stable/docs/bot-optimization.md

# Bot Optimization

This page explains where to customize your strategies, and add new
indicators.

## Table of Contents

- [Install a custom strategy file](#install-a-custom-strategy-file)
- [Customize your strategy](#change-your-strategy)
- [Add more Indicator](#add-more-indicator)
- [Where is the default strategy](#where-is-the-default-strategy)

Since the version `0.16.0` the bot allows using custom strategy file.

## Install a custom strategy file

This is very simple. Copy paste your strategy file into the folder
`user_data/strategies`.

Let assume you have a class called `AwesomeStrategy` in the file `awesome-strategy.py`:

1. Move your file into `user_data/strategies` (you should have `user_data/strategies/awesome-strategy.py`
2. Start the bot with the param `--strategy AwesomeStrategy` (the parameter is the class name)

```bash
python3 ./freqtrade/main.py --strategy AwesomeStrategy
```

## Change your strategy

The bot includes a default strategy file. However, we recommend you to
use your own file to not have to lose your parameters every time the default
strategy file will be updated on Github. Put your custom strategy file
into the folder `user_data/strategies`.

A strategy file contains all the information needed to build a good strategy:

- Buy strategy rules
- Sell strategy rules
- Minimal ROI recommended
- Stoploss strongly recommended

The bot also include a sample strategy called `TestStrategy` you can update: `user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py`.
You can test it with the parameter: `--strategy TestStrategy`

``` bash
python3 ./freqtrade/main.py --strategy AwesomeStrategy
```

### Buy strategy rules

Edit the method `populate_buy_trend()` into your strategy file to update your buy strategy.

Sample from `user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py`:

```python
def populate_buy_trend(self, dataframe: DataFrame, metadata: dict) -> DataFrame:
    """
    Based on TA indicators, populates the buy signal for the given dataframe
    :param dataframe: DataFrame populated with indicators
    :param metadata: Additional information, like the currently traded pair
    :return: DataFrame with buy column
    """
    dataframe.loc[
        (
            (dataframe['adx'] > 30) &
            (dataframe['tema'] <= dataframe['bb_middleband']) &
            (dataframe['tema'] > dataframe['tema'].shift(1))
        ),
        'buy'] = 1

    return dataframe
```

### Sell strategy rules

Edit the method `populate_sell_trend()` into your strategy file to update your sell strategy.
Please note that the sell-signal is only used if `use_sell_signal` is set to true in the configuration.

Sample from `user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py`:

```python
def populate_sell_trend(self, dataframe: DataFrame, metadata: dict) -> DataFrame:
    """
    Based on TA indicators, populates the sell signal for the given dataframe
    :param dataframe: DataFrame populated with indicators
    :param metadata: Additional information, like the currently traded pair
    :return: DataFrame with buy column
    """
    dataframe.loc[
        (
            (dataframe['adx'] > 70) &
            (dataframe['tema'] > dataframe['bb_middleband']) &
            (dataframe['tema'] < dataframe['tema'].shift(1))
        ),
        'sell'] = 1
    return dataframe
```

## Add more Indicators

As you have seen, buy and sell strategies need indicators. You can add more indicators by extending the list contained in the method `populate_indicators()` from your strategy file.

You should only add the indicators used in either `populate_buy_trend()`, `populate_sell_trend()`, or to populate another indicator, otherwise performance may suffer.

