OPEN-SOURCE SCRIPT
Cody Zig Zag
Cody Zig Zag Indicator - Complete Explanation
This is a Zig Zag indicator that replicates the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) version, which works differently than TradingView's built-in Zig Zag. Here's what it does:
🎯 What is a Zig Zag Indicator?
It filters out minor price movements to show only significant swing highs and swing lows, helping you identify trends and chart patterns (head & shoulders, double tops/bottoms, etc.).
⚙️ User Settings (Inputs)
Setting Default What It Does
Depth 6 Lookback period to find local highs/lows
Deviation 5 Minimum price change (in ticks) to form a new swing point
Backstep 2 Minimum bars between swing points
Line Thickness 2 Zig Zag line width
Bull Color Lime Color for upward moves
Bear Color Red Color for downward moves
Repaint Levels true If ON, lines/labels adjust real-time; if OFF, they lock on close
🔍 How It Works (The "Bake" Section)
Step 1: Find Potential Pivot Points
p_lw = Most recent low within Depth bars
p_hg = Most recent high within Depth bars
Checks if price moved enough (Deviation * tick size) to qualify
Step 2: Determine Direction
down = Boolean (true = bearish/downward leg, false = bullish/upward leg)
Tracks whether we're connecting a high→low (down) or low→high (up)
Step 3: Draw Zig Zag Lines
Connects alternating swing highs and swing lows
Labels each point as:
HH = Higher High
LH = Lower High
LL = Lower Low
HL = Higher Low
🏷️ Labels Explained
When price makes a new swing point, you'll see:
HH (Higher High) - Bullish continuation signal
LH (Lower High) - Bearish reversal signal
LL (Lower Low) - Bearish continuation signal
HL (Higher Low) - Bullish reversal signal
📊 Visual Features
Colored Zig Zag lines: Green for up-legs, Red for down-legs
Background color: Green during bullish legs, Red during bearish legs (90% transparent)
Labels: Tiny triangles pointing up/down with text
⚠️ Repaint Behavior (Important!)
Repaint = ON (default) Repaint = OFF
Lines/labels update in real-time Locks on bar close
Can "repaint" history More reliable for backtesting
Good for real-time trading No historical repainting
Warning: Zig Zag indicators naturally repaint because they need future bars to confirm pivot points. The repaint option controls HOW they repaint.
🚨 Alerts
This script triggers alerts when:
Direction Changed - Zig Zag switches from up to down or down to up
Bullish Direction - Switches from down to up
Bearish Direction - Switches from up to down
📈 How to Use
Identify Trend: Upward Zig Zag = Uptrend; Downward = Downtrend
Find Patterns: Look for HH/HL patterns (bullish) or LH/LL patterns (bearish)
Divergence: Compare Zig Zag swings with oscillator indicators
Support/Resistance: Swing points act as natural S/R levels
⚡ Quick Summary
This indicator draws a line connecting significant price swings, ignoring small noise. It's great for:
Visualizing trend structure
Identifying chart patterns
Finding entry/exit levels
Spotting trend reversals
This is a Zig Zag indicator that replicates the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) version, which works differently than TradingView's built-in Zig Zag. Here's what it does:
🎯 What is a Zig Zag Indicator?
It filters out minor price movements to show only significant swing highs and swing lows, helping you identify trends and chart patterns (head & shoulders, double tops/bottoms, etc.).
⚙️ User Settings (Inputs)
Setting Default What It Does
Depth 6 Lookback period to find local highs/lows
Deviation 5 Minimum price change (in ticks) to form a new swing point
Backstep 2 Minimum bars between swing points
Line Thickness 2 Zig Zag line width
Bull Color Lime Color for upward moves
Bear Color Red Color for downward moves
Repaint Levels true If ON, lines/labels adjust real-time; if OFF, they lock on close
🔍 How It Works (The "Bake" Section)
Step 1: Find Potential Pivot Points
p_lw = Most recent low within Depth bars
p_hg = Most recent high within Depth bars
Checks if price moved enough (Deviation * tick size) to qualify
Step 2: Determine Direction
down = Boolean (true = bearish/downward leg, false = bullish/upward leg)
Tracks whether we're connecting a high→low (down) or low→high (up)
Step 3: Draw Zig Zag Lines
Connects alternating swing highs and swing lows
Labels each point as:
HH = Higher High
LH = Lower High
LL = Lower Low
HL = Higher Low
🏷️ Labels Explained
When price makes a new swing point, you'll see:
HH (Higher High) - Bullish continuation signal
LH (Lower High) - Bearish reversal signal
LL (Lower Low) - Bearish continuation signal
HL (Higher Low) - Bullish reversal signal
📊 Visual Features
Colored Zig Zag lines: Green for up-legs, Red for down-legs
Background color: Green during bullish legs, Red during bearish legs (90% transparent)
Labels: Tiny triangles pointing up/down with text
⚠️ Repaint Behavior (Important!)
Repaint = ON (default) Repaint = OFF
Lines/labels update in real-time Locks on bar close
Can "repaint" history More reliable for backtesting
Good for real-time trading No historical repainting
Warning: Zig Zag indicators naturally repaint because they need future bars to confirm pivot points. The repaint option controls HOW they repaint.
🚨 Alerts
This script triggers alerts when:
Direction Changed - Zig Zag switches from up to down or down to up
Bullish Direction - Switches from down to up
Bearish Direction - Switches from up to down
📈 How to Use
Identify Trend: Upward Zig Zag = Uptrend; Downward = Downtrend
Find Patterns: Look for HH/HL patterns (bullish) or LH/LL patterns (bearish)
Divergence: Compare Zig Zag swings with oscillator indicators
Support/Resistance: Swing points act as natural S/R levels
⚡ Quick Summary
This indicator draws a line connecting significant price swings, ignoring small noise. It's great for:
Visualizing trend structure
Identifying chart patterns
Finding entry/exit levels
Spotting trend reversals
Mã nguồn mở
Theo đúng tinh thần TradingView, tác giả của tập lệnh này đã công bố nó dưới dạng mã nguồn mở, để các nhà giao dịch có thể xem xét và xác minh chức năng. Chúc mừng tác giả! Mặc dù bạn có thể sử dụng miễn phí, hãy nhớ rằng việc công bố lại mã phải tuân theo Nội quy.
Thông báo miễn trừ trách nhiệm
Thông tin và các ấn phẩm này không nhằm mục đích, và không cấu thành, lời khuyên hoặc khuyến nghị về tài chính, đầu tư, giao dịch hay các loại khác do TradingView cung cấp hoặc xác nhận. Đọc thêm tại Điều khoản Sử dụng.
Mã nguồn mở
Theo đúng tinh thần TradingView, tác giả của tập lệnh này đã công bố nó dưới dạng mã nguồn mở, để các nhà giao dịch có thể xem xét và xác minh chức năng. Chúc mừng tác giả! Mặc dù bạn có thể sử dụng miễn phí, hãy nhớ rằng việc công bố lại mã phải tuân theo Nội quy.
Thông báo miễn trừ trách nhiệm
Thông tin và các ấn phẩm này không nhằm mục đích, và không cấu thành, lời khuyên hoặc khuyến nghị về tài chính, đầu tư, giao dịch hay các loại khác do TradingView cung cấp hoặc xác nhận. Đọc thêm tại Điều khoản Sử dụng.