How to Build Futures Trading Strategies Without Coding
You can build trading strategies without coding by using a point-and-click rule builder, a strategy generator, or by hiring a programmer. A no-code futures strategy builder such as GSB searches for the rules itself and writes the platform code for you.
By GSB Pro · Updated
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Three ways to build a strategy without coding
Most traders who don't code use one of three routes. They suit different people, and they can be combined.
| Point-and-click rule builder | Strategy generator | Hiring a coder | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who designs the rules | You | The software's search | You |
| What you do | Pick conditions from menus | Set the market, data and limits, then review results | Write a clear specification |
| Good for | Turning an idea you already have into a backtest | Finding rule combinations you wouldn't think of | Complex or custom logic |
| Main risk | Hand-tweaking until the backtest looks good | Data mining: some results fit past data by luck | Specification errors and cost per change |
| Testing still needed | Yes | Yes, and more of it | Yes |
Point-and-click rule builders. Some trading platforms include a builder where you choose indicators, conditions and exits from menus. It is a good way to test an idea you already have. The limit is that you still supply every idea yourself.
Strategy generators. These search many combinations of rules and settings for you, often with a genetic algorithm. They are fast at finding candidates, but the speed makes curve fitting a bigger risk, so testing matters more.
Hiring a coder. A programmer turns your rules into platform code. It handles any logic you can describe. Every change costs time and money, and a vague brief can produce code that doesn't do what you meant.
What you still need to understand
No-code doesn't mean no knowledge. The software removes the programming, not the judgement. You still need to understand:
- Your market's contract details: tick size, point value and session times.
- Clean price data, exported from the platform you'll trade on, with one time zone throughout.
- Realistic costs. Commission and slippage make a backtest more honest.
- In-sample and out-of-sample data, and why a backtest on the build data proves little.
- Walk-forward testing and what its numbers mean. See our walk-forward analysis guide.
- Your platform's basics: pasting code, compiling it, applying it to a chart and checking the results match.
- Live operations: rollovers, holidays and end-of-day exits.
Every backtest is hypothetical. A good process lowers the odds of trading a lucky fit; it doesn't remove the risk of loss.
Step by step: building a futures strategy with GSB
Genetic System Builder (GSB), by Peter Zwag at Trademaid, is a strategy generator built around futures. It searches its built-in indicators for your market, then generates code for TradeStation, MultiCharts or NinjaTrader 8. Each step below links the Strategy Guide page with the exact clicks.
1. Get started. You need a Windows PC, ideally with at least 16 GB of RAM. Install the free 14-day trial and load a settings file that comes with GSB, such as the natural gas file. Your first session needs no price data of your own. See Getting Started and Installation.
2. Add your data. When you move to your own market, check its row in the Contracts List. That row holds its tick size, point value, digits and last bar. Then export price data from your platform and name the file in GSB's format, for example ES.30.Minute.830.1500.CentralUSATime.txt. See Datasets and Symbols and Uploading Data.
3. Build. Press the green Start button. GSB's genetic algorithm builds systems on the training data, scores them and keeps those that pass the performance filters. The starter file stops at 2,500 unique systems. See Building Trading Strategies and Peter's Build Rules.
4. Select. Sort the results and check each system in a fixed order. Check Pearson (how straight the equity curve is), trades, average trade and profit factor. Then compare training with test results. Group the passes into families and pick from the largest. See Selecting Trading Systems.
5. Walk forward. Right-click a shortlisted system and run a genetic walk-forward. Judge the joined out-of-sample curve, then the stability and efficiency numbers. Add verification on other bar intervals before you trust it. See Walk-Forward Optimization and Validation and Robustness.
6. Export. Open the system's Scripts tab, choose your platform, and copy the code. TradeStation and MultiCharts users first import GSB's functions from File > Supplementary Scripts. Then check your platform's results match GSB's. See Loading GSB Functions, Export to TradeStation, Export to MultiCharts and Export to NinjaTrader.
7. Go live, carefully. After a walk-forward, trade the walk-forward version of the code. Run one system per chart, and plan for rollovers, holidays and end-of-day exits. Trade in simulation first. See Live Trading Operations.
You don't write code, but you do read results
GSB writes the strategy code. You still paste it into your platform, compile it and compare results. The export overview shows what the generated code looks like.
Is GSB the right no-code builder for you?
GSB suits traders who want the software to find rule combinations, and who trade futures on TradeStation, MultiCharts or NinjaTrader 8. It is less suitable if you want to test your own indicator ideas, since it builds from its own library.
- Windows only. GSB runs on Windows, so Mac and Linux users need a Windows PC.
- A learning curve. There are many settings. The free GSB Pro training walks through them lesson by lesson.
- The trial is smaller. It has fewer indicators than the full version, and GSB Automation needs a licence.
- Futures focus. The supplied settings files are for futures such as natural gas, crude oil and gold.
To weigh GSB against other generators, see our comparisons. To try it, the get started page explains the trial.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build a trading strategy without coding?
Yes. A point-and-click rule builder, a strategy generator or a hired programmer can all produce a strategy without you writing code. You still need to understand data, costs and testing.
What is a no-code strategy builder?
It is software that creates a trading strategy without you writing code. Some let you pick rules from menus; strategy generators search for the rules themselves.
Do strategy generators work for futures?
Some are built for futures. GSB is designed around futures markets and generates code for TradeStation, MultiCharts and NinjaTrader 8. Any generated strategy still needs out-of-sample and walk-forward testing.
Do I need to know EasyLanguage to use GSB?
No. GSB generates the EasyLanguage for TradeStation and MultiCharts, and NinjaScript for NinjaTrader 8. You copy it into your platform, compile it and check the results match.
Are automatically generated strategies curve-fit?
They are prone to it, because the search tests so many combinations. Out-of-sample data, walk-forward testing and verification on other bar intervals help separate lucky fits from more robust systems.
Try it on your own market
Start a free 14-day GSB trial and learn the method with our free 53-lesson video course. GSB Pro is an authorised Trademaid reseller and earns a commission if you buy.