Make the demo account realistic

Set a balance close to what you might actually trade with in the future. Use small position sizes, real session times, and a written risk limit so the practice feels structured.

Practice the mechanics first

Before strategy testing, learn how to place market orders, pending orders, stop losses, take profit levels, and partial closes. Mistakes with buttons are avoidable if you practice them calmly.

Keep a simple journal

Record the pair, timeframe, entry reason, stop loss, target, result, and one lesson from the trade. After several weeks, the journal will show whether your process is improving.

Key takeaways

  • Demo trading should copy realistic account conditions.
  • Master order placement before live trading.
  • Journal every trade, including boring ones.