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Key Concepts

Strategy folder

Each strategy is contained in its own folder, with the strategy name as the folder name:

  • __init__.py
    This file allows one to expose certain variables to all modules inside the package by placing the strategy object under __all__ field.
  • {strategy name}.pxd
    This file contains type declaration about some variables that are specified in the {strategy name}.pyx file.
  • {strategy name}.pyx
    This file contains a bulk of functions that define the behavior of strategy. The __init__ function defines the variables that were declared in the {strategy name}.pxd file and initializes fields inherited from StrategyBase class. All other functions can be customized depending on the behavior that the developer wants to create. A function that is especially important is format_status() because this function chooses which data to render when status is called on the client.
  • {strategy name}_config_map.py
    This file handles prompting user for config values when the strategy is called. Each key value of the config_map has a ConfigVar assigned where developer can specify the prompt and assign validators to check for accepted values.
  • start.py
    The start() function is what gets called when user calls the strategy on client side. This function should handle initialization of configs by calling config_map, set market names and wallets, and eventually execute the strategy.

StrategyBase class

All strategies extend the StrategyBase class. This class allows extraction of logic that would be repetitively written in all strategies otherwise.

  • Event listeners : The client’s prompt eventually leads to changes on server with the help of event listeners. Depending on action taken by the client, corresponding event listeners are called to execute the appropriate job.
  • Data frames : The base class handles creation of data frames for market status, market_status_data_frame(), and wallet balance, wallet_balance_data_frame(), so it is easy for developers to create and access about particular markets.

The base class also contains methods that are meant to be freshly implemented when new strategies are created.

  • logger() : set up logger for strategy session
  • format_status() : define format of status that will be rendered on Hummingbot client

To assist in the development of custom strategies, there are many overridable functions that respond to various events detected by EventListeners.

  • c_did_create_buy_order(): called in response to an order_created_event
  • c_did_create_sell_order(): called in response to an order_created_event
  • c_did_fail_order(): called in response to an order_filled_event
  • c_did_create_sell_order(): called in response to an order_failed_event
  • c_did_cancel_order(): called in response to a cancelled_event
  • c_did_expire_order(): called in response to an expired_event
  • c_did_complete_buy_order(): called in response to an order_completed_event
  • c_did_complete_sell_order(): called in response to an order_completed_event
  • c_did_fail_order_tracker(): called in response to an order_failed_event
  • c_did_cancel_order_tracker(): called in response to an order_cancelled_event
  • c_did_expire_order_tracker(): called in response to an order_expired_event
  • c_did_complete_buy_order_tracker(): called in response to an order_completed_event
  • c_did_complete_sell_order_tracker(): called in response to an order_completed_event

Market class

The ExchangeBase class contains overridable functions that can help get basic information about an exchange that a strategy is operating on, which can include the balance, prices, and order books for any particular asset traded on the exchange.

  • c_buy(): called when the user wants to place a buy order
  • c_sell(): called when the user wants to place a sell order
  • c_cancel(): called when the user wants to place an order cancellation
  • c_get_balance(): called to get the user’s balance of assets
  • c_get_available_balance(): called to get the user’s available balance of assets
  • c_withdraw(): called when the user wants to withdraw assets
  • c_get_order_book(): called to get the order book for any particular asset
  • c_get_price(): called to get the price for any particular asset
  • c_get_order_price_quantum(): called to get the quantum price of an order
  • c_get_order_size_quantum(): called to get the quantum size of an order
  • c_quantize_order_price(): called to quantize the price of an order
  • c_quantize_order_amount(): called to quantize the amount of an order
  • c_get_fee(): called to get the fee for exchange use

Additionally, this strategy leverages the OrderTracker listener object, in order to check if buy/sell orders have been filled or completed, the user has enough balance to place certain orders, and if there are any order cancellations. The HummingbotLogger object is also used to log the specific events when they occur.

Configuration

Important commands

Important commands on Hummingbot client:

  • status : Renders information about the current strategy and markets. The information that you want displayed can be customized with format_status() function in {strategy name}.pyx
  • config : Prompts users asking for details about strategy set up (e.g. token, market name, etc). Prompts can be modified in {strategy name}_config_map.py

Exposing new strategy to Hummingbot client

The strategy name is made known to the client automatically in hummingbot/client/settings.py under STRATEGIES variable. There should also be a template file that contains config variables and its documentation in the hummingbot/templates directory. The naming convention for this yml file is conf_{strategy name}_TEMPLATE.

Setting question prompts for strategy parameters

Strategy parameters can be set in the config_map file. Each parameter (represented as dictionary key) is mapped to a ConfigVar type where developer can specify the name of the parameter, prompts that will be provided to the user, and validator that will check the values entered.