I dont' understand...Personally I do not believe that institutions would trade on full automat. Algorithm can save your time when you staring on the monitors. If you are able to define solid resilient rules, then your algorithm can notify you that the rules were triggered/fulfilled.
Agree, performing trading on faster TFs like ticks/minutes the delay is the case with no doubts. But even models running on tick or minutes data requires "recalibration" from time to time, which is also kind of manual intervention. There is no model functioning indefinitely forever.I dont' understand...
You code a ruleset, you test it but you should place the trades manually.
Placing trades manually you only acheive a delay of seconds or minutes, I dont' think this kind of delay can turn a losing strategy into a winning one.
About institutions, I think we had more "fat finger" mistakes from humans than from computers.
Hi @Amazon
apologies to be a bit negative here, but IMO hiring programmer to create some proprietary (meaning your very own) back testing and live trading platform is not the right way. I'm professional software developer for whole of my life (~25 years), I do actively know several languages including C# and Python, and I do not have pretensions to write my own back-tester and live trader platform. Another problem is that working with external programmer you are locked-in to work with the programmer who is the only one who properly knows the code.
I guess for the same reasons guys above were kindly suggesting to use some more or less standardized and mature software packages (QSTrader, Zorro) for custom strategy development. Unfortunately both suggested platform are not capable of C# development, as you mentioned you require.
Hence I'd see like the most viable option for you is using LEAN by QuantConnect . It's open source system, unlike Zorro, strategies/algorithms can be written in C#, unlike QSTrader and Zorro, it's free if you run it on your own machine or VM, unlike Zorro, and last but not least it's capable of real trading with IB, unlike Zorro and QSTrader, as well as and many other brokers, unlike QSTrader. The LEAN allows trading Forex, Futures, Options anything you can imagine, and have got back tester as well equipped with data (depends what you need, for some data you might need at least demo account with broker) , so you should not need external database to store your data. And even though you need custom data source, you can plug custom data through csv files (e.g. I've been using minute data for my back test). If you have ever been using Quantopian the LEAN is the same concept except LEAN is capable of live trading.
The QuantConnect have got also rich documentation and Bootcamp (accessible after free registration) which guides you through algorithm creation process in form of hands on coding exercises (you can chose C#, Python, or do both of course) through the platform so you should be able to code your strategy after few weeks spending of learning the platform.
Once you break through to any package you chose you can focus on writing only your algorithm and stop wasting time with unnecessary trading support code (like e.g. resilient broker connection, which is huge work per se, capital management, risk management support, handling data quality issues, you name it) and finally the code will be only yours. No further stealing of your intellectual property.
I know it's not you were asking for but hopefully it helps a bit.
Regards
you can use this tutorial "Custom Trading Server A How To Guide" to make it running on your local machine or server.Hello Mcquant,
Thank you for your message. Not negative at all and very helpful. I am not a prgrammer so advice from expereinced people is always welcome. I undertand what you mean about custome built systems. I have looked ath Lean just now and it looks good, but makes very little sense to me. Iwill have to get someone to install it and work on it a little for me.
Once you set up and run the LEAN on your own server nobody can see your code. It requires some effort but it worth it.If you have used it you may be able to tell me if the stratgeies re stored on their server or remain on on my server. I know some of these programs require you to upload it because the platform is on their server, which means they can view your code.
Hello Mcquant,you can use this tutorial "Custom Trading Server A How To Guide" to make it running on your local machine or server.
Once you set up and run the LEAN on your own server nobody can see your code. It requires some effort but it worth it.
The QuantConnect allows running it life on their infrastructure, but as you said, your intellectual property can be compromised then.
Just a few cents from a stranger…
It's really kind that you offer to use your strategy. But consider that programmers with experience in automated trading might (hopefully) have their own strategies within their very own comfort zone and risk parameters, and therefore no use case for other strategies other than basic curiosity. If you find one you might need to simply pay her/him.
I read your posts twice and I really don't understand what you have and what you don't have. Did your programmer develop a standalone C# app? Taking data from where, do you do order management by yourself, how do you want to visualize and backtest and operate and monitor?
Have you considered (besides any error that could arise like code malfunction, data feed server down, ...) your trading costs, slippage, ...?
Do you have a basic understanding of statistics = can you put a number on "how sure are you your results are not random"?
If you continue down this road, it will be a long journey, but can be rewarding, especially if you bring an open mindset to the table and enjoy learning about many side topics …
All the best!
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