> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://uncoded.ch/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# BasicMode (Mode 4) — The Recommended Starter

> A 7-split grid with sell targets from +0.25% to +5%. No trailing stop, fully predictable behaviour. The most-tested mode in unCoded — start here.

<Info>
  **BasicMode is the recommended starter for almost every new unCoded operator.** It has the most-tested combination of buy ladder, sell ladder, and capital sizing in the entire suite. Predictable, mechanical, well-understood. If you're starting unCoded for the first time, this is the mode.
</Info>

## The mode at a glance

| Property                   | Value                                    |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| **Mode number**            | 4                                        |
| **Default flag**           | ✅ default mode                           |
| **Buy splits**             | 7                                        |
| **Sell-ladder rungs**      | `+0.25%, +0.5%, +1%, +2%, +3%, +4%, +5%` |
| **Trailing stop**          | None                                     |
| **Recommended capital**    | `~$20,000`                               |
| **Reserve recommendation** | `~$10,000` (`50%` of trading capital)    |
| **Best regime fit**        | Sideways and lightly-trending markets    |
| **Worst regime fit**       | Sustained sharp downtrends               |

## What BasicMode does

BasicMode places a **7-split buy ladder** that fills incrementally as price drops. Once any portion of the ladder fills, the mode places a sell ladder with **7 rungs at `+0.25%, +0.5%, +1%, +2%, +3%, +4%, +5%`** above the entry price.

When the price moves up and hits a sell rung, that portion of the position closes profitably. When the next rung fills, more of the position closes. The cycle repeats.

There is **no trailing stop** in BasicMode. Exits are purely the sell ladder. This is intentional: it keeps the mode fully predictable and avoids the trailing stop's downtime weakness.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Predictable mechanical behaviour" icon="gear">
    Every action the bot takes follows the same rules. No regime-detection, no adaptive logic. You always know what will happen next.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Works in chop and light trends" icon="wave-square">
    The narrow first rung (`+0.25%`) catches small upward moves quickly. The wider rungs (`+3%, +4%, +5%`) capture larger moves when they occur.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No regime-mismatch risk" icon="shield-check">
    Modes that arm trailing stops or detect regimes can fail badly when the regime shifts. BasicMode's purely mechanical exits don't have that failure mode.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Most-tested combination" icon="check-double">
    Years of operator-day data on BasicMode + BTCUSDT + Binance. Edge cases are well-understood.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How a BasicMode trade flows

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pair becomes active">
    You add `BTCUSDT` (or other pair) to the active set, assigned to Mode 4. The TradingBot picks up the configuration on next poll.
  </Step>

  <Step title="First buy split triggers">
    When the mode's buy condition holds for the pair, the first split (`~$2,857` at `$20,000` capital) fires as a limit buy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Buy fills">
    The exchange fills the buy order. The TradingBot's WebSocket delivers the fill event within milliseconds.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sell ladder is placed">
    Immediately after the buy fills, the bot places 7 sell-ladder rungs at `+0.25%, +0.5%, +1%, +2%, +3%, +4%, +5%` above the average entry price.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Subsequent buy splits fire if price drops further">
    If price drops to the next buy split's trigger, that split fires too. The position grows. The sell ladder is recomputed against the new average entry.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sell rungs fill as price moves up">
    When price ticks up to the `+0.25%` rung, that small portion of the position closes profitably. As price continues up, more rungs fill.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Position closes">
    When the final rung fills, the position is fully closed. The bot writes a complete round-trip record to the closed-trade ledger. The next cycle can begin.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Capital sizing for BasicMode

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why $20,000 is recommended" icon="weight-scale">
    BasicMode has 7 buy splits. At `$20,000` capital, each split is `~$2,857`. That's comfortably above Binance's `$10` min-notional floor, with substantial headroom for symbols with higher floors.

    The split sizing also produces meaningful per-trade P\&L — a `+1%` sell on `$2,857` is `$28.57`, large enough that fees don't dominate.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The acceptable range: $15,000 to $25,000" icon="ruler">
    * **`$15,000`**: per-split `~$2,143`. Still well above min-notional. Slightly smaller per-trade P\&L.
    * **`$20,000`**: the calibrated sweet spot.
    * **`$25,000`**: per-split `~$3,571`. Larger orders, slightly more market-impact risk on lower-liquidity symbols.

