diff --git a/docs/strategy-customization.md b/docs/strategy-customization.md index cfea60d22..194517b2b 100644 --- a/docs/strategy-customization.md +++ b/docs/strategy-customization.md @@ -781,6 +781,8 @@ Printing more than a few rows is also possible (simply use `print(dataframe)` i ## Common mistakes when developing strategies +### Peeking into the future while backtesting + Backtesting analyzes the whole time-range at once for performance reasons. Because of this, strategy authors need to make sure that strategies do not look-ahead into the future. This is a common pain-point, which can cause huge differences between backtesting and dry/live run methods, since they all use data which is not available during dry/live runs, so these strategies will perform well during backtesting, but will fail / perform badly in real conditions. @@ -791,6 +793,33 @@ The following lists some common patterns which should be avoided to prevent frus - don't use `dataframe['volume'].mean()`. This uses the full DataFrame for backtesting, including data from the future. Use `dataframe['volume'].rolling().mean()` instead - don't use `.resample('1h')`. This uses the left border of the interval, so moves data from an hour to the start of the hour. Use `.resample('1h', label='right')` instead. +### Performance warning + +When executing a strategy, one can sometimes be greeted by the following in the logs + +> PerformanceWarning: DataFrame is highly fragmented. + +This is a warning from [`pandas`](https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas) and as the warning continues to say: + use `pd.concat(axis=1)`. For example + +```python +for i in range(100): + dataframe[i] = ta.indicator(dataframe, param=i) +``` + +should be rewritten to + +```python +frames = [dataframe] +for i in range(100): + frames.append({ + str(i): ta.indicator(dataframe, param=i) + }) + +# Append columns to existing dataframe +merged_frame = pd.concat(frames, axis=1) +``` + ## Further strategy ideas To get additional Ideas for strategies, head over to our [strategy repository](https://github.com/freqtrade/freqtrade-strategies). Feel free to use them as they are - but results will depend on the current market situation, pairs used etc. - therefore please backtest the strategy for your exchange/desired pairs first, evaluate carefully, use at your own risk.