Different traders see the market in different ways.
That’s why Flows.Trading offers a range of chart types, each designed to emphasize a specific aspect of price movement — from clarity to volatility to momentum.
Being able to switch chart types isn’t just about visual preference; it’s about adapting your analysis.
A line chart can simplify noisy price action, while a candlestick chart reveals rich intraday structure.
Choosing the right type helps you focus on what matters for your trading style.
The current chart type is displayed in the Chart Type selector located in the top toolbar, next to the chart symbol field.
To change the chart type:
- Click the Chart Type icon (🕯️).
- A dropdown menu appears with all available chart styles.
- Select a chart type — the main price pane updates instantly.
💡 Tip: You can switch freely between chart types without losing your drawings or indicators.
There’s no single “best” chart type — the right one depends on your strategy and what you’re trying to see.
| Objective | Recommended Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Identify price patterns | Japanese Candlesticks | Shows full OHLC detail for structure analysis |
| Focus on overall trend | Line or Area | Simplifies noise, highlights direction |
| Spot trend momentum | Heikin Ashi | Smooths volatility, shows directional flow |
| Compare session volatility | OHLC / Hollow Candles | Emphasizes range and relative movement |
| Visualize discrete changes | Step Line | Highlights jump points and pauses |
💡 Pro Tip: Combine chart types across layouts — for example, view Candlesticks on your main chart and Heikin Ashi on a secondary chart to validate trend alignment.
Below is the list of chart types currently supported in Flows.Trading, with a short description and suggested use cases.
Description:
The most popular chart type among traders. Each candle shows four price points: Open, High, Low, and Close.
Candlestick colors represent whether price rose (bullish) or fell (bearish) during that period.
When to use:
Ideal for price action analysis and pattern recognition (e.g., engulfing, doji, hammer).
Use for both intraday and swing trading, when you need precise entry/exit visualization.
Description:
A visual variant of candlesticks. Hollow bodies represent periods that closed higher than the previous close, filled bodies represent lower closes.
When to use:
Great for momentum tracking — you can quickly spot continuation or reversal in trend strength.
Preferred by traders who like clean visuals with less color saturation.
Description:
Displays only the closing price for each interval, connected by a line.
Removes intraperiod noise and highlights the overall price trajectory.
When to use:
For macro-level analysis and trend confirmation.
When you want a cleaner, less volatile view of market direction.
💡 Tip: Perfect for zoomed-out or higher timeframe analysis.
Description:
Same as a standard line chart, but adds small markers at each close to highlight each data point.
When to use:
When you want a precise view of each close while maintaining the simplicity of a line chart.
Useful for backtesting or manual trade journaling, where each close matters.
Description:
Shows a line that moves horizontally and vertically, connecting each close in a “step” pattern.
This makes it easier to visualize price changes between discrete intervals.
When to use:
When analyzing price stability or sudden jumps.
Helpful for assets with irregular trading activity or range-bound movement.
Description:
A line chart with the area below the line filled with color.
Emphasizes the magnitude of price movement over time and provides a smoother, more visual impression of momentum.
When to use:
For visual summaries or when presenting data.
When you want a quick visual sense of direction and intensity.
Description:
Each bar displays the same information as a candlestick (Open, High, Low, Close) but using vertical lines and ticks rather than filled bodies.
When to use:
For traders who prefer a minimalist, old-school representation.
Often favored in institutional or legacy charting systems.
Description:
Variants of the OHLC bar format that focus on different subsets of data:
OC: Open and Close only.
HL: High and Low only.
When to use:
For specific data analysis tasks, when you only want to see a certain aspect of market structure.
Useful in performance diagnostics or algorithmic comparisons.
Description:
A smoothed version of candlesticks. Each candle is calculated using the previous candle’s values, which filters noise and highlights trend direction.
When to use:
Ideal for identifying trend strength and reversals.
Great for visual clarity in trending markets, as small fluctuations are averaged out.
💡 Note: Heikin Ashi modifies the candle calculation — it’s best for analysis, not for exact entry/exit price tracking.
