Why do everyone only create indicators
When you look at GoGoJyan, you’ll notice there are overwhelmingly more indicators (signal display tools) than EAs (automatic trading). This is not a coincidence; there are structural reasons. Today, from the perspective of a developer who makes and sells both, I’ll honestly explain those reasons. This isn’t meant to criticize any specific person, but to describe the structure.
EA evaluations are very strict. Settings for magic numbers, determining whether a position was placed by your own EA, pre-order margin checks, retry on execution failure, recovery after terminal restart, prohibition of external communications, DLLs, and obfuscation, etc.—these are safety standards inherent to software that actually handles funds. Meeting these requires corresponding development cost and time. Indicators do not have an order placement logic, so they are less subject to such standards, keeping the hurdle to release much lower.
EAs actually place orders and settle, so profits and losses appear as numbers. Backtesting, forward testing, and real accounts—there is no escape.
Indicators only give signals; whether you actually place orders is up to the user. If you trade according to signals and incur losses, you can say “the entry timing was off” or “the final decision is yours.” The developer’s responsibility tends to become structurally ambiguous.
*This is only an organizing of structural tendencies and does not apply to every indicator.
This is not someone else’s problem; I recently faced this issue myself. The performance displayed on the Kinmyaku AI panel (win rate, PF, earned pips) is calculated based on the most favorable price inside both entry and exit moments. It does not guarantee actual execution prices; it is merely a reference to illustrate strategy tendency.
Whether to bring these calculation standards closer to actual values or to favor the advantageous side is up to the developer’s discretion. It’s natural for people to tend to choose calculations that look good, even if unconsciously. Therefore, when looking at panel results, I recommend making it a habit to check what basis the calculations are using.
There are many indicators that truly help with discretionary trading decisions. However, understanding the structure of “why this product is an indicator rather than an EA” can change how you perceive products when choosing them. At the very least, I make sure that the part of the process that actually moves money (EA) is built on numbers that cannot be used to make excuses.
- EA evaluations are strict with many safety standards; indicators have lower hurdles due to lack of order logic
- EA’s profits/losses are shown as numbers, while indicators’ entry decisions depend on the user, making accountability ambiguous
- Panel performance can be made to look better by choosing calculation bases (not exempt even for my own products)
- Indicators aren’t bad, but knowing this structure can change how you view products when choosing
※This article is for information purposes and not investment solicitation. The displayed performance results are past performance and do not guarantee future profits. FX/CFD trading involves risk. Please make investment decisions at your own risk.