TradingView FAQs

Question 1

What is TradingView and what is its primary purpose?

Accepted Answer

TradingView is a lightweight Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that utilizes Playwright browser automation to efficiently fetch and visualize real-time TradingView chart snapshots. Its main purpose is to provide fast, secure, and customizable market data images for algorithmic trading, strategy visualization, and integration with various MCP-enabled clients.

Question 2

Why does TradingView use Playwright for browser automation instead of a direct API?

Accepted Answer

TradingView charts are rendered client-side using JavaScript/Canvas, meaning there's no pure HTTP API available to directly fetch chart images. Playwright serves as the lightest and most efficient headless browser solution (~150MB RAM) to automate the browser, navigate to charts, and capture high-quality snapshots.

Question 3

Is TradingView compatible with other applications?

Accepted Answer

Yes, TradingView is MCP (Model Context Protocol) compatible, allowing for seamless integration with any MCP-enabled client, such as Claude Desktop. This ensures it can be easily plugged into your existing trading or analysis ecosystem.

Question 4

How do I authenticate with TradingView to fetch charts?

Accepted Answer

Authentication is handled securely via session-based cookies. Users need to log into TradingView in their browser, extract their 'sessionid' and 'sessionid_sign' cookies, and configure them in the `.env` file for the TradingView server. These cookies are then used by Playwright to maintain an authenticated session.

Question 5

How fast are chart snapshots generated?

Accepted Answer

After the initial browser launch (which takes 5-8 seconds), subsequent chart snapshots are generated very quickly, typically within 3-5 seconds per chart. This speed is achieved through persistent browser reuse across multiple requests, ensuring efficient market data visualization.

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