📊 Chart Styles & Scales — Smart Guide
Choose the right view for your analysis: quick trend, full OHLC detail, or percentage comparison.
🏔️ Mountain Chart
Line with area filled underneath — very readable trend view.
Best for: Quick overview of direction over time.
📈 Line Chart
Simple line connecting (usually) closing prices.
Best for: Clean, minimal price tracking.
🕯️ Candlestick Chart
Shows O-H-L-C with candles (body & wicks). Colors show up/down closes.
Best for: Traders reading price action & patterns.
🧱 OHLC Chart
Open/High/Low/Close drawn as bars (ticks: left=open, right=close).
Best for: Technical users who prefer bars over candles.
📊 Bar Chart
Emphasizes range and volatility each period with vertical bars.
Best for: Seeing price range & swings quickly.
🔄 % Change (Line / Fill)
Plots performance as percentage from a start point (fill = shaded area).
Best for: Comparing two or more symbols fairly.
⚖️ Price Scale
📏 Linear Scale
Equal distance = equal dollar change. $10→$20 is same spacing as $90→$100.
Use for: Short-term charts and precise price levels.
📐 Logarithmic Scale
Equal distance = equal percentage change. +10% looks the same at any price.
Use for: Long-term trends or multi-X moves (10→100→1000).
🧭 Quick Choosing Guide
| Type | Best For | What it Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain | Beginner / overview | Trend with emotional “fill” |
| Line | Clean view | Closing price path |
| Candlestick | Trading decisions | OHLC + patterns |
| OHLC | Technical review | Range with open/close ticks |
| Bar | Volatility focus | Range height each period |
| % Change | Comparisons | Relative performance |
| Linear Scale | Short term | Dollar moves |
| Log Scale | Long term | % moves |
Tip: Use candles + linear for entries/exits; switch to log on long horizons to judge trend strength.