--- name: mt5-httpapi description: MetaTrader 5 trading via REST API — get market data, place/modify/close orders, manage positions, pull history. Use when you need to interact with forex/crypto/stock markets through MT5. homepage: https://github.com/psyb0t/docker-metatrader5-httpapi user-invocable: true metadata: { "openclaw": { "emoji": "📈", "primaryEnv": "MT5_API_URL", "requires": { "bins": ["curl"] } } } --- # mt5-httpapi A REST API sitting on top of MetaTrader 5 running inside a Windows VM. You talk to it with plain HTTP/JSON — no MT5 libraries, no Windows, no bullshit. Just curl and go. ## When To Use This Skill - You need market data (candles, ticks, symbol info) - You need to place, modify, or close trades - You need account info (balance, equity, margin) - You need to check open positions or pending orders - You need trade/deal history ## When NOT To Use This Skill - Technical analysis calculations — do that yourself with the raw candle/tick data - Charting or visualization — this gives you data, not pictures - Backtesting — this is live/demo trading only ## Setup The API should already be running. Set the base URL: ```bash export MT5_API_URL=http://localhost:6542 ``` Or via OpenClaw config (`~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`): ```json { "skills": { "entries": { "mt5-httpapi": { "env": { "MT5_API_URL": "http://localhost:6542" } } } } } ``` **Verify:** `curl $MT5_API_URL/ping` — if it responds, you're good. If it doesn't, the API isn't running. Tell the user to set it up: https://github.com/psyb0t/docker-metatrader5-httpapi ## How It Works Standard REST API. GET for reading, POST for creating, PUT for modifying, DELETE for closing/canceling. All request/response bodies are JSON. Every error response looks like: ```json {"error": "description of what went wrong"} ``` ## API Reference ### Health ```bash # Is the API alive? curl $MT5_API_URL/ping ``` Response: ```json {"status": "ok"} ``` ```bash # Last MT5 error (useful for debugging failed trades) curl $MT5_API_URL/error ``` Response: ```json {"code": 1, "message": "Success"} ``` ### Terminal ```bash # Get terminal info curl $MT5_API_URL/terminal ``` Response: ```json { "build": 5602, "codepage": 0, "commondata_path": "C:\\Users\\Docker\\AppData\\Roaming\\MetaQuotes\\Terminal\\Common", "community_account": false, "community_balance": 0.0, "community_connection": false, "company": "Your Broker Inc.", "connected": true, "data_path": "C:\\Users\\Docker\\Desktop\\Shared\\mybroker", "dlls_allowed": true, "email_enabled": false, "ftp_enabled": false, "language": "English", "maxbars": 100000, "mqid": false, "name": "MyBroker MetaTrader 5", "notifications_enabled": false, "path": "C:\\Users\\Docker\\Desktop\\Shared\\mybroker", "ping_last": 0, "retransmission": 0.003, "trade_allowed": true, "tradeapi_disabled": false } ``` The most useful fields here: `connected` (is it connected to the broker), `trade_allowed` (can we trade), `company` (which broker). ```bash # Initialize MT5 connection (usually auto-done, but use this if you get "MT5 not initialized" errors) curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/terminal/init ``` Response: ```json {"success": true} ``` ```bash # Shut down MT5 curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/terminal/shutdown ``` Response: ```json {"success": true} ``` You almost never need to call `init` or `shutdown` manually. The API auto-initializes on first request. Only use `init` if something goes sideways, and `shutdown` if you explicitly want to kill the MT5 connection. ### Account ```bash # Get current account info curl $MT5_API_URL/account ``` Response: ```json { "login": 12345678, "name": "Your Name", "server": "MyBroker-Server", "company": "Your Broker Inc.", "currency": "USD", "currency_digits": 2, "balance": 10000.0, "credit": 0.0, "profit": 0.0, "equity": 10000.0, "margin": 0.0, "margin_free": 10000.0, "margin_level": 0.0, "margin_initial": 0.0, "margin_maintenance": 0.0, "margin_so_call": 70.0, "margin_so_so": 20.0, "margin_so_mode": 0, "margin_mode": 2, "assets": 0.0, "liabilities": 0.0, "commission_blocked": 0.0, "leverage": 500, "limit_orders": 0, "trade_allowed": true, "trade_expert": true, "trade_mode": 