Williams Alligator¶
| Name | Type | Prerequisite | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Alligator (ALLI) | Trend/Regime | SMA | Identifying "sleep" (range) and "hunger" (trend) phases. |
Definition¶
The Williams Alligator indicator uses three smoothed moving averages, set at specific periods and offsets, to identify trends. The lines are metaphorical:
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Jaw (Blue): 13-period SMMA, shifted 8 bars into future.
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Teeth (Red): 8-period SMMA, shifted 5 bars.
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Lips (Green): 5-period SMMA, shifted 3 bars.
Special cases¶
- Maximum possible value: Unbounded
- Minimum possible value: 0
- Behavior: Follows the price using three displaced smoothed moving averages.
Visualization¶

Trading Significance¶
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Sleeping: When lines are intertwined, the market is range-bound (Alligator is sleeping).
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Awakening: When lines separate, a trend is beginning (Alligator is feeding).
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Trend Direction:
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Uptrend: Green > Red > Blue.
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Downtrend: Blue > Red > Green.
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