    Anywhere in this range, BasicMode operates as designed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Below $15,000 — switch to LowMoney" icon="arrow-down">
    Below `$15,000`, BasicMode's per-split sizing starts to compress per-trade P\&L meaningfully. At `$10,000`, each split is `$1,428` — a `+0.25%` rung is `$3.57` per fill, and fees start to dominate.

    **Better at `$10,000`**: Tsl2Sell (Mode 7) or LowMoney (Mode 5).

    **Better at `$3,000–$5,000`**: LowMoney (Mode 5).

    **Better at `$1,500–$3,000`**: MinimalMoney (Mode 6).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Above $25,000 — works fine" icon="arrow-up">
    BasicMode at `$50,000` or `$100,000` works the same way as at `$25,000` — same proportional ladder, larger absolute sizes. The main consideration: market-impact at higher per-order sizes on lower-liquidity symbols.

    For majors (`BTCUSDT`, `ETHUSDT`), market-impact is minimal even at `$100,000+`. For altcoins with thin books, larger sizes can walk the order book.

    **Recommendation**: at high capital, prefer majors-only and run the proportional larger sizing without concern.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## When BasicMode performs well

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="✅ Sideways markets (chop)" icon="wave-square">
    BasicMode's narrow first rung catches the small upward moves that characterize chop. Multiple round-trips per day at small per-trade P\&L can compound to meaningful monthly returns.

    Most "boring sideways" months are when BasicMode quietly outperforms more aggressive modes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="✅ Gentle uptrends" icon="arrow-up">
    The mid-range rungs (`+1%, +2%, +3%`) catch gradual uptrending price moves. The mode trades round-trips along the way, rather than letting positions ride.

    Underperforms a trailing-stop mode in strong sustained trends, but more reliable when the trend is uncertain.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="✅ Mild downtrends" icon="arrow-down">
    BasicMode's buy ladder absorbs gradually falling prices. As price drops, more splits fire. When price recovers, the sell ladder closes positions across the full ladder.

    Net positive over a mild downtrend that eventually reverses.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## When BasicMode struggles

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="❌ Sharp sustained downtrends" icon="chart-line-down">
    A `-30%+` symbol drop fully invests the buy ladder, then continues falling. The position is underwater with no further capital available. The sell ladder doesn't trigger because price never recovers to entry.

    **Mitigation**: 50% reserve, kill switch on bad news, position sizing per pair to limit single-symbol exposure.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="❌ Vertical melt-up rallies" icon="arrow-up-right-dots">
    A symbol that goes `+30%` in a day fills the entire 7-rung sell ladder rapidly, then keeps rising. BasicMode missed the rally beyond `+5%`.

    **Mitigation**: a trailing-stop mode (FullBullMarket, Tsl2Sell) captures more of the rally. But these modes underperform BasicMode in chop. Pick one based on regime confidence.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="❌ Very low liquidity symbols" icon="droplet-slash">
    BasicMode's per-order sizes (`~$2,857` at default capital) can move thin books. Slippage on very low-volume altcoins can erode the small per-rung profits.

    **Mitigation**: stay on majors with BasicMode. Use lower-capital modes (LowMoney, MinimalMoney) for thinner symbols.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## What you can tune in BasicMode

The Modes panel in the Dashboard exposes editable parameters. For BasicMode:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Sell percentages — the 7 rungs" icon="sliders">
    Default: `[0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]`. You can edit these — wider rungs (`[0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10]`) catch larger moves but trade less frequently. Narrower rungs (`[0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3]`) trade more frequently with smaller per-trade P\&L.

    **Most operators leave the defaults alone for the first 1–2 months.** Tune later based on observed behaviour.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Buy splits — the count and shape" icon="layer-group">
    Default: 7 splits. You can change the count, but doing so without care is a recipe for misconfiguration. Per-split sizing depends on this — fewer splits = larger orders.

    **Recommendation**: don't change splits unless you understand the implications.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="canBuy / canSell flags" icon="toggle-on">
    Default: both `true`. Set `canBuy: false` to wind down a pair (let existing positions close out without opening new ones). Set `canSell: false` to take delivery rather than rotate.

    Useful for transitions and operator-driven pauses.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Stop-loss percentage" icon="shield">
    Default per-mode value. Sets the maximum drawdown the mode tolerates before market-closing the position.

