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How to Run an Automated Strategy on NinjaTrader® 8

This page walks through the usual steps for installing and running an automated strategy in NinjaTrader® 8, starting on a simulated account. Screens can differ a little between NinjaTrader® versions, so use this as a guide and check NinjaTrader's own help if a menu looks different. It is part of our guide to NinjaTrader® automated strategies.

Before you start

  • NinjaTrader® 8 installed on a Windows computer, and connected to a market data feed.
  • A simulated account (NinjaTrader® provides one called Sim101) so you can practice without risking real money.
  • The strategy file, usually a .zip file from the vendor, containing a NinjaScript® add-on.

Step 1: Import the strategy

  1. In the NinjaTrader® Control Center, open the Tools menu and choose Import, then NinjaScript Add-On.
  2. Select the .zip file from the vendor and confirm.
  3. NinjaTrader® compiles the strategy and tells you when the import is complete. If there is a message about missing files or errors, contact the vendor.

Step 2: Open a chart

Open a chart for the instrument and time frame the strategy was designed for. The product page and the vendor's instructions tell you which instrument (for example NQ or MNQ), which bar type and period, and how much history to load.

Step 3: Apply the strategy to the chart

  1. Right-click the chart and choose Strategies (or press Ctrl+S).
  2. Pick the strategy from the list and set its parameters as the vendor describes.
  3. Choose the Account. For a first run, choose the simulated account.
  4. Tick Enabled to start the strategy, then press OK.

The strategy is now running on that chart. NinjaTrader® shows its status in the Strategies tab of the Control Center, and orders and executions appear in the Orders and Executions tabs.

Step 4: Watch it before you trust it

  • Run it on the simulated account long enough to see it work through several days of trading.
  • Compare what it does with what the vendor says it should do.
  • Check that your computer, internet connection and data feed are steady. A strategy only trades while NinjaTrader® is running and connected.

Step 5: Decide whether to trade real money

Only when you understand what the strategy does, and are comfortable with the risk, consider using a live account. Start with the smallest position size, and be ready to disable the strategy. You can turn it off from the Strategies tab at any time. Keep in mind that a simulated account does not reproduce real fills and slippage exactly.

Good habits

  • Know what the strategy does when the connection drops, and when NinjaTrader® is restarted. Check the vendor's guidance.
  • Keep NinjaTrader® and your computer's updates under control, so the platform is not restarted in the middle of a trading session.
  • Keep records of what the strategy does so you can review it.

Related pages

Futures trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.