The Strat

The Strat Bar Type Identifier – Pure Price Action Logic

This open-source indicator implements the foundational bar classification of "The Strat" method developed by Rob Smith. It identifies each candle on the chart as one of the three core types used in The Strat:

* Inside Bar (1): The candle’s range is fully within the previous candle’s range. This indicates consolidation or balance and often precedes breakouts or reversals.

* Two-Up Bar (2U): The current candle breaks the previous high but does not break its low. This is considered bullish directional movement.

* Two-Down Bar (2D): The current candle breaks the previous low but not the high. This signals bearish directional movement.

* Outside Bar (3): The candle breaks both the high and the low of the previous candle, signaling a broadening formation and high volatility.

The script plots a character below each candle based on its type:

* "1" for Inside Bar
* "2" for Two-Up or Two-Down (color-coded)
* "3" for Outside Bar

This tool helps traders quickly identify actionable setups according to The Strat method and serves as a foundation for more advanced strategies like the 3-1-2 reversal or 1-2-2 continuation.

All calculations are based purely on price action—no indicators, no smoothing, no lagging elements. It is ideal for traders looking to understand price structure and bar sequencing from a Strat perspective.

To use:

1. Add the indicator to any chart and timeframe.
2. Look for the numbers below the candles.
3. Analyze the sequence of bar types to spot Strat setups.

This script is educational and can be extended with multi-timeframe context, FTFC logic, actionable signals, or broadening formation detection.

Clean, minimal, and faithful to the core principles of The Strat.