[Glossary] Trading Tools & Platforms Terms

CryptoKas

Below is an extensive glossary of terms you’ll encounter in Trading Tools & Platforms discussions. Definitions are concise and practical—your toolkit explained.

️ Platform Types

Web-Based Platform: A trading interface you access via browser—no install required (e.g., TradingView).
Desktop Terminal: A standalone application installed on your computer, often with advanced features (e.g., Bookmap, Sierra Chart).
Mobile App: Hand-held trading on your phone or tablet, optimized for on-the-go monitoring and quick orders.
Cloud/Hosted Solution: Platforms running entirely in the cloud—accessible anywhere, with no local infrastructure (e.g., Quantower Cloud).

Charting & Analysis Tools

Charting Platform: Software that displays price data and indicators—lets you draw trendlines, apply studies, and save layouts.
Screener: A filter tool that scans markets for coins matching your criteria (e.g., volume spikes, RSI oversold).
Heatmap: A color-coded grid showing performance across many assets at once—quickly spot leaders and laggards.
Backtesting Engine: Runs your strategy on historical data to gauge performance—lets you refine rules before going live.
Paper Trading: Simulated trading with fake funds in real market conditions—test ideas risk-free.
Data Provider: The service that supplies price, volume, order-book and on-chain data (e.g., CoinAPI, Kaiko, Glassnode).

Execution & Connectivity

Order Entry Panel (OEP): The interface where you submit, modify or cancel orders—often integrated with charts.
API (Application Programming Interface): A programmatic way to fetch data or place orders directly from code.
- REST API: Uses HTTP calls for discrete requests (e.g., GET /ticker).
- WebSocket API: Maintains a constant connection for real-time data streaming.
- FIX API: A financial industry standard protocol for high-speed order routing.
Smart Order Routing: Logic that splits orders across multiple venues to get best execution.
Bridge/Aggregator: Routes your trade through liquidity pools on different exchanges or chains to minimize slippage.

Alerts & Notifications

Price Alert: Triggers when an asset hits a set price level.
Volume Alert: Notifies you when trading volume crosses a threshold.
Indicator Alert: Fires when an indicator (e.g., MA crossover) meets your rules.
News Alert: Push notification for breaking headlines or on-chain governance votes.
Delivery Channels: Email, SMS, push notification, or integrations with Telegram/Discord/Webhooks.

🧮 Portfolio & Performance Tools

Portfolio Tracker: Aggregates balances and trade history across multiple exchanges and wallets.
PnL Calculator: Computes profit and loss per trade, per asset, or over custom time frames.
Rebalancing Tool: Automates shifting asset weights back to target allocations.
Tax Reporting Software: Generates reports conforming to local tax rules, handling FIFO/LIFO, gains/losses.
Dashboard: A customizable overview showing equity curve, drawdown, win rate and other KPIs.

Research & Data Platforms

On-Chain Explorer: View blockchain transactions, wallet activity and contract details (e.g., Etherscan).
Market Data Aggregator: Centralizes order-book, trade and funding-rate data from many exchanges (e.g., Kaiko).
Social Sentiment Tool: Tracks mentions, sentiment scores and trending topics across social media.
News Aggregator: Pulls headlines from multiple crypto news sites, RSS feeds, or Twitter lists.
Economic Calendar: Lists scheduled events (forks, halving, token unlocks) that can move markets.

Security & Access

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adds a second verification step (TOTP, SMS, hardware key) to your account.
API Key Permissions: Scopes you assign to API keys (read-only, trading, withdrawal) to limit risk.
IP Whitelisting: Restricts API or login access to specified IP addresses.
Hardware Wallet Integration: Connects Ledger, Trezor or other devices for signing transactions offline.

Pin this thread for quick reference. Spot anything missing, or need deeper examples? Drop a comment below!