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Reference10 min read
Functions for rendering data on charts with customizable styling, colors, and visual effects.

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Overview

FunctionDescription
plotLine()Draw continuous lines
plotBar()Render vertical bars
plotCandle()Display OHLC candlesticks
plotShape()Add markers and shapes
hline()Draw horizontal reference lines
plotText()Add text labels
plotTable()Display data tables
plotRange()Draw range/band areas
plotBgColor()Color background areas

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plotLine()

Render data as continuous lines with customizable styling.

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Signature

plotLine(value: any, width?: number, colors?: string[], colorIndex?: number, fill?: boolean, smooth?: boolean, label?: string[], desc?: string[]): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
valueanyData to plot
widthnumberLine width (default: 1)
colorsstring[]Array of colors
colorIndexnumberIndex to select color
fillbooleanFill area below line
smoothbooleanApply smoothing
labelstring[]Labels for legend
descstring[]Descriptions

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="Moving Averages", position="onchart", axis=false);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);

var sma20 = sma(source=ohlcvData.close, period=20);
var sma50 = sma(source=ohlcvData.close, period=50);

plotLine(value=sma20, width=2, colors=["blue"], label=["SMA 20"], desc=["20-period SMA"]);
plotLine(value=sma50, width=2, colors=["orange"], label=["SMA 50"], desc=["50-period SMA"]);
plotLine example

plotLine example showing two moving averages

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plotBar()

Render data as vertical bars (histograms).

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Signature

plotBar(value: any, width?: number, colors?: string[], colorIndex?: number, label?: string[], desc?: string[]): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
valueanyData to plot
widthnumberBar width (default: 1)
colorsstring[]Array of colors
colorIndexnumberIndex to select color
labelstring[]Labels for legend
descstring[]Descriptions

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="Volume Bars", position="offchart", axis=true);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);

var isGreen = ohlcvData.close > ohlcvData.open;
var colorIndex = isGreen ? 0 : 1;

plotBar(value=ohlcvData.volume, width=1, colors=["green", "red"], colorIndex=colorIndex, label=["Volume"], desc=["Trading Volume"]);
plotBar example

plotBar example showing colored volume bars

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plotCandle()

Render OHLC data as candlestick charts.

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Signature

plotCandle(value: TimeSeries, width?: number, colors?: string[], label?: string[], desc?: string[]): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
valueTimeSeriesOHLC data (requires Open, High, Low, Close)
widthnumberCandle width (default: 1)
colorsstring[]Colors for bullish/bearish
labelstring[]Labels
descstring[]Descriptions

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="Candlestick Chart", position="offchart", axis=true);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);

plotCandle(value=ohlcvData, width=1, colors=["#4caf50", "#f44336"], label=["Price"], desc=["OHLC Candlesticks"]);
plotCandle example

plotCandle example showing OHLC candlesticks

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plotShape()

Add shapes and markers at specific points.

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Signature

plotShape(value: any, shape?: string, width?: number, colors?: string[], fill?: boolean, label?: string[], desc?: string[]): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
valueanyY-position for shapes
shapestringShape type: “circle”, “triangle”, “square”, “diamond”
widthnumberShape size
colorsstring[]Shape colors
fillbooleanFill shape
labelstring[]Labels
descstring[]Descriptions

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="Signal Markers", position="onchart", axis=false);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);

var rsiValue = rsi(source=ohlcvData.close, period=14);

// Plot buy signals when RSI crosses below 30
var buySignal = rsiValue < 30 ? ohlcvData.low : na;
plotShape(value=buySignal, shape="triangle", width=2, colors=["green"], fill=true, label=["Buy Signal"], desc=["RSI Oversold"]);
plotShape example

plotShape example showing buy signal markers

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hline()

Draw horizontal reference lines at fixed values.

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Signature

hline(value: number, color?: string, width?: number, style?: string, label?: string): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
valuenumberY-value for the line
colorstringLine color
widthnumberLine width
stylestring”solid”, “dashed”, “dotted”
labelstringLabel text

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="RSI with Levels", position="offchart", axis=true);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);
var rsiValue = rsi(source=ohlcvData.close, period=14);

plotLine(value=rsiValue, width=2, colors=["purple"], label=["RSI"], desc=["RSI Indicator"]);

hline(value=70, color="red", width=1, style="dashed", label="Overbought");
hline(value=50, color="gray", width=1, style="dotted", label="Middle");
hline(value=30, color="green", width=1, style="dashed", label="Oversold");
hline example

hline example showing RSI with reference levels

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plotTable()

Display data in a table format on the chart.

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Signature

plotTable(data: any[][], position?: string, colors?: object): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
dataany[][]2D array of table data
positionstringTable position: “top_left”, “top_right”, “bottom_left”, “bottom_right”
colorsobjectColor configuration

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="Stats Table", position="onchart", axis=false);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);

var rsiValue = rsi(source=ohlcvData.close, period=14);
var smaValue = sma(source=ohlcvData.close, period=20);

plotTable(data=[["Indicator", "Value"], ["RSI", rsiValue], ["SMA 20", smaValue]], position="top_right");
plotTable example

plotTable example showing indicator values

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plotBgColor()

Color the chart background based on conditions.

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Signature

plotBgColor(color: string, condition?: boolean): void

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Parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
colorstringBackground color (use alpha for transparency)
conditionbooleanWhen to apply the color

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Example

//@version=2

define(title="Trend Background", position="onchart", axis=false);

timeseries ohlcvData = ohlcv(symbol=currentSymbol, exchange=currentExchange);

var ema20 = ema(source=ohlcvData.close, period=20);
var isUptrend = ohlcvData.close > ema20;

plotBgColor(color=isUptrend ? "rgba(0,255,0,0.1)" : "rgba(255,0,0,0.1)");
plotLine(value=ema20, width=2, colors=["blue"], label=["EMA 20"], desc=["Trend Line"]);
plotBgColor example

plotBgColor example showing trend-based background coloring

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Tips

Every plot function requires a label parameter. Missing labels will cause warnings.
Use color arrays with colorIndex for conditional coloring:
var colorIndex = condition ? 0 : 1;
plotLine(value=data, colors=["green", "red"], colorIndex=colorIndex, ...);
You can use multiple plot functions in a single indicator to create complex visualizations.
Avoid creating too many plot calls in loops. Each plot adds rendering overhead.