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Your First Strategy

This guide walks you through the process of going from zero to a running automated strategy. No coding required.

The Game Plan​

Six stages drawn as a cycle: form a hypothesis, code the rule, backtest it in sample, validate it out of sample, forward test in simulation, and only then trade it live. Two arrows return to the start, because most ideas fail at validation or in forward testing and go back to be reworked. The gate before live is the one step that cannot be skipped, and it is where a paper result meets real fills.

Most ideas go back round at validation. The gate before live cannot be skipped.

  1. Pick a simple strategy idea
  2. Set it up on TradingView
  3. Connect it to CrossTrade
  4. Test on a sim account
  5. Go live (when ready)

Step 1 — Pick a Strategy​

Start simple. A moving average crossover is the classic first strategy:

  • Buy when a fast moving average crosses above a slow moving average
  • Sell when it crosses below

This isn't about finding the perfect strategy — it's about learning the automation pipeline. You can refine later.

Step 2 — Set Up on TradingView​

  1. Open a chart for the instrument you want to trade (e.g., ES futures)
  2. Add an SMA crossover indicator or use TradingView's built-in strategy
  3. Configure the parameters (e.g., 9-period fast, 21-period slow)
  4. Verify the signals look reasonable on the chart

Step 3 — Create the Webhook Alert​

Create an alert in TradingView with your CrossTrade webhook payload:

key=your-secret-key;
command=place;
account=Sim101;
instrument=ES1!;
action={{strategy.order.action}};
qty={{strategy.order.contracts}};
order_type=market;
tif=day;
sync_strategy=true;
market_position={{strategy.market_position}};
prev_market_position={{strategy.prev_market_position}};
target_quantity={{strategy.position_size}};
out_of_sync=resync;

Paste your CrossTrade webhook URL into the Notifications tab.

Step 4 — Test on Sim​

Always start on a sim account. Watch for:

  • Are orders being placed correctly?
  • Is the position sizing right?
  • Are entries and exits firing as expected?
  • Check your Alert History for any errors

Run for at least a few trading sessions before considering live.

Step 5 — Go Live​

When you're confident the strategy works as expected:

  1. Change account=Sim101 to your live account name
  2. Start with minimal quantity (qty=1)
  3. Set up Account Manager drawdown protection
  4. Monitor closely for the first few sessions

Next Steps​