What is MQL4? MQL4 stands for MetaQuotes Language 4 and is a programming language included in MetaTrader 4. MQL4 is the MQL version 4, the one that works with MetaTrader 4. If you don't know what a programming language is, it means that you have never written code before, which is fine. A programming language is a language that allows a developer, in this case you, to tell the computer to perform specific actions. This sequence of actions then forms a program.
MQL4 was released with the first version of MetaTrader 4 around 2005 and has gone through many updates over the years. An important update was released in 2014, when it was given more power, security, and features, to bring it nearly to the same level as MQL5.
MQL4 and MQL5 have some important differences, but for now we will focus only on MQL4 and MetaTrader 4.
MQL4 files have the following extensions:
MQL4 uses a syntax similar to C++/C#/C/Java. So, if you already know some of these languages, it will not take long to learn how to use MQL4.
MQL4 is an extremely powerful tool that if used properly can expand you trading possibilities. To give you some examples, with MQL4 you can:
As you can see, MQL4 gives you great powers — learning this language will allow you to benefit from all of them.
MQL programs can be divided into three main categories:
You can learn more about the these categories from our guide on differences between scripts, indicators, and expert advisors.
Have you already installed MetaTrader 4? If not, please read How to Install MetaTrader 4 Client Terminal.
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