Action Exit vs. Sentiment Flat: Key Differences Explained

When managing trades in TradersPost, understanding the nuances between "action exit" and "sentiment flat" is essential. Though both methods aim to exit a position, they cater to different platform needs, particularly with TradingView.

Action Exit

"Action exit" is straightforward and tells the strategy to exit the current position without entering a new one. This is useful for keeping your strategy simple and effective, especially when you want to avoid new positions immediately after closing one.

Sentiment Flat

"Sentiment flat" comes into play mainly due to TradingView's framework. In TradingView, the action variable (buy/sell) combined with the sentiment (long/short/flat) dictates the trade. When the action is buy and the sentiment is flat, it means to buy only to exit a short position, not to enter a new long position. This ensures that the platform correctly interprets the trade action without unwanted transitions.

Practical Application

• Single-Sided Strategies: For strategies that are always long or short, using "action exit" simplifies the process.
• Dual-Sided Strategies: For strategies that switch between long and short, "sentiment flat" is critical to avoid entering a new position when simply exiting one.

Conclusion

The main difference is that "sentiment flat" is tailored to integrate seamlessly with TradingView's strategy expressions, ensuring compatibility and preventing unintended trades. If you're not using TradingView, you can rely on "action exit" for a straightforward approach to exiting positions.

‍