0, "fifo_close": false } ``` Key fields: - `balance` — account balance (without open position P&L) - `equity` — balance + unrealized P&L from open positions - `margin` — currently used margin - `margin_free` — available margin for new trades - `margin_level` — margin level as percentage (equity/margin * 100) - `leverage` — account leverage (e.g. 500 = 1:500) - `currency` — account currency (USD, EUR, etc.) - `trade_allowed` — whether trading is enabled - `margin_so_call` — margin call level (%) - `margin_so_so` — stop out level (%) ```bash # List saved accounts from config (passwords are NOT included) curl $MT5_API_URL/account/list ``` Response: ```json { "main": {"login": 12345678, "server": "RoboForex-Pro"}, "demo": {"login": 87654321, "server": "RoboForex-Demo"} } ``` ```bash # Login with explicit credentials curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/account/login \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"login": 12345678, "password": "pass", "server": "BrokerName-Server"}' ``` ```bash # Login by saved account name (from account.json) curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/account/login/demo ``` Login response: ```json { "success": true, "login": 87654321, "server": "RoboForex-Demo", "balance": 10000.0 } ``` ### Symbols ```bash # List all available symbols (returns array of symbol names) curl $MT5_API_URL/symbols ``` Response: ```json ["EURUSD", "GBPUSD", "ADAUSD", "BTCUSD", ...] ``` ```bash # Filter symbols by group pattern curl "$MT5_API_URL/symbols?group=*USD*" ``` ```bash # Get full details for a symbol curl $MT5_API_URL/symbols/EURUSD ``` Response (this is a big one): ```json { "name": "EURUSD", "description": "Euro vs US Dollar", "path": "Markets\\Forex\\Major\\EURUSD", "currency_base": "EUR", "currency_profit": "USD", "currency_margin": "EUR", "digits": 5, "point": 1e-05, "spread": 30, "spread_float": true, "trade_contract_size": 100000.0, "trade_tick_size": 1e-05, "trade_tick_value": 1.0, "trade_tick_value_profit": 1.0, "trade_tick_value_loss": 1.0, "volume_min": 0.01, "volume_max": 100.0, "volume_step": 0.01, "volume_limit": 0.0, "trade_mode": 4, "trade_calc_mode": 0, "trade_exemode": 2, "trade_stops_level": 1, "trade_freeze_level": 0, "swap_long": -11.0, "swap_short": 1.14064, "swap_mode": 1, "swap_rollover3days": 3, "margin_initial": 0.0, "margin_maintenance": 0.0, "margin_hedged": 50000.0, "filling_mode": 3, "expiration_mode": 15, "order_gtc_mode": 0, "order_mode": 127, "bid": 1.18672, "ask": 1.18702, "bidhigh": 1.18845, "bidlow": 1.1847, "askhigh": 1.1885, "asklow": 1.18475, "last": 0.0, "lasthigh": 0.0, "lastlow": 0.0, "time": 1771027139, "volume": 0, "volumehigh": 0, "volumelow": 0, "select": true, "visible": true, "custom": false, "chart_mode": 0, "session_deals": 0, "session_buy_orders": 0, "session_sell_orders": 0, "session_buy_orders_volume": 0.0, "session_sell_orders_volume": 0.0, "session_open": 1.1869, "session_close": 1.18698, "session_turnover": 0.0, "session_volume": 0.0, "session_interest": 0.0, "session_aw": 0.0, "session_price_settlement": 0.0, "session_price_limit_min": 0.0, "session_price_limit_max": 0.0, "price_change": -0.0219, "price_volatility": 0.0, "price_theoretical": 0.0, "price_sensitivity": 0.0, "price_greeks_delta": 0.0, "price_greeks_theta": 0.0, "price_greeks_gamma": 0.0, "price_greeks_vega": 0.0, "price_greeks_omega": 0.0, "price_greeks_rho": 0.0, "bank": "", "basis": "", "category": "", "exchange": "", "formula": "", "isin": "", "page": "", "trade_accrued_interest": 0.0, "trade_face_value": 0.0, "trade_liquidity_rate": 0.0, "margin_hedged_use_leg": false, "ticks_bookdepth": 16 } ``` Key fields for trading: - `bid`, `ask` — current prices - `digits` — price decimal places - `point` — smallest price change (e.g. 0.00001 for 5-digit forex) - `trade_tick_size` — minimum price movement - `trade_tick_value` — profit/loss per tick per 1 lot - `trade_contract_size` — contract size (e.g. 100000 for forex) - `volume_min`, `volume_max`, `volume_step` — lot size constraints - `spread` — current spread in points - `swap_long`, `swap_short` — overnight swap rates - `trade_stops_level` — minimum distance for SL/TP from current price (in