create-signal

name	create-signal
description	Create a new open-xquant Signal with deterministic output-domain tests and registry wiring; use after create-component confirms no existing signal satisfies the request.

Create Signal

You create a vectorized trading-intent component.

Scope

Default built-in paths:

• source: src/oxq/signals/{snake_name}.py
• tests: tests/signals/test_{snake_name}.py
• package export: src/oxq/signals/__init__.py
• built-in registry: src/oxq/core/registry.py

Phase 1: Read Existing Patterns

Read before editing:

• src/oxq/core/types.py
• src/oxq/signals/crossover.py
• src/oxq/signals/threshold.py
• one existing test in tests/signals/
• src/oxq/signals/__init__.py
• the signal registration block in src/oxq/core/registry.py

Confirm the requested output is a Signal, not an Indicator.

Phase 2: Define Output Semantics

State before coding:

• when the signal fires
• parameters and defaults
• whether output is boolean or categorical
• exact meaning of each output value
• NaN and boundary behavior
• whether it is causal

If the signal needs future rows to identify peaks, centered windows, or month-end rows, warn that it may be unsuitable for audited causal specs.

Phase 3: Test First

Write tests with hand-crafted data:

• protocol compliance with Signal
• non-empty name
• output domain is boolean or the declared categorical set
• categorical trading-intent signals must use exact uppercase labels such as BUY, SELL, and HOLD
• if a categorical custom signal is used from spec, declare signal.rules.<name>.output_domain: [BUY, SELL, HOLD] as rule metadata; do not place output_domain in params because params are passed to Signal.compute()
• trigger scenario
• no-trigger scenario
• NaN or insufficient-history behavior when relevant
• causal threshold behavior; rolling thresholds must not include the current row when they are used to classify that row

Run the new test and confirm the missing implementation fails before coding.

uv run pytest tests/signals/test_{snake_name}.py -v

Phase 4: Implement

Skeleton:

"""Short description signal."""

from __future__ import annotations

import pandas as pd


class ClassName:
    """True when the declared condition is met."""

    name = "ClassName"

    def compute(
        self,
        mktdata: pd.DataFrame,
        column: str = "close",
    ) -> pd.Series:
        """Return boolean series where True means enter or activate."""
        ...

Rules:

• use explicit keyword parameters, not **kwargs
• no I/O or state mutation
• preserve index alignment
• fill or document NaN behavior
• return a pd.Series

Phase 5: Register

For a built-in component:

• import it in src/oxq/signals/__init__.py
• add it to __all__
• add it to _load_builtins() in src/oxq/core/registry.py

Verify:

uv run python - <<'PY'
import oxq
assert "ClassName" in oxq.list_signals()
print("registered")
PY
uv run pytest tests/signals/test_{snake_name}.py -v

Run broader tests when registry or compiler behavior changes.

Red Lines

• Do not return floats from a Signal unless the output is deliberately categorical and documented.
• Do not introduce future-data bias without making it explicit.
• Do not register before output-domain tests pass.
• Do not modify existing signals for a new behavior.