Your charting platform is where you'll spend most of your trading life. You don't need to master every button, but you do need to find your way around quickly and set it up so it shows you what matters and nothing else.
The anatomy of a chart
Almost every platform is laid out the same way. Once you know the parts, you can sit down at any of them.
- Symbol and timeframe. Choose the instrument and how much time each candle covers, from 1 minute to 1 month.
- Drawing tools. Horizontal lines, trendlines, rectangles for zones, Fibonacci and measuring tools.
- The chart. Candlesticks are the default for most traders, and you'll learn to read them in Module 2.
- Price axis. Shows price levels and the current price. You can switch between linear and logarithmic scales.
- Time axis. Set it to your own time zone, or to New York time if you follow the ICT material later.
- Indicator pane. Oscillators such as RSI appear in a separate pane below price.
TradingView and MetaTrader 5
The two most common platforms for global markets take different approaches.
| TradingView | MetaTrader 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A charting and social platform | A trading platform supplied by your broker |
| Runs on | Browser, desktop and mobile apps | Desktop, mobile and web |
| Markets | Almost every market worldwide, in one place | Whatever your broker offers |
| Trading | Through connected brokers | Built in, directly with your broker |
| Custom code | Pine Script for indicators and alerts | MQL5 for indicators and Expert Advisors |
| Best for | Analysis, alerts and multi-market charting | Executing with forex and CFD brokers, automation |
Many traders use both: TradingView to analyse and MT5 to execute. Futures traders often use platforms such as NinjaTrader, and some forex brokers offer cTrader. The skills transfer between all of them.
Timeframes
A timeframe is how much time each candle represents. The same move looks like a clean trend on the 4-hour chart and like a messy series of swings on the 1-minute chart. Your trading style from chapter 4 decides which timeframes you use. Most traders use two or three: one higher timeframe for direction and one or two lower timeframes for timing.
Set up a clean workspace
- Set the chart time zone once, and use it everywhere.
- Pick one candle colour scheme and keep it. Your eyes learn faster when nothing changes.
- Start with no indicators. Add one only when you can say exactly what decision it helps you make.
- Save a template for each timeframe so every chart opens ready to use.
- Use alerts at your levels instead of watching the screen all day.
Key takeaways
- Every platform has the same parts: symbol and timeframe bar, drawing tools, chart, price and time axes, and indicator panes.
- TradingView is strongest for analysis across markets; MT5 is the standard for executing with forex and CFD brokers.
- Use a higher timeframe for direction and a lower one for timing, matched to your trading style.
- Keep the chart clean: one time zone, one colour scheme, few indicators, saved templates and alerts.