points, 0 = no limit) - `trade_freeze_level` — distance from current price where orders can't be modified (in points) ```bash # Get latest tick (bid/ask snapshot) curl $MT5_API_URL/symbols/EURUSD/tick ``` Response: ```json { "time": 1771146325, "bid": 0.2973, "ask": 0.2976, "last": 0.0, "volume": 0, "time_msc": 1771146325123, "flags": 6, "volume_real": 0.0 } ``` ### Market Data — Candles (OHLCV) ```bash # Get 100 M1 candles (default) curl $MT5_API_URL/symbols/EURUSD/rates # Get 200 H4 candles curl "$MT5_API_URL/symbols/EURUSD/rates?timeframe=H4&count=200" ``` Available timeframes: `M1` `M2` `M3` `M4` `M5` `M6` `M10` `M12` `M15` `M20` `M30` `H1` `H2` `H3` `H4` `H6` `H8` `H12` `D1` `W1` `MN1` Response (array of candles): ```json [ { "time": 1771128000, "open": 0.2962, "high": 0.3006, "low": 0.2922, "close": 0.2979, "tick_volume": 4755, "spread": 30, "real_volume": 0 } ] ``` - `time` is the candle **open** time, unix epoch seconds - `tick_volume` is the number of ticks in the candle (use as volume proxy for forex) - `real_volume` is exchange-reported volume (0 for most forex) ### Market Data — Ticks ```bash # Get last 100 ticks curl $MT5_API_URL/symbols/EURUSD/ticks # Get last 500 ticks curl "$MT5_API_URL/symbols/EURUSD/ticks?count=500" ``` Response (array of ticks): ```json [ { "time": 1771146325, "bid": 0.2973, "ask": 0.2976, "last": 0.0, "volume": 0, "time_msc": 1771146325123, "flags": 6, "volume_real": 0.0 } ] ``` - `time` — unix epoch seconds - `time_msc` — same timestamp in milliseconds for higher precision ### Placing Orders ```bash # Market buy curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/orders \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"symbol": "ADAUSD", "type": "BUY", "volume": 1000}' # Market buy with SL and TP curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/orders \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"symbol": "ADAUSD", "type": "BUY", "volume": 1000, "sl": 0.25, "tp": 0.35}' # Market sell curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/orders \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"symbol": "ADAUSD", "type": "SELL", "volume": 1000}' # Pending buy limit (triggers when price drops to 0.28) curl -X POST $MT5_API_URL/orders \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"symbol": "ADAUSD", "type": "BUY_LIMIT", "volume": 1000, "price": 0.28, "sl": 0.25, "tp": 0.35}' ``` Full order body: ```json { "symbol": "ADAUSD", "type": "BUY", "volume": 1000, "price": 0.28, "sl": 0.25, "tp": 0.35, "deviation": 20, "magic": 0, "comment": "", "type_filling": "IOC", "type_time": "GTC" } ``` - Required: `symbol`, `type`, `volume`. Everything else is optional. - `price` gets auto-filled for market orders (uses current ask for BUY, bid for SELL). - `deviation` — max price slippage in points. If price moves more than this between request and execution, order gets rejected. Default: 20. - `magic` — expert advisor ID, use to tag orders from different strategies. - `type_filling` — how to fill the order if full volume isn't available. - `type_time` — when the order expires. Order types: - Market: `BUY`, `SELL` - Pending: `BUY_LIMIT`, `SELL_LIMIT`, `BUY_STOP`, `SELL_STOP`, `BUY_STOP_LIMIT`, `SELL_STOP_LIMIT` Fill policies: `FOK` (fill or kill — all or nothing), `IOC` (immediate or cancel — fill what you can, cancel rest, **default**), `RETURN` (fill what you can, leave rest as order) Expiration: `GTC` (good till cancelled, **default**), `DAY` (expires end of day), `SPECIFIED` (expires at specific time), `SPECIFIED_DAY` (expires at specific day) **Trade result** (returned on success): ```json { "retcode": 10009, "deal": 40536194, "order": 42094812, "volume": 3100.0, "price": 0.2989, "bid": 0.2986, "ask": 0.2989, "comment": "Request executed", "request_id": 1549268248, "retcode_external": 0 } ``` - `retcode` 10009 = success. Anything else = something went wrong, check `comment`. - `deal` — deal ticket (unique ID for the executed trade) - `order` — order ticket - `volume` — actually executed volume - `price` — execution price ### Managing Pending Orders ```bash # List all pending orders curl $MT5_API_URL/orders # Filter by symbol curl "$MT5_API_URL/orders?symbol=EURUSD" # Get