Skip to main content

Pine Script Documentation Organization & Synchronization Structure

Overview​

This document outlines the complete organizational structure and synchronization procedures for maintaining Pine Script documentation across TradingView publications and internal development repositories.

Directory Structure​

PineScript/
├── docs/                                 # Central documentation hub
│   ├── Documentation_Standards.md       # This standards document
│   ├── Documentation_Checklist.md       # QA checklist
│   ├── PineScript_Formatting_Guidelines.md  # Code formatting
│   ├── CONTRIBUTING.md                   # Contribution guidelines
│   └── examples/                         # Documentation examples
│       ├── good-examples/
│       └── templates/
│
├── templates/                            # Reusable templates
│   ├── indicator-template.pine          # Pine script template
│   ├── strategy-template.pine           # Strategy template
│   ├── README-template.md               # Internal docs template
│   └── tradingview-description-template.txt # TV description template
│
├── tools/                                # Automation tools
│   ├── documentation/
│   │   ├── convert-to-tv.sh            # MD to TV format converter
│   │   ├── validate-tv-format.sh       # TV format validator
│   │   ├── check-links.sh              # Link checker
│   │   ├── sync-versions.sh            # Version synchronization
│   │   └── generate-changelog.sh       # Changelog generator
│   ├── testing/                         # Testing utilities
│   └── validation/                      # Validation scripts
│
├── indicators/                           # Indicator projects
│   └── [category]/                      # trend, momentum, etc.
│       └── [indicator-name]/            # Individual indicator
│           ├── README.md                # Internal documentation
│           ├── [name].pine              # Pine script file
│           ├── changelog.md             # Version history
│           ├── docs/                    # Documentation assets
│           │   ├── tv-description.txt   # TradingView description
│           │   ├── tv-archive/          # Historical descriptions
│           │   │   ├── tv-description-v1.0.0.txt
│           │   │   └── tv-description-v2.0.0.txt
│           │   ├── technical-specs.md   # Detailed technical docs
│           │   └── user-guide.md        # Usage guide
│           ├── examples/                # Usage examples
│           │   ├── basic-setup.pine
│           │   └── advanced-config.pine
│           └── assets/                  # Media assets
│               ├── screenshots/
│               ├── charts/
│               └── videos/
│
├── strategies/                           # Strategy projects
│   └── [category]/                      # Same structure as indicators
│
└── libraries/                            # Reusable libraries
    └── [category]/                      # Same structure as indicators

File Naming Conventions​

Directory Names​

  • Categories: kebab-case (e.g., trend-following, support-resistance)
  • Projects: kebab-case (e.g., macdrsi-plus, bollinger-bands)

File Names​

  • Pine Scripts: Match directory name (e.g., macdrsi-plus.pine)
  • Documentation: Descriptive names (e.g., README.md, technical-specs.md)
  • TradingView Descriptions: tv-description.txt (current), tv-description-v1.2.3.txt (archived)
  • Examples: Descriptive names (e.g., basic-setup.pine, advanced-configuration.pine)

Documentation Types and Purposes​

1. Internal Documentation (README.md)​

  • Purpose: Developer and advanced user reference
  • Audience: Team members, contributors, power users
  • Content: Technical details, implementation notes, development guides
  • Format: GitHub-flavored Markdown
  • Maintenance: Updated with every code change

2. TradingView Descriptions (tv-description.txt)​

  • Purpose: Public user documentation for TradingView publication
  • Audience: General TradingView users, traders
  • Content: User-focused features, setup instructions, trading guidance
  • Format: TradingView markup language
  • Maintenance: Created for each publication, archived by version

3. Technical Specifications (technical-specs.md)​

  • Purpose: Deep technical documentation for developers
  • Audience: Developers, algorithm researchers
  • Content: Mathematical formulas, algorithm details, performance analysis
  • Format: GitHub-flavored Markdown with LaTeX math
  • Maintenance: Updated for algorithmic changes

4. User Guides (user-guide.md)​

  • Purpose: Step-by-step usage instructions
  • Audience: End users, traders
  • Content: Setup tutorials, configuration examples, troubleshooting
  • Format: GitHub-flavored Markdown
  • Maintenance: Updated for UI/UX changes

Synchronization Workflow​

Development Phase​

  1. Feature Development

    # Developer working on feature
    git checkout -b feature/new-calculation-method
    # Develop feature in Pine script
    # Update embedded changelog in Pine file

  2. Documentation During Development

    # Update internal documentation
    vim indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/README.md
    # Update technical specs if algorithms changed
    vim indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/technical-specs.md
    # Update user guide if UI changed
    vim indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/user-guide.md

  3. Pre-Release Documentation

    # Update version numbers across all files
    ./tools/documentation/sync-versions.sh indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus 2.1.0
    # Generate changelog
    ./tools/documentation/generate-changelog.sh indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus

Publication Preparation​

  1. TradingView Description Creation

    # Convert internal docs to TradingView format
    ./tools/documentation/convert-to-tv.sh \
      indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/README.md \
      indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/tv-description.txt

    # Manually edit for TradingView optimization
    vim indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/tv-description.txt

    # Validate format
    ./tools/documentation/validate-tv-format.sh \
      indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/tv-description.txt

  2. Quality Assurance

    # Run full documentation checklist
    ./tools/documentation/run-checklist.sh indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus
    # Fix any issues found
    # Re-validate

Publication Process​

  1. Pre-Publication Testing

    • Create private TradingView script
    • Test description rendering
    • Verify all links and formatting
    • Test Pine script compilation

