indicator() - Pine Script Function

indicator()

Overview

Every indicator script must start with indicator(). This declaration names the script, decides whether plots appear on the price chart, and sets limits (labels, lines, boxes). Many arguments are optional; you only need to supply the ones you rely on.

Syntax

indicator(title, shorttitle, overlay, format, precision, scale, max_bars_back, timeframe, timeframe_gaps, explicit_plot_zorder, max_lines_count, max_labels_count, max_boxes_count, calc_bars_count, max_polylines_count, dynamic_requests, behind_chart) → void

Common parameters

Name	Type	Description
title	const string	Full name shown in the chart and indicators list. Required.
shorttitle	const string	Optional shorter name displayed on chart overlays.
overlay	const bool	true plots on the price chart, false plots in a separate pane (default false).
precision / format	const int/const string	Control numerical formatting of plots.
max_lines_count, max_labels_count, max_boxes_count	const int	Increase drawing limits when you need more objects.
timeframe, timeframe_gaps	const string/const bool	Run the indicator on a different resolution and control gap handling.
dynamic_requests	const bool	Allow request.* calls with dynamic symbols/timeframes (Pine v5).

See the TradingView docs for the full list.

Remarks

• indicator() must appear before any plotting or logic.
• Indicators cannot trade—use strategy() when you need order functions.
• Set drawing limits only as high as required; overly large values slow scripts.

Example

//@version=5
indicator("Adaptive EMA", shorttitle="AEMA", overlay=true, max_lines_count=5)

lenFast = input.int(12, "Fast length")
lenSlow = input.int(26, "Slow length")
emaFast = ta.ema(close, lenFast)
emaSlow = ta.ema(close, lenSlow)

plot(emaFast, "Fast", color=color.teal)
plot(emaSlow, "Slow", color=color.orange)
plot(close, "Close", color=color.new(color.gray, 70))