specific order curl $MT5_API_URL/orders/42094812 ``` Pending order object: ```json { "ticket": 42094812, "time_setup": 1771147800, "time_setup_msc": 1771147800123, "time_done": 0, "time_done_msc": 0, "time_expiration": 0, "type": 2, "type_time": 0, "type_filling": 1, "state": 1, "magic": 0, "position_id": 0, "position_by_id": 0, "reason": 3, "volume_initial": 1000.0, "volume_current": 1000.0, "price_open": 0.28, "sl": 0.25, "tp": 0.35, "price_current": 0.2989, "price_stoplimit": 0.0, "symbol": "ADAUSD", "comment": "", "external_id": "" } ``` Key fields: - `ticket` — unique order ID, use this for modify/cancel - `type` — order type (0=BUY, 1=SELL, 2=BUY_LIMIT, 3=SELL_LIMIT, 4=BUY_STOP, 5=SELL_STOP, 6=BUY_STOP_LIMIT, 7=SELL_STOP_LIMIT) - `volume_initial` — originally requested volume - `volume_current` — remaining volume (less if partially filled) - `price_open` — order price - `sl`, `tp` — stop loss and take profit - `price_current` — current market price - `state` — order state (1=placed, 2=canceled, 3=partial, 4=filled, 5=rejected, 6=expired) ```bash # Modify a pending order (change price, SL, TP) curl -X PUT $MT5_API_URL/orders/42094812 \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"price": 0.29, "sl": 0.26, "tp": 0.36}' ``` All fields optional. Only pass what you want to change. ```bash # Cancel a pending order curl -X DELETE $MT5_API_URL/orders/42094812 ``` Both return a trade result object (see above). ### Managing Positions ```bash # List all open positions curl $MT5_API_URL/positions # Filter by symbol curl "$MT5_API_URL/positions?symbol=ADAUSD" # Get specific position curl $MT5_API_URL/positions/42094812 ``` Position object: ```json { "ticket": 42094812, "time": 1771147866, "time_msc": 1771147866130, "time_update": 1771147866, "time_update_msc": 1771147866130, "type": 0, "magic": 0, "identifier": 42094812, "reason": 3, "volume": 3100.0, "price_open": 0.2989, "sl": 0.25, "tp": 0.35, "price_current": 0.2991, "swap": 0.0, "profit": 6.2, "symbol": "ADAUSD", "comment": "", "external_id": "" } ``` Key fields: - `ticket` — unique position ID, use this for update/close - `type` — 0 = buy, 1 = sell - `volume` — current position size - `price_open` — entry price - `price_current` — current market price - `sl`, `tp` — stop loss and take profit (0.0 = not set) - `swap` — accumulated swap - `profit` — unrealized P&L in account currency - `time` — when the position was opened (unix epoch seconds) ```bash # Update SL/TP on an open position curl -X PUT $MT5_API_URL/positions/42094812 \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"sl": 0.27, "tp": 0.36}' ``` All fields optional. Only pass what you want to change. ```bash # Close entire position curl -X DELETE $MT5_API_URL/positions/42094812 # Partial close (close 500 out of 3100 volume) curl -X DELETE $MT5_API_URL/positions/42094812 \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"volume": 500}' # Close with custom deviation (max price slippage) curl -X DELETE $MT5_API_URL/positions/42094812 \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"deviation": 50}' ``` All fields optional. `volume` defaults to full position, `deviation` defaults to 20. Both update and close return a trade result object (see above). ### History Both endpoints require `from` and `to` as unix epoch seconds. ```bash # Get order history for the last 24 hours curl "$MT5_API_URL/history/orders?from=$(date -d '1 day ago' +%s)&to=$(date +%s)" # Get deal history for the last 24 hours curl "$MT5_API_URL/history/deals?from=$(date -d '1 day ago' +%s)&to=$(date +%s)" # Get deal history for a specific range curl "$MT5_API_URL/history/deals?from=1771060000&to=1771150000" ``` History order object (completed/cancelled orders): ```json { "ticket": 42094812, "time_setup": 1771147800, "time_setup_msc": 1771147800123, "time_done": 1771147866, "time_done_msc": 1771147866130, "time_expiration": 0, "type": 0, "type_time": 0, "type_filling": 1, "state": 4, "magic": 0, "position_id": 42094812, "position_by_id": 0, "reason": 3, "volume_initial": 3100.0, "volume_current": 0.0, "price_open": 0.2989, "sl": 0.25, "tp": 0.35, "price_current": 0.2989, "price_stoplimit": 0.0, "symbol": "ADAUSD", "comment": "Request