Looking for seasoned advice on where to begin - API programming

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wlnd

Hi seasoned programmers,

My end game is to program API alerts & eventually automate some parts of my tading. I'm looking for seasoned advice on where to begin, to utilise time most efficiently.

As of this point, my end game is to code Oanda's fx api to create price pattern alerts. What programming language should I pick up, that is a balance between ease-of-picking-up & durability over the years? How will the flow look like? What other parts besides a language do I have to pick up? As a non-programmer, I have no idea how the flow of such a program works. Create a custom written script of coded lingo x on a rented server space? run script to ping API every x period? push alerts via email/sms to user?


What I know- I have the logic to program, but limited programming skillsets - basic excel/google sheet copy paste edit to my purpose programming. I have attempted auto email alerts on google sheets that worked for awhile, before I realised my free source has breakage tendencies & some limitations on google sheets.
 
You are a seasoned programmer but your first question is which language to utilize? If the Api is just for yourself then pick whatever language you are most comfortable with and that is supported by the Apis you will peruse.

econbizer said:
Hi seasoned programmers,

My end game is to program API alerts & eventually automate some parts of my tading. I'm looking for seasoned advice on where to begin, to utilise time most efficiently.

As of this point, my end game is to code Oanda's fx api to create price pattern alerts. What programming language should I pick up, that is a balance between ease-of-picking-up & durability over the years? How will the flow look like? What other parts besides a language do I have to pick up? As a non-programmer, I have no idea how the flow of such a program works. Create a custom written script of coded lingo x on a rented server space? run script to ping API every x period? push alerts via email/sms to user?


What I know- I have the logic to program, but limited programming skillsets - basic excel/google sheet copy paste edit to my purpose programming. I have attempted auto email alerts on google sheets that worked for awhile, before I realised my free source has breakage tendencies & some limitations on google sheets.
More...
 
I think he said he is a non-programmer.

In tat case, you do not want to pick up one of the mainstream languages (you'll be too overburdened with overhead). What you want is to find a platform that includes a built-in scripting language. Then use that scripting language.

If you are okey with Excel VB, then you will want a platform that allows you to connect through Excel.

I'm not sure which platforms have built in easy to use scripting languages (but I know they are out there). Sadly I'm an over-seasoned programmer and just write my own tools (in C#) for everything.
 
Oanda supports MT4 that would enable you to do exactly what you want and is well documented. In fact you will certainly find MT4 price pattern alerts already implemented with source code available somewhere on the internet.
They also still support a Java API that's been around for years. They also introduced a REST API that's actually pretty easy to use. The point of REST is it can be used with any programming language, C++, Java, Python etc.
 
you are absolutely right, my wrong. Apologies.

HappyTrader said:
I think he said he is a non-programmer.

In tat case, you do not want to pick up one of the mainstream languages (you'll be too overburdened with overhead). What you want is to find a platform that includes a built-in scripting language. Then use that scripting language.

If you are okey with Excel VB, then you will want a platform that allows you to connect through Excel.

I'm not sure which platforms have built in easy to use scripting languages (but I know they are out there). Sadly I'm an over-seasoned programmer and just write my own tools (in C#) for everything.
More...
 
I think OP's take-away message is if he's a non-programmer he won't be able to become sufficiently proficient in any programming language in a reasonable amount of time.
Like learning a human language it takes years of learning and practice to master.
 
Thank you all for your kind advice.

I am still clueless what language gives a balance between ease-of-use & durability over time.. Are there good project based courses out there oriented towards trading applications? It would be great for efficiency compared with learning how to program simple games for instance.

Excel vba/ google sheets won't work for me, as I am looking to program multiple assets. Eg 500 stocks of the s&p. I did multiple calculations on just 30 for dow on excel OR google sheets & the whole thing lags like hell. That was how I found out things like googlesheets had a 6min max run time per script execution.
 
stevegee58 said:
Oanda supports MT4 that would enable you to do exactly what you want and is well documented. In fact you will certainly find MT4 price pattern alerts already implemented with source code available somewhere on the internet.
They also still support a Java API that's been around for years. They also introduced a REST API that's actually pretty easy to use. The point of REST is it can be used with any programming language, C++, Java, Python etc.
More...

Thanks Steve, I suppose that this is the most realistic baby step. via running mt4 24/5 on a pc. My issue is that mt4 data is geared towards fx, which will help my fx trading. But I really m looking to improve my futures game. Building confluence indicators on the underlying is my end game.

Which language do you find has the ease-of-picking-up vs durability over time?
 
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