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Code migration guide

Pine Script to MQL5 converter

Converting Pine Script to MQL5 means replacing implicit Pine series evaluation with MQL5 events, arrays, and indicator handles, then choosing an indicator or Expert Advisor with an explicit MT5 position model.

Open the MQL5 Coding AgentReview MQL5 AI Coding Agent

Generate an MQL5 draft, then compile it in MetaEditor 5 and test the target account mode in MetaTrader 5.

Conversion map

What changes between TradingView and MetaTrader 5

The migration is a model translation. Use this map to decide where the source behavior belongs before writing target syntax.

Source and target platform conversion map
ConcernSource modelTarget modelMigration decision
LifecycleCode runs sequentially across chart bars. Realtime behavior depends on script type and calculation settings.Programs respond to typed events such as OnInit, OnTick, OnTradeTransaction, and OnCalculate.Choose when each TradingView calculation should run in MetaTrader 5; matching syntax alone does not preserve timing.
Market data and historyBuilt-in series values such as close carry bar history and use history references such as close[1].Timeseries and indicator values are commonly copied into arrays; built-in indicators return handles read with CopyBuffer.Recheck bar indexing, warm-up requirements, timeframe requests, and behavior on an unfinished bar.
Indicators and chart outputindicator(), plot(), drawing objects, alerts, and the ta.* namespace define chart output.Indicator handles, buffers, plots, and OnCalculate separate setup from repeated calculation.Map calculations before recreating plots, labels, colors, and platform-specific drawing objects.
Orders and positionsstrategy.* commands create broker-emulator orders for TradingView strategy tests.Trade requests and CTrade operate with orders, deals, and account-dependent position models.Define fill timing, sizing, pyramiding or hedging, stops, and position ownership for the target platform.
Native validationSave in Pine Editor, resolve compiler errors, add to a chart, then inspect plots, alerts, and Strategy Tester behavior.Compile the .mq5 file in MetaEditor 5, load it in MetaTrader 5, and use Strategy Tester for the intended artifact.Treat generated MQL5 as a draft until it passes the target editor, chart, and backtest workflow.

Code example

Moving-average cross: Pine Script to MQL5

These fragments show where the same signal starts in each API. They are not complete standalone programs; lifecycle setup, inputs, plots, and order handling still depend on the selected artifact.

Pine Script source fragment
//@version=6
indicator("MA cross", overlay = true)
fast = ta.sma(close, 10)
slow = ta.sma(close, 20)
longSignal = ta.crossover(fast, slow)
plot(fast)
plot(slow)
MQL5 target fragment
double fast[2], slow[2];
CopyBuffer(fastHandle, 0, 0, 2, fast);
CopyBuffer(slowHandle, 0, 0, 2, slow);
bool longSignal = fast[0] <= slow[0] && fast[1] > slow[1];

Workflow

A four-step migration path

Keep generation, target-platform validation, and behavior comparison as separate stages.

  1. 1

    Inventory the source behavior

    Separate calculations, plots, alerts, orders, external dependencies, and assumptions in a Pine Editor indicator or strategy source file.

  2. 2

    Choose the target artifact

    Decide whether the result is an .mq5 Expert Advisor or custom indicator. This choice controls lifecycle methods and available APIs.

  3. 3

    Rewrite through target APIs

    Translate state, series, indicators, drawings, and orders into MetaTrader 5 concepts instead of replacing function names.

  4. 4

    Validate behavior natively

    Compile the .mq5 file in MetaEditor 5, load it in MetaTrader 5, and use Strategy Tester for the intended artifact.

Manual decisions

Decisions code replacement cannot make

  • Select OnCalculate for an indicator or OnTick and related trade events for an Expert Advisor.
  • Create and release indicator handles, then define how CopyBuffer values align with Pine bar references.
  • Choose netting or hedging behavior before translating Pine strategy entries and exits.

Limitations

What the draft cannot prove

  • TradingView and MetaTrader 5 do not share one execution, data, or order model, so behavior can change even when both versions compile.
  • Broker, symbol, session, timezone, history, and fill settings can change signals and backtest results on MetaTrader 5.
  • Pineify can generate and revise a MQL5 draft, but the target platform remains the authority for compilation, loading, backtesting, and runtime behavior.

Use cases

When this conversion is useful

  • Move a Pine overlay into an MT5 custom indicator with plots and buffers.
  • Rebuild a TradingView strategy as an MQL5 Expert Advisor for native testing.
  • Convert Pine alerts into MT5 conditions while keeping execution rules explicit.

FAQ

Pine Script to MQL5 questions

Official references

Build the MQL5 draft with its native model in view

Bring the complete source and your artifact, timing, data, and order requirements. Validate the result in MetaTrader 5.

Open the MQL5 Coding AgentProduct details