executed", "external_id": "" } ``` - `state` 4 = filled, 2 = canceled, 5 = rejected, 6 = expired - `time_setup` = when the order was placed, `time_done` = when it was executed/cancelled - `volume_current` = 0 means fully filled Deal object (actual executed trades): ```json { "ticket": 40536194, "order": 42094812, "time": 1771147866, "time_msc": 1771147866130, "type": 0, "entry": 0, "position_id": 42094812, "symbol": "ADAUSD", "volume": 3100.0, "price": 0.2989, "commission": 0.0, "swap": 0.0, "profit": 0.0, "fee": 0.0, "magic": 0, "reason": 3, "comment": "", "external_id": "" } ``` - `type` — 0 = buy, 1 = sell - `entry` — 0 = entry (opening), 1 = exit (closing), 2 = reverse, 3 = close by opposite - `profit` — realized P&L for this deal (0 for entries, actual P&L for exits) - `commission`, `swap`, `fee` — trading costs - `position_id` — links the deal to a position - `order` — links the deal to the order that triggered it ## Pre-Trade Checks (DO NOT SKIP) Before you place ANY trade, you MUST verify these things. Skipping this can lose real money. 1. **Check if trading is enabled on the account:** `GET /account` → `trade_allowed` must be `true`. If it's `false`, you can't trade — don't even try. 2. **Check if the symbol is open for trading:** `GET /symbols/SYMBOL` → check `trade_mode`. It must be 4 (full trading). Other values mean trading is restricted or disabled for that symbol. Markets have trading hours — forex is closed on weekends, stocks have exchange hours, crypto is usually 24/7 but not always. 3. **Check the contract size:** `GET /symbols/SYMBOL` → `trade_contract_size`. This is critical. For forex it's usually 100,000 (meaning 1 lot = 100,000 units of the base currency). For crypto it might be 1 (meaning 1 lot = 1 coin). If you blindly send `"volume": 1000` thinking it's 1000 coins but the contract size is 100,000, you just opened a position worth 100,000,000 units. **Always check `trade_contract_size` and factor it into your position sizing.** 4. **Check the terminal connection:** `GET /terminal` → `connected` must be `true`. If the terminal is disconnected from the broker, orders will fail. ## Typical Workflow 1. **Check the connection:** `GET /ping` — make sure the API responds 2. **Check your account:** `GET /account` — verify `trade_allowed` is `true`, check `balance`, `equity`, `margin_free` 3. **Check the terminal:** `GET /terminal` — verify `connected` is `true` 4. **Get symbol specs:** `GET /symbols/SYMBOL` — verify `trade_mode` is 4 (trading enabled), check `trade_contract_size`, `trade_tick_value`, `volume_min`, `volume_step` 5. **Get market data:** `GET /symbols/SYMBOL/rates?timeframe=H4&count=100` — pull candles for analysis 6. **Get current price:** `GET /symbols/SYMBOL/tick` — latest bid/ask 7. **Calculate your position size and risk** — use `trade_contract_size` and `trade_tick_value` from step 4. Don't guess. 8. **Place the trade:** `POST /orders` with your symbol, type, volume, SL, TP 9. **Monitor:** `GET /positions` to check open positions 10. **Adjust:** `PUT /positions/:ticket` to move SL/TP 11. **Close:** `DELETE /positions/:ticket` when you're done 12. **Review:** `GET /history/deals` to check what happened ## Position Sizing Say you want to risk 1% of your account on a trade with a stop loss at 3x ATR on H4: 1. Get account balance: `GET /account` → `balance` field. Also verify `trade_allowed` is `true`. 2. Get symbol specs: `GET /symbols/ADAUSD` → grab `trade_contract_size`, `trade_tick_value`, `trade_tick_size`, `volume_min`, `volume_max`, `volume_step`. Also verify `trade_mode` is 4. 