How TradeGuard Actually Works
No black boxes. No hand-waving. A full technical walkthrough of how your risk rules become automated, millisecond-precise enforcement.
Three steps from setup to protection
Every detail of the TradeGuard enforcement pipeline, in plain language.
Step 01
Download Extension
Silent. Lightweight. Always watching.
Our Chrome Extension installs in a single click and operates silently in the background. It attaches to your active Tradovate tab and streams real-time account data — PnL, open positions, order activity — directly to the TradeGuard backend over a secure WebSocket connection.
- Connects automatically when Tradovate is open
- Reads your live P&L and position data in real-time
- Streams data to the backend over an encrypted WebSocket
- Zero interaction required — it just works
Technical note: No API keys required. The extension uses Tradovate's own internal data stream, the same one that powers their real-time UI.
Step 02
Set Up Risk Settings
Your rules. Your limits.
Log into the TradeGuard dashboard and define the exact risk parameters that match your trading plan. Every rule you set becomes a hard wall that the system will enforce — no exceptions, no overrides.
- Max Daily Loss — cap the total drawdown for the day
- Max Trades Per Day — limit over-trading in choppy conditions
- Time-Based Curfews — prevent trading during low-probability hours
- Changes take effect within milliseconds
Technical note: Rules are stored server-side and immediately propagated to the enforcement engine. Changes take effect within milliseconds.
Step 03
Automated Enforcement
Instant lockout. No exceptions.
The moment a rule is breached, TradeGuard locks your account into a protected, flatten-only state. We automatically close all positions and instantly cancel any orders that are placed or filled during the lockout period.
- Detects and executes within 50ms of any violation
- Auto-flattens all open positions immediately
- Automatically cancels orders if any new order is placed or filled
- Hard lockout persists until your daily session reset
Technical note: The extension intercepts Tradovate's order submission flow, ensuring that even if you try to click 'Buy' or 'Sell', the order is cancelled before it can hit the market.
Common Questions
Straight answers about how TradeGuard works under the hood.
Does TradeGuard need my Tradovate API credentials?
No. The Chrome Extension reads data directly from your active Tradovate browser tab using the same internal data stream that powers Tradovate's own UI. No API keys or brokerage credentials are ever stored or transmitted.
Which brokers and datafeeds are supported?
TradeGuard currently supports Tradovate and NinjaTrader. We are actively working on expanding support to TradingView and other futures datafeeds (Rithmic, CQG) in the coming months.
What happens if my internet connection drops?
The backend maintains your session state independently. When the extension reconnects, it re-syncs the current account state and resumes enforcement. If a lockout was active, it remains active.
Can I still close my positions manually during a lockout?
Yes. TradeGuard only enforces a 'flatten-only' state. You are always free to close your own positions or cancel your own orders manually. TradeGuard only steps in to block you from opening new trades or adding to risk once a rule has been breached.
How fast is the flatten execution?
Breach detection to flatten command delivery typically completes in under 50ms. Actual fill time depends on Tradovate's execution speed and market conditions.
Does it work if I have multiple Tradovate tabs open?
The extension monitors your most recently active Tradovate tab. Only one session is active at a time. We recommend trading from a single dedicated tab.
Is my trading data stored anywhere?
Only the data necessary for enforcement is processed: live PnL, open positions, and order counts. This data is processed in memory and not permanently stored. See our Privacy Policy for full details.