Sample:

```python
def populate_indicators(self, dataframe: DataFrame, metadata: dict) -> DataFrame:
    """
    Adds several different TA indicators to the given DataFrame

    Performance Note: For the best performance be frugal on the number of indicators
    you are using. Let uncomment only the indicator you are using in your strategies
    or your hyperopt configuration, otherwise you will waste your memory and CPU usage.
    :param dataframe: Raw data from the exchange and parsed by parse_ticker_dataframe()
    :param metadata: Additional information, like the currently traded pair
    :return: a Dataframe with all mandatory indicators for the strategies
    """
    dataframe['sar'] = ta.SAR(dataframe)
    dataframe['adx'] = ta.ADX(dataframe)
    stoch = ta.STOCHF(dataframe)
    dataframe['fastd'] = stoch['fastd']
    dataframe['fastk'] = stoch['fastk']
    dataframe['blower'] = ta.BBANDS(dataframe, nbdevup=2, nbdevdn=2)['lowerband']
    dataframe['sma'] = ta.SMA(dataframe, timeperiod=40)
    dataframe['tema'] = ta.TEMA(dataframe, timeperiod=9)
    dataframe['mfi'] = ta.MFI(dataframe)
    dataframe['rsi'] = ta.RSI(dataframe)
    dataframe['ema5'] = ta.EMA(dataframe, timeperiod=5)
    dataframe['ema10'] = ta.EMA(dataframe, timeperiod=10)
    dataframe['ema50'] = ta.EMA(dataframe, timeperiod=50)
    dataframe['ema100'] = ta.EMA(dataframe, timeperiod=100)
    dataframe['ao'] = awesome_oscillator(dataframe)
    macd = ta.MACD(dataframe)
    dataframe['macd'] = macd['macd']
    dataframe['macdsignal'] = macd['macdsignal']
    dataframe['macdhist'] = macd['macdhist']
    hilbert = ta.HT_SINE(dataframe)
    dataframe['htsine'] = hilbert['sine']
    dataframe['htleadsine'] = hilbert['leadsine']
    dataframe['plus_dm'] = ta.PLUS_DM(dataframe)
    dataframe['plus_di'] = ta.PLUS_DI(dataframe)
    dataframe['minus_dm'] = ta.MINUS_DM(dataframe)
    dataframe['minus_di'] = ta.MINUS_DI(dataframe)
    return dataframe
```

### Metadata dict

The metadata-dict (available for `populate_buy_trend`, `populate_sell_trend`, `populate_indicators`) contains additional information.
Currently this is `pair`, which can be accessed using `metadata['pair']` - and will return a pair in the format `XRP/BTC`.

### Want more indicator examples

Look into the [user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py](https://github.com/freqtrade/freqtrade/blob/develop/user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py).
Then uncomment indicators you need.

### Where is the default strategy?

The default buy strategy is located in the file
[freqtrade/default_strategy.py](https://github.com/freqtrade/freqtrade/blob/develop/freqtrade/strategy/default_strategy.py).

### Specify custom strategy location

If you want to use a strategy from a different folder you can pass `--strategy-path`

```bash
python3 ./freqtrade/main.py --strategy AwesomeStrategy --strategy-path /some/folder
```

**For the following section we will use the [user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py](https://github.com/freqtrade/freqtrade/blob/develop/user_data/strategies/test_strategy.py)
file as reference.**

### Further strategy ideas

To get additional Ideas for strategies, head over to our [strategy repository](https://github.com/freqtrade/freqtrade-strategies). Feel free to use them as they are - but results will depend on the current market situation, pairs used etc. - therefore please backtest the strategy for your exchange/desired pairs first, evaluate carefully, use at your own risk.
Feel free to use any of them as inspiration for your own strategies.
We're happy to accept Pull Requests containing new Strategies to that repo.

We also got a *strategy-sharing* channel in our [Slack community](https://join.slack.com/t/highfrequencybot/shared_invite/enQtMjQ5NTM0OTYzMzY3LWMxYzE3M2MxNDdjMGM3ZTYwNzFjMGIwZGRjNTc3ZGU3MGE3NzdmZGMwNmU3NDM5ZTNmM2Y3NjRiNzk4NmM4OGE) which is a great place to get and/or share ideas.

## Next step

Now you have a perfect strategy you probably want to backtest it.
Your next step is to learn [How to use the Backtesting](https://github.com/freqtrade/freqtrade/blob/develop/docs/backtesting.md).