3.1 Understanding Pinescript Syntax

In this lesson, we'll dive into the basics of Pinescript syntax, which is the set of rules that govern how Pinescript code is structured and written. By understanding the syntax, you'll be able to write clean, efficient, and error-free Pinescript code.

• Variables: Variables are used to store values in Pinescript. They can be declared using the assignment operator =. For example, to declare a variable called source and assign it the value of the close price, you would write:

price = close

• Data Types: Pinescript supports several data types, including integers [1, 2, 3], floating-point numbers [0.1, 1.023, 2.001], Booleans[true,false], and series [close[1]]. It's important to understand the data type of a variable, as certain operations can only be performed on specific data types.
• Comments: In Pinescript, you can add comments to your code using the double forward-slash `//`. Comments are not executed and are used to provide additional information or explanations about your code. For example:

// This is a comment

3.2 Basic Pinescript Operators

Pinescript includes a variety of operators that allow you to perform mathematical, logical, and comparison operations on variables and values. Here are some common operators in Pinescript:

• Arithmetic Operators: +, -, *, /, and % 
• Comparison Operators: <, >, <=, >=, ==, and !=
• Logical Operators: and, or, and not

For example, to calculate the difference between the high and low prices of a candle, you would write:

range = high - low

3.3 Control Structures

Control structures in Pinescript allow you to control the flow of your code based on specific conditions. Some common control structures include:

• if statement: Executes a block of code if a specified condition is true. For example:
  We set the initial candleColor to white. We than use our if statement to change it green if close is greater than open. We change it to red if the close is less than the open.  

candleColor = color.white

if close > open
   candleColor := color.green
if close < open
   candleColor := color.red

• for loop: Repeats a block of code a specified number of times. For example, to calculate the sum of the last ten closing prices, you would write:

sum = 0.0

for i = 0 to 9
   sum := sum + close[i]

That's it for Lesson 3!
You should now have a good understanding of Pinescript syntax, basic operators, and control structures. In the next lesson, we'll explore Pinescript functions and how they can be used to simplify and enhance your code.

Go to Lesson 4: Pinescript Functions