# Strategies

> What a strategy is in ChartRider – indicators, a Trade Setup or WickScript strategy, a watchlist and test ranges – how Backtest (F5) and Run strategy (F6) differ, where results appear, and who can see them.

Updated: 2026-10-25T01:50:47.000Z · https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/

A strategy is a set of rules that ChartRider can test on past candles. You build it without code in the [Trade Setup](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/trade-setup/) or write it as a [WickScript strategy](https://chartrider.com/docs/wickscript/strategies/), test it on the chart with **Backtest** (`F5`), and test it on many markets and parameter values at once with [Run strategy](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/run-strategy/). Strategies are a desktop feature and need a Google sign-in.

## What a strategy contains

- **Indicators.** Indicators you add with `F3` while a strategy is active belong to that strategy. Their lines are what the Trade Setup reads for triggers, filters, stops and targets.
- **How it trades.** Either the **Trade Setup** – triggers, filters and exits plus entry type, stop and target – or a WickScript script that starts with `strategy "…"`.
- **A watchlist.** The markets **Run strategy** tests it on. Each strategy has its own – see [Symbols and watchlist](https://chartrider.com/docs/charts/symbols-and-watchlist/).
- **Test settings.** **Step 1** and **Step 2** (parameters to vary), the **Range** and optional date windows for **Run strategy**.

## The Strategies panel

Click **Strategies** in the dock or press `F6`.

- **Search/Add Strategy** – type a name and press `Enter` to add a new strategy; the button next to it uploads a strategy file.
- **Strategies** – your list. Click a strategy to make it active, double-click to rename it. Under each name: capital factor, drawdown and win rate of its last run (`CF 1.12× · DD 4.3% · WR 52%`). The buttons run it, download it as JSON, or delete it.
- **Trades with** – how the active strategy trades (see below).
- **Last run** – averages of the last run: capital factor, max. drawdown and win rate, over the runs that had at least one trade.
- **Lab** – **Heatmap**, **MAE / MFE**, **Setup** and **Scripts** open the [Strategy Lab](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/strategy-lab/) on that tab. Below it, a summary such as `1 trigger · 2 filter · 1 exit · market entry`.
- **Step 1**, **Step 2**, **Range**, **+ Date windows**, the watchlist and **Run strategy** – see [Run strategy](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/run-strategy/).

Deleting a strategy removes it with its indicators, Trade Setup and scripts; it can't be undone, so download it first if you may need it again. Uploading a downloaded file adds the complete strategy again – indicators, scripts, Trade Setup, watchlist, Step 1 / Step 2 settings, date windows and Range – as a new, inactive strategy (with "(imported)" added if the name already exists). Files from older versions that only contain indicators still work.

## Trades with

The **Trades with** row shows what the active strategy trades with: **Trade Setup**, or **Script “Name”** when it trades with a WickScript strategy script. Click it to open that part in the Strategy Lab.

A strategy that has a strategy script trades with it, otherwise with its Trade Setup. You switch between the two in the Lab: **Trade with this Trade Setup** or **Trade with the script instead** on the Trade Setup tab, **Trade with this script** on the Scripts tab. The part that is not trading stays saved. Scripts need WickScript, which you unlock by inviting friends – see [Account](https://chartrider.com/docs/account/).

## Backtest (F5) and Run strategy (F6)

| | **Backtest** (`F5`) | **Run strategy** (`F6` panel) |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | The market of the chart | Every market of the strategy's watchlist |
| Timeframe | The chart's timeframe | The chart's timeframe |
| Period | The candles loaded on the chart | The **Range** up to now, or the date windows |
| Parameters | The current indicator and gate settings | Every combination of the Step 1 and Step 2 values |
| Results | Trades on the chart and the **Key metrics** box | The Strategy Lab (heatmap, MAE / MFE), opened automatically |

**Backtest** is a switch: while it is on, it recalculates whenever you change the strategy, an indicator setting, the market, the timeframe or the leverage, and when more history loads as you scroll back. Use it to check a single idea on the chart; use **Run strategy** to see whether it holds up on many markets, periods and parameter values.

Both use the same [backtest engine](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/backtest-engine/): signals at candle closes, a fixed risk per trade, a fee on every position, and a simulated account that starts with 10,000 USDT.

## Where results appear

- **On the chart:** every entry and exit as a trade marker, and the **Key metrics** box with final capital, leverage, win rate, trades, capital factor, max. drawdown, taker fee, trade days and time in position. Above it, the top-right corner names the active strategy and what it trades with.
- **In the Strategy Lab:** the heatmap of all runs and the MAE / MFE statistics of every trade.
- **In the Strategies panel:** the last run's averages next to each strategy.
- **In the symbol table:** after you open a run, the watchlist rows show each market's capital factor.

All metrics are defined on [Metrics](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/metrics/).

## Your strategies are private

Your strategies (Trade Setup, indicators, WickScript scripts, watchlist) are kept in your browser's storage. When you start a run, the app sends a copy of the strategy with your account ID to the ChartRider server, which plans the individual runs; the computation happens in your browser and the results stay there. Other users can see neither your strategies nor your runs – only you and ChartRider's administrators (for operation and troubleshooting).

Because strategies live in the browser, another browser or device doesn't have them, and clearing this site's data in your browser deletes them.

## In this section

- [Trade Setup](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/trade-setup/) – triggers, filters, exits, entry type, stop and target without code.
- [Run strategy](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/run-strategy/) – watchlist, range, date windows and parameter steps.
- [Strategy Lab](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/strategy-lab/) – heatmap, blind test, MAE / MFE and scripts.
- [Backtest engine](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/backtest-engine/) – how trades are simulated.
- [Metrics](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/metrics/) – what every number means.
- [Strategy templates](https://chartrider.com/docs/strategies/templates/) – the built-in WickScript examples.

Backtest results describe the past and are no guarantee for the future. Nothing here is investment advice.