3. Get candles: `GET /symbols/ADAUSD/rates?timeframe=H4&count=15` → calculate ATR from high/low/close data (average true range over 14 periods) 4. Calculate: - `risk_amount = balance * 0.01` - `sl_distance = ATR * 3` - `ticks_in_sl = sl_distance / trade_tick_size` - `risk_per_lot = ticks_in_sl * trade_tick_value` (this is how much you lose per 1 lot if SL is hit) - `volume = risk_amount / risk_per_lot` - **Sanity check:** `notional_value = volume * trade_contract_size * current_price` — make sure this isn't insane relative to your balance 5. Round volume down to nearest `volume_step`, clamp between `volume_min` and `volume_max` 6. Get current price: `GET /symbols/ADAUSD/tick` → use `ask` for buy, `bid` for sell 7. Calculate SL price: `entry_price - sl_distance` for buy, `entry_price + sl_distance` for sell 8. Send the order: `POST /orders` with symbol, type, volume, sl ## Technical Analysis This API gives you raw market data — it does NOT do TA for you. If you need indicators (ATR, RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, moving averages, etc.), grab the candle data from here and crunch it yourself. There's a full working example in the repo at `examples/ta/` using [pandas-ta](https://github.com/twopirllc/pandas-ta) — check `indicators.py` for individual indicator functions, `signals.py` for signal detection, and `ta.py` to run it all. ### Quick example ```python import pandas as pd import pandas_ta as ta import requests # Grab candles from the API candles = requests.get("http://localhost:6542/symbols/EURUSD/rates?timeframe=H4&count=200").json() df = pd.DataFrame(candles) # ATR, RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, moving averages — one-liners df["atr"] = ta.atr(df["high"], df["low"], df["close"], length=14) df["rsi"] = ta.rsi(df["close"], length=14) df = pd.concat([df, ta.macd(df["close"])], axis=1) df = pd.concat([df, ta.bbands(df["close"], length=20, std=2)], axis=1) df["sma_50"] = ta.sma(df["close"], length=50) df["ema_21"] = ta.ema(df["close"], length=21) df["mfi"] = ta.mfi(df["high"], df["low"], df["close"], df["tick_volume"], length=14) ``` Install: `pip install requests pandas pandas-ta` ## Tips 1. **ALWAYS check if trading is enabled before placing orders** — `GET /account` → `trade_allowed` must be `true`. `GET /symbols/SYMBOL` → `trade_mode` must be 4. If either is wrong, the trade will fail or worse — you'll get errors you don't understand. 2. **ALWAYS check `trade_contract_size` before sizing your position** — this is the single easiest way to blow an account by accident. 1 lot of EURUSD = 100,000 EUR. 1 lot of BTCUSD might = 1 BTC. 1 lot of some index might = 10 contracts. Never assume. Always check. 3. **ALWAYS check `retcode` in trade results** — 10009 means success, anything else is a problem 4. **Use `GET /error` to debug** — when a trade fails, this tells you what MT5 is complaining about 5. **Demo accounts first** — test your shit before going live 6. **Markets have hours** — forex is closed on weekends (Friday ~22:00 UTC to Sunday ~22:00 UTC). Stocks follow exchange hours. Crypto is usually 24/7 but check the symbol's `trade_mode` to be sure. If you try to trade when the market is closed, the order will be rejected. 7. **`deviation` matters for market orders** — if price moves more than `deviation` points between your request and execution, the order gets rejected. Default is 20, increase it for volatile markets. 8. **`type_filling` matters** — some brokers only support certain fill policies. If your order gets rejected, try switching between `FOK`, `IOC`, and `RETURN`. 9. **Partial closes are a thing** — you don't have to close an entire position, pass `volume` in the DELETE body 10. **History needs explicit time range** — `from` and `to` are required, both unix epoch seconds 11. **Candle `time` is the candle open time** — not close time 12. **`time_msc` is milliseconds** — `time` is seconds, `time_msc` is the same timestamp in milliseconds 13. **Check `trade_stops_level` on the symbol** — this is the minimum distance (in points) between current price and your SL/TP. If it's 10 and the point is 0.00001, your SL/TP must be at least 0.0001 away from current price. 14. **Check `volume_step` before placing orders** — if `volume_step` is 0.01, you can't trade 0.015 lots. Round to the nearest step. 15. **`margin_free` tells you how much you can trade** — if it's 0 or close to 0, you're maxed out 16. **`profit` on positions is unrealized** — it changes with every tick. `profit` on deals is realized (final). 17. **Do a sanity check on notional value** — before sending any order, calculate `volume * trade_contract_size * price` and make sure it's not absurd relative to the account balance. If your $10,000 account is about to open a $5,000,000 notional position, something is wrong with your math.