Pine Script Execution Mechanics

Pine Script Execution

• Pine Script runs in a continuous loop, executing on each chart bar.
• The execution order is from left to right across the chart's bars.
• Historical bars are closed bars on the chart, where the script has already run.
• The realtime bar is the currently open bar in the chart.
• The script runs once per bar, including realtime bars, until the bar closes.
• If a price or volume change is detected, the script executes again for that realtime bar.
• After a realtime bar closes, it becomes an elapsed realtime bar.
• The script doesn't recalculate on historical bars when the price/volume changes; it only executes once per historical bar.

Script Execution on Bar Types

• When running on a historical bar, the close built-in variable shows the close price of that bar.
• When running on the realtime bar, close represents the current price until the bar closes.

Strategy vs. Indicator Execution

• Strategies usually execute only once on the realtime bar's close.
• Strategies can be configured for execution on every price/volume change, if necessary.
• Indicators are executed differently than strategies.