually C++, maybe C# But keep in mind that they have team of professional programmers who are implementing strategies for teams of professional traders. THe programs are dedicated to full-time programming and the traders are dedicated to full-time trading. THey work together to test ideas and implement the ones with potential. THe actual testing may be in another Q&D language like Excel/VBA, but when it comes to a system in production, it's probably gonna be on a Linux/Unix machine running C++. You? Depends on how much work/learning you want to do or if you have the resources to put together a team or what your current programming background is. BTW, most people believe "EasyLanguage" is a misnomer and TS definitely does not have the facilities to handle the active automated trading that most people are looking for where the reaction time must be instantaneous... If you're not looking for that, why go thru the trouble of automating? Cash
Thank you very much Cash. That is the kind of insight of was looking for. However, I do not discount everyone else who has responded and I very much appreciate all of your responses.
If it's a good system, you may want to check into having it converted into a faster language. You didn't say what you were using now, but if you're using Excel, C++ or compiled VB can give you significant more speed. Even optimizing your Excel VBA can do that... I had an intense program that was taking way to long and by going through the code, eliminating redundancy, turning off calcs and screen updating at appropriate times, it increased the speed 80%-90%! Cash
I here some interesting conversations about price exposure through set price limit orders and stop orders at the servers. Cool-Trade is a fairly new app. that has a "stealth mode" philosophy at the execution side of it's autotrader. Price's are generated through the calculations set by your parameters in it's strategy wizard and then transfered to the executing autotrader. I have used Cool-Trade's software for almost three months now. Running and tweaking my strategy in simulation mode for a little over a month gave me the confidence to run a live account. Check it out. www.Cool-Trade.com
TKM, Forgive me if I am misjudging, but seeing as this is your first post and your response has nothing to provide toward the question I was asking, I feel you are only trying to promote this company for personal gain. I believe your response was absolutely fruitless towards the conversation of this thread, and its motivations were for your benefit only. So I did go to the website and here are my first impressions: This software appears to be shit. Reason one: The first thing I saw is the testimonials of how you can make money doing absolutely no work. This reminds me of all the infomercials saying you can make millions, yet also saying results are not typical. Reason two: Even if it were that easy you are given the impression that those results will continue indefinitely, even though it is proven that eventually all black box systems fail. I do not disagree with the use of a black box system, but it is very necessary to watch the profit curve to know when the markets are changing and when the system is becoming obsolete. The site does not disclose that they are not "set it and forget it" systems. Reason Three: "The best kept secrets are kept secret." Or "If it is too good to be true it, then it probably is." I admire gorilla marketing and I respect what you are trying to do, but this isn't the place for it.