  2. Publication

    • Publish on TradingView
    • Immediately capture publication URL
    • Update documentation with publication details

  3. Post-Publication Synchronization

    # Archive the published description
    cp indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/tv-description.txt \
       indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/docs/tv-archive/tv-description-v2.1.0.txt

    # Update internal docs with publication URL
    # Tag the release
    git tag v2.1.0
    git push origin v2.1.0

    # Update master index
    ./tools/documentation/update-index.sh

Version Control Integration​

Git Workflow​

# Documentation update branch
git checkout -b docs/update-macdrsi-plus-v2.1.0

# Stage all documentation changes
git add indicators/trend/macdrsi-plus/
git add docs/

# Commit with structured message
git commit -m "docs: update macdrsi-plus documentation for v2.1.0

- Updated README.md with new calculation method
- Added technical specifications for algorithm changes
- Created TradingView description for publication
- Updated user guide with new parameters"

# Push and create pull request
git push origin docs/update-macdrsi-plus-v2.1.0

Branch Strategy​

  • Feature branches: Include documentation updates
  • Documentation branches: For major doc-only updates
  • Release branches: Final documentation preparation
  • Hotfix branches: Critical documentation fixes

Commit Message Standards​

type(scope): brief description

Detailed explanation of changes:
- Change 1
- Change 2
- Change 3

Resolves: #issue-number

Types: docs, feat, fix, style, refactor, test, chore

Automation and Tools​

Automated Validation Pipeline​

# .github/workflows/documentation.yml
name: Documentation Validation

on:
  pull_request:
    paths:
      - 'docs/**'
      - 'indicators/**/README.md'
      - 'indicators/**/docs/**'

jobs:
  validate-docs:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      
      - name: Validate Markdown
        run: |
          npm install -g markdownlint-cli
          markdownlint docs/ indicators/*/README.md
          
      - name: Check Links
        run: ./tools/documentation/check-links.sh
        
      - name: Validate TradingView Format
        run: |
          find . -name "tv-description.txt" -exec \
            ./tools/documentation/validate-tv-format.sh {} \;
            
      - name: Version Consistency Check
        run: ./tools/documentation/check-version-consistency.sh

Scheduled Maintenance​

# .github/workflows/doc-maintenance.yml
name: Documentation Maintenance

on:
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 0 * * 0'  # Weekly on Sunday

jobs:
  maintenance:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Check External Links
        run: ./tools/documentation/check-external-links.sh
        
      - name: Update Screenshots
        run: ./tools/documentation/update-screenshots.sh
        
      - name: Generate Report
        run: ./tools/documentation/generate-maintenance-report.sh

Quality Assurance Procedures​

Documentation Review Process​

  1. Author Self-Review

    • Complete documentation checklist
    • Run validation tools
    • Test all examples and links

  2. Peer Review

    • Technical accuracy review
    • Clarity and completeness check
    • Consistency with existing documentation

  3. Final Review

    • Format and style compliance
    • TradingView publication readiness
    • Cross-platform compatibility

Testing Procedures​

  1. Automated Testing

    # Run full test suite
    ./tools/documentation/test-all.sh

    # Individual tests
    ./tools/documentation/test-links.sh
    ./tools/documentation/test-formatting.sh
    ./tools/documentation/test-examples.sh

  2. Manual Testing

    • TradingView description preview
    • GitHub README rendering
    • Mobile compatibility check
    • Cross-browser testing

  3. User Acceptance Testing

    • New user walkthrough
    • Advanced feature testing
    • Feedback incorporation

Performance and Scalability​

Documentation Metrics​

Track and monitor:

  • Documentation coverage per indicator
  • Link health and maintenance
  • User engagement with documentation
  • Time from code change to doc update
  • Publication success rate

Scalability Considerations​

  1. Template System

    • Standardized templates for consistency
    • Automated template updates
    • Version-controlled template evolution

  2. Automation Expansion

    • Auto-generation from code comments
    • Automated screenshot capture
    • Dynamic example generation

  3. Content Management

    • Centralized style guide
    • Reusable content blocks
    • Translation workflow preparation

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

Synchronization Problems​

Issue: Documentation out of sync with code Solution:

  1. Run version consistency checker
  2. Identify discrepancies
  3. Update lagging documentation
  4. Establish better automation

Issue: TradingView description doesn't match README Solution:

  1. Use conversion tools as starting point
  2. Manual review and adjustment required
  3. Maintain separate but coordinated content

Publication Issues​

Issue: TradingView description formatting broken Solution:

  1. Use validation tool before publication
  2. Test in private script first
  3. Keep backup of working description

Issue: Links not working in TradingView Solution:

  1. Verify URL format compliance
  2. Test all links manually
  3. Use fallback text for broken links

Future Enhancements​

Planned Improvements​

  1. Enhanced Automation

    • AI-assisted documentation generation
    • Automated screenshot updates
    • Dynamic example generation

  2. Better Integration

    • IDE plugins for documentation
    • Real-time preview tools
    • Collaborative editing features

  3. Advanced Analytics

    • Documentation usage metrics
    • User journey tracking
    • Content effectiveness analysis

Expansion Plans​

  1. Multi-language Support

    • Translation workflow
    • Localized examples
    • Cultural adaptation

  2. Interactive Documentation

    • Embedded calculators
    • Interactive examples
    • Video integration

  3. Community Features

    • User contribution system
    • Community examples
    • Feedback integration

This organizational structure should be reviewed and updated quarterly to ensure it meets the evolving needs of the project and team.