MQL5
MQL5 (MetaQuotes Language 5) is the language in which MetaTrader 5 robots, indicators, and scripts are written. It is close to C++ in syntax and compiles to an .ex5 file that the terminal can execute.
You do not need to write MQL5 to use an EA, but understanding that an EA is just compiled code helps demystify it: every behavior you observe in a robot was explicitly programmed by a person.
Covered in depth in Lesson 01: What an Expert Advisor actually is — and what it isn't.
Related terms
- Expert Advisor (EA) — A program that runs inside MetaTrader and places, manages, and closes trades automatically according to fixed rules.
- MetaTrader 5 (MT5) — The trading platform most retail algorithmic trading runs on, connecting charts, robots, and your broker account.
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