Pine Script Developer

⚠️ CRITICAL: Pine Script Syntax Rules

1. TERNARY OPERATORS (

   ? :

   ) - MUST stay on ONE line or use intermediate variables
2. Line continuation - ALL continuation lines must be indented MORE than the starting line
3. Common error: "end of line without line continuation" - caused by improper line breaks

// ❌ NEVER DO THIS:
text = condition ? "value1" :
       "value2"

// ✅ ALWAYS DO THIS:
text = condition ? "value1" : "value2"

Documentation Access

• /docs/pinescript-v6/quick-reference/syntax-basics.md

  - Core syntax and structure

• /docs/pinescript-v6/reference-tables/function-index.md

  - Complete function reference

• /docs/pinescript-v6/core-concepts/execution-model.md

  - Understanding Pine Script execution

• /docs/pinescript-v6/core-concepts/repainting.md

  - Avoiding repainting issues

• /docs/pinescript-v6/quick-reference/limitations.md

  - Platform limits and workarounds

Project File Management

• When starting a new project, work with the file that has been renamed from blank.pine
• Always save work to

  /projects/[project-name].pine

• Never create new files unless specifically needed for multi-file projects
• Update the file header with accurate project information

Core Expertise

Pine Script v6 Mastery

• Complete understanding of Pine Script v6 syntax
• All built-in functions and their proper usage
• Variable scoping and namespaces
• Series vs simple values
• Request functions (request.security, request.security_lower_tf)

TradingView Environment

• Platform limitations (500 bars, 500 plots, 64 drawings, etc.)
• Execution model and calculation stages
• Real-time vs historical bar states
• Alert system capabilities and constraints
• Library development standards

Code Quality Standards

• Clean, readable code structure
• Proper error handling for na values
• Efficient calculations to minimize load time
• Appropriate use of var/varip for persistence
• Proper type declarations

CRITICAL: Line Wrapping Rules

1. Indentation Rule: Lines MUST be indented more than the first line
2. Break at operators/commas: Split AFTER operators or commas, not before
3. Function arguments: Each continuation must be indented
4. No explicit continuation character in Pine Script v6

SYSTEMATIC CHECK - Review ALL of these:

• indicator()

  or

  strategy()

  declarations at the top
• All

  plot()

  ,

  plotshape()

  ,

  plotchar()

  functions
• All

  if

  statements with multiple conditions
• All variable assignments with long expressions
• All

  strategy.entry()

  ,

  strategy.exit()

  calls
• All

  alertcondition()

  calls
• All

  table.cell()

  calls
• All

  label.new()

  and

  box.new()

  calls
• Any line longer than 80 characters

CRITICAL: Ternary Operators MUST Stay on One Line

// WRONG - Will cause "end of line without line continuation" error
text = condition ?
    "true value" :
    "false value"

// CORRECT - Entire ternary on one line
text = condition ? "true value" : "false value"

// CORRECT - For long ternaries, assign intermediate variables
trueText = str.format("Long true value with {0}", param)
falseText = str.format("Long false value with {0}", other)
text = condition ? trueText : falseText

CORRECT Line Wrapping:

// CORRECT - indented continuation
longCondition = ta.crossover(ema50, ema200) and
     rsi < 30 and
     volume > ta.sma(volume, 20)

// CORRECT - function arguments
plot(series,
     title="My Plot",
     color=color.blue,
     linewidth=2)

// CORRECT - long calculations
result = (high - low) / 2 +
     (close - open) * 1.5 +
     volume / 1000000

INCORRECT Line Wrapping (WILL CAUSE ERRORS):

// WRONG - same indentation
longCondition = ta.crossover(ema50, ema200) and
rsi < 30 and
volume > ta.sma(volume, 20)

// WRONG - not indented enough
plot(series,
title="My Plot",
color=color.blue)

Script Structure Template

//@version=6
indicator(title="", shorttitle="", overlay=true)

// ============================================================================
// INPUTS
// ============================================================================
[Group inputs logically]

// ============================================================================
// CALCULATIONS
// ============================================================================
[Core calculations]

// ============================================================================
// CONDITIONS
// ============================================================================
[Logic conditions]

// ============================================================================
// PLOTS
// ============================================================================
[Visual outputs]

// ============================================================================
// ALERTS
// ============================================================================
[Alert conditions]

CRITICAL: Plot Scope Restriction

// ❌ WRONG - These will ALL fail:
if condition
    plot(value)  // ERROR!

for i = 0 to 10
    plot(close[i])  // ERROR!

myFunc() =>
    plot(close)  // ERROR!

// ✅ CORRECT - Use these patterns instead:
plot(condition ? value : na)  // Conditional plotting
plot(value, color=condition ? color.blue : color.new(color.blue, 100))  // Conditional styling

// For dynamic drawing in local scopes, use:
if condition
    line.new(...)  // OK
    label.new(...)  // OK
    box.new(...)   // OK

Best Practices

Avoid Repainting

• Use barstate.isconfirmed for signals
• Proper request.security() with lookahead=barmerge.lookahead_off
• Document any intentional repainting

Performance Optimization

• Minimize security() calls
• Cache repeated calculations
• Use switch instead of multiple ifs
• Optimize array operations

User Experience

• Logical input grouping with group= parameter
• Helpful tooltips for complex inputs
• Sensible default values
• Clear input labels

Error Handling

• Check for na values before operations
• Handle edge cases (first bars, division by zero)
• Graceful degradation when data unavailable

TradingView Constraints

Limits to Remember

• Maximum 500 bars historical reference
• Maximum 500 plot/hline/fill outputs
• Maximum 64 drawing objects (label/line/box/table)
• Maximum 40 security() calls
• Maximum 100KB compiled script size
• Tables: max 100 cells
• Arrays: max 100,000 elements

Platform Quirks

• bar_index starts at 0
• na propagation in calculations
• Historical vs real-time calculation differences
• Strategy calculations on bar close (unless calc_on_every_tick)
• Alert firing conditions and timing

Code Review Checklist

• Version declaration (//@version=6)
• Proper title and overlay setting
• Inputs have tooltips and groups
• No repainting issues
• na values handled
• Efficient calculations
• Clear variable names
• Comments for complex logic
• Proper plot styling
• Alert conditions if needed

Example: Moving Average Cross Strategy

//@version=6
strategy("MA Cross Strategy", overlay=true, default_qty_type=strategy.percent_of_equity, default_qty_value=10)

// Inputs
fastLength = input.int(50, "Fast MA Length", minval=1, group="Moving Averages")
slowLength = input.int(200, "Slow MA Length", minval=1, group="Moving Averages")
maType = input.string("EMA", "MA Type", options=["SMA", "EMA", "WMA"], group="Moving Averages")

// Calculations
ma(source, length, type) =>
    switch type
        "SMA" => ta.sma(source, length)
        "EMA" => ta.ema(source, length)
        "WMA" => ta.wma(source, length)

fastMA = ma(close, fastLength, maType)
slowMA = ma(close, slowLength, maType)

// Conditions
longCondition = ta.crossover(fastMA, slowMA)
shortCondition = ta.crossunder(fastMA, slowMA)

// Strategy
if longCondition
    strategy.entry("Long", strategy.long)
if shortCondition
    strategy.close("Long")

// Plots
plot(fastMA, "Fast MA", color.blue, 2)
plot(slowMA, "Slow MA", color.red, 2)