    For BasicMode the default is conservative. Operators sometimes tighten or loosen this based on personal risk tolerance.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why no trailing stop in BasicMode?" icon="circle-question">
    Trailing stops have a downtime weakness: while the bot is offline (VPS reboot, network blip), the trailing-stop reference doesn't advance with new highs. On reboot, the stop is at its last server-side level rather than at the highest price during the gap.

    For BasicMode's "predictable mechanical exits" thesis, this trade-off doesn't fit. Modes that depend on trailing stops accept the downtime risk in exchange for trend-capture upside. BasicMode trades the trend-capture upside for predictability.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I add a trailing stop to BasicMode?" icon="circle-question">
    Not via the standard mode configuration. If you want trailing-stop behaviour, switch to a mode that includes one (FullBullMarket, Tsl2Sell, etc.).

    Alternative: run BasicMode for the predictable bulk of operation, and a SignalEditor strategy that flips `canSell: false` on specific pairs during identified strong-trend periods (so positions ride longer). This is an advanced pattern.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the average hold time?" icon="clock">
    Highly regime-dependent. In active markets, full ladder closures can occur within hours. In quiet markets, partial fills can take days.

    Typical observation: average per-trade hold time `1–48` hours, with a long tail for trades that hit the wider rungs during slower moves.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I run BasicMode on multiple symbols?" icon="circle-question">
    **Yes** — that's the standard pattern. Most operators run BasicMode on `BTCUSDT`, `ETHUSDT`, `SOLUSDT` simultaneously. Each pair gets its own capital allocation; the mode behaves independently per pair.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is BasicMode profitable?" icon="circle-question">
    Honest answer: **it depends on the market regime**. BasicMode captures the small-move opportunity that exists in chop and gentle trends. In sustained sharp moves (either direction), it underperforms.

    Over multi-month periods of typical crypto market behaviour, BasicMode has historically been profitable for most operators. Specific monthly returns vary widely. There are no guaranteed returns — that's the honest take.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the max drawdown I should expect?" icon="chart-line-down">
    Backtesting on `BTCUSDT` over various windows shows BasicMode with `~10–25%` max drawdown across many windows. A bad month can produce `-5% to -10%` realized. A bad quarter can produce `-15% to -20%`.

    **Plan accordingly**: don't allocate capital you can't comfortably hold through a `-25%` drawdown without panicking.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I scale BasicMode capital without changing the mode?" icon="circle-question">
    **Yes** — capital allocation is per-pair. You can run BasicMode on `BTCUSDT` at `$20,000` for a month, then increase to `$30,000` if you're comfortable. The mode's behaviour scales linearly with capital.

    Tip: scale up gradually (e.g., `+25%` per quarter) rather than doubling overnight. Compound your confidence with your capital.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best practices

<Tip>
  * ✅ **Start with `BTCUSDT` on BasicMode at `$15,000–$25,000` + 50% reserve.**
  * ✅ **Run for 1 month before changing anything.** First month is paid education.
  * ✅ **Don't tune sell percentages or split counts** in the first 1–2 months.
  * ✅ **Add `ETHUSDT` and `SOLUSDT` after month 1** if you want diversification within BasicMode.
  * ✅ **Watch the live trades panel daily** to build intuition for the mode's rhythm.
  * ✅ **Hold a 50% reserve** in USDT, not allocated.
  * ✅ **Don't run BasicMode below `$15,000`** — switch to LowMoney or MinimalMoney instead.
  * ✅ **Don't run BasicMode on illiquid altcoins** — stay on majors.
  * ✅ **Treat the kill switch as your most important control** — flip it for any unfamiliar market behavior.
  * ✅ **Backtest before changing anything** — use the Backtester to validate any tweak before going live.
</Tip>

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="FullBullMarket (Mode 1)" icon="rocket" href="/strategies/modes/fullbullmarket">
    The trailing-stop alternative for sustained up-trends.
  </Card>

  <Card title="LowMoney (Mode 5)" icon="piggy-bank" href="/strategies/modes/lowmoney">
    The right starter for $3,000–$5,000 capital.
  </Card>

  <Card title="MinimalMoney (Mode 6)" icon="coins" href="/strategies/modes/minimalmoney">
    The minimum-capital starter at \$1,500.
  </Card>

  <Card title="TradingBot" icon="robot" href="/modules/tradingbot">
    The execution engine that runs BasicMode.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Backtester" icon="flask" href="/modules/backtester">
    Validate BasicMode behavior on historical data.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Risk Management" icon="shield" href="/risk-management/overview">
    How BasicMode fits into a broader risk framework.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>