> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trinigence.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Market & Timeframe

> How markets and timeframes define the foundation of every Trinigence strategy.

## Why market and timeframe matter

Every trading strategy starts with two fundamental decisions:

* **what** you trade (market)
* **how often** logic is evaluated (timeframe)

These choices shape everything that follows - indicators, trade frequency, risk, and results.

<Info>
  Many unexpected backtest results come from misunderstood timeframe assumptions.
</Info>

***

## Market (symbol)

The market defines the instrument being traded.

Examples:

* BTC/USDT
* ETH/USDT
* other supported crypto pairs

A market determines:

* price behavior
* volatility profile
* available historical data
* liquidity characteristics

<Warning>
  Results are always market-specific. A strategy that works on one symbol may fail on another.
</Warning>

***

## Timeframe

The timeframe defines the candle interval used to evaluate strategy logic.

Common examples:

* 5m
* 15m
* 1h
* 4h
* 1D

A strategy on 1h evaluates conditions once per hour.\
A strategy on 5m evaluates conditions twelve times more often.

***

## How timeframe affects behavior

### Trade frequency

Lower timeframes generally produce:

* more signals
* more trades
* more noise

Higher timeframes generally produce:

* fewer signals
* longer trades
* smoother equity curves

***

### Indicator behavior

Indicators scale with timeframe.

Example:

* RSI(14) on 5m reacts quickly
* RSI(14) on 4h reacts slowly

The same parameters do **not** mean the same behavior across timeframes.

***

### Risk and drawdowns

Lower timeframes:

* tighter stops
* more whipsaws
* higher transaction sensitivity

Higher timeframes:

* wider stops
* longer drawdowns
* fewer decisions

***

## Multi-timeframe strategies

Trinigence supports using multiple timeframes in one strategy.

Typical structure:

* **higher timeframe** → filters or trend context
* **lower timeframe** → entries and exits

Example:

```text theme={null}
Use the 4h timeframe to define trend.
Execute trades on the 15m timeframe.
```

<Info>
  Always be explicit about which timeframe controls which logic.
</Info>

***

## Default assumptions

If a timeframe is not specified:

* ATI applies a reasonable default
* the chosen timeframe is always surfaced

If a market is not specified:

* ATI will ask for clarification
* no strategy is created without a defined symbol

<Card title="What Trinigence fills automatically" icon="robot" href="/writing-ideas/what-trinigence-fills-automatically" horizontal>
  See how defaults and assumptions work.
</Card>

***

## Common mistakes

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Assuming indicators behave the same on all timeframes">
    Indicator behavior changes dramatically with timeframe. Always re-evaluate when switching.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Mixing timeframes without intent">
    Using multiple timeframes without a clear role leads to confusion and unexpected results.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Choosing timeframes too small for the idea">
    Not every strategy idea scales down cleanly to lower timeframes.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Best practices

* Start with one market and one timeframe
* Validate baseline behavior first
* Add multi-timeframe logic only when needed
* Change timeframe intentionally, not experimentally

<Card title="Entry logic" icon="arrow-right-to-bracket" href="/strategy-structure/entry-logic" horizontal>
  Learn how entries are evaluated within a timeframe.
</Card>

***

## What to read next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Entry logic" icon="arrow-right-to-bracket" href="/strategy-structure/entry-logic">
    How trades are opened.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Exit logic" icon="arrow-right-from-bracket" href="/strategy-structure/exit-logic">
    How trades are closed.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Risk management" icon="shield-halved" href="/strategy-structure/risk-management">
    How risk is controlled.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Strategy structure overview" icon="diagram-project" href="/strategy-structure/overview">
    See the full strategy model.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Market choice defines the battlefield.\
  Timeframe defines the pace of the fight.
</Note>