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What this builds

  • MACD line (fast EMA - slow EMA)
  • Signal line (EMA of MACD)
  • Histogram (MACD - signal) with green/red coloring
  • Zero line reference

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Full script

// overlay = false
const fastLen = input.int("Fast length",   12, { min: 1, group: "MACD" });
const slowLen = input.int("Slow length",   26, { min: 1, group: "MACD" });
const sigLen  = input.int("Signal length",  9, { min: 1, group: "MACD" });
const src     = input.source("Source", "close");

plot("MACD",     null, { color: "#22c55eFF", linewidth: 2 });
plot("Signal",   null, { color: "#f59e0bFF", linewidth: 2 });
plot("Histogram", null, {
  style: "histogram",
  colorUp:   "#22c55eCC",
  colorDown: "#ef4444CC",
});

hline(0, { color: "#6b728060" });

onBar(() => {
  const m = ta.macd(src, fastLen, slowLen, sigLen);
  if (na(m.macd)) return;

  plot("MACD",      m.macd);
  plot("Signal",    m.signal);
  plot("Histogram", m.hist);
});

​
With divergence coloring

Color the MACD line based on whether it is above or below the signal: 
// overlay = false
const src = input.source("Source", "close");

plot("MACD",     null, { linewidth: 2 });
plot("Signal",   null, { color: "#f59e0bFF" });
plot("Histogram", null, { style: "histogram" });

hline(0, { color: "#6b728060" });

const macdSeries = Series("macd-val");

onBar(() => {
  const m = ta.macd(src, 12, 26, 9);
  if (na(m.macd)) return;

  // Color MACD line based on trend
  const macdColor = m.macd > m.signal ? "#22c55eFF" : "#ef4444FF";
  // Note: per-bar color changes on 'plot' require re-registering with null each time
  // For simplicity, use a fixed color and rely on the histogram for the trend signal:

  plot("MACD",      m.macd);
  plot("Signal",    m.signal);
  plot("Histogram", m.hist);

  macdSeries.set(m.macd);
});

​
Understanding the return value

ta.macd returns an object with three fields:
FieldDescription
macdFast EMA minus slow EMA
signalEMA of macd over sigLen bars
histmacd minus signal
All three are NaN during the warmup period (first slowLen + sigLen - 2 bars approximately).

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Histogram color tip

The histogram uses colorUp and colorDown based on whether the value is positive or negative:
  • hist > 0 (MACD above signal) uses colorUp
  • hist <= 0 (MACD below signal) uses colorDown
plot("Histogram", null, {
  style: "histogram",
  colorUp:   "#22c55eCC",  // green bars when MACD > signal
  colorDown: "#ef4444CC",  // red bars when MACD < signal
});

Oscillators

ta.macd function reference.

Plot styles

histogram style and colorUp/colorDown options.

NaN handling

Why na(m.macd) check is needed during warmup.