Retail Algo Trader Starter Kit
This kit is a set of working documents for running retail algo-trading experiments in an orderly way: write the strategy down first, test it on paper and on demo, keep a journal, and put hard limits around anything you automate. It does not tell you what to trade and it does not predict results. It gives you structure, which is the part most people skip. What's inside Strategy specification worksheet. Before any code, write the strategy as rules a stranger could follow: instrument, timeframe, entry conditions, exit conditions, position sizing, and the conditions under which you stop trading it. Backtest review template. For each backtest, record the data range, spread and commission assumptions, parameter values, trade count, drawdown and net result — plus an honest note on what you changed since the last run. Demo challenge tracker. Run the strategy on a demo account for a fixed period before any real money. Trading journal (template.csv). One row per trade: date, instrument, direction, entry, exit, size, planned risk, result, setup tag, and whether you followed the plan. Bot risk-control checklist. Hard limits, written down before the bot runs: maximum loss per day, maximum position size, maximum open positions, and the exact conditions under which you shut it off. Daily bot report. A short end-of-day record: did the bot run, what did it do, any errors, any manual interventions. Weekly review worksheet. A fixed set of questions to answer from the journal at the same time every week, process before results. Platform planning worksheets. Two planning worksheets — one for MT5 Expert Advisors, one for OANDA/Python bots — covering account setup, API access, environment, and what to verify before the first automated order. Prompt pack. Prompts for using an AI assistant to review your strategy spec, your backtest notes and your code. Who it's for Retail traders moving from manual trading to systematic and automated experiments. Not a fit if you want to be told what to trade. Every document in the kit is about process and record-keeping; the strategy and the work are yours to supply. What you download Seven files, delivered as a digital download after checkout: guide.md — the full written guide; opens in any text editor. printable.html — the checklist and worksheet, formatted for printing. checklist.csv — the working checklist as a spreadsheet. template.csv — trading journal: one row per trade. prompt_pack.md — prompts for having an AI assistant review your work. disclaimer.md — the disclaimer as a standalone file. cover.svg — the kit cover image. No broker or platform account is needed to use the documents, nothing physical ships, and there is no subscription. What this is not It is not a trading strategy, not software, and not advice. It will not tell you what to buy or sell. Disclaimer This kit is educational material: planning templates, checklists and worksheets for organising your own work. It is not financial advice, not a recommendation to trade any instrument, and not a prediction of results. Trading carries a substantial risk of loss, and running automated systems adds technical risk on top of market risk. Only use money you can afford to lose, and if you need advice, speak to a regulated professional. You are responsible for your own decisions.