Alligator¶
Indicators · Moving Averages
Bill Williams's three-SMMA trend indicator (Jaw / Teeth / Lips).
Bill Williams's Alligator is three smoothed moving averages that, together, look like a sleeping-then-feeding alligator — and that metaphor is the strategy. When the three lines are tangled together, the alligator is "sleeping": the market is ranging and you stand aside. When the lines fan apart and align, the alligator "wakes and feeds": a trend is underway and you trade with it. It's a wonderfully visual way to tell trend from chop and to stay patient during the chop.
How it works¶
The three lines are SMMAs (Wilder-smoothed averages) of the bar's median price at different lengths: the Jaw (slowest, Jaw period 13), the Teeth (medium, Teeth period 8), and the Lips (fastest, Lips period 5). In Williams's original they're also shifted forward, but the ordering is what you read. Tangled/intertwined lines = sleeping = no trend. Fanned and stacked in order (Lips over Teeth over Jaw, all rising) = an uptrend feeding; the reverse stacked and falling = a downtrend. Each line is colour-controlled and plots on the price pane.
When to use it¶
Use the Alligator as a trend-vs-range filter and trend-rider. Its primary value is keeping you out of ranges — when the lines are braided, you simply don't trade. When they separate and stack, you enter in the trend's direction and ride while the mouth stays open; you exit or tighten when the lines begin to converge again (the alligator getting full). It's a discretionary-feeling tool that translates well into rules: require the stacked, separated ordering before any trend entry.
Example¶
Trade only when the alligator feeds: wire bars into the Alligator and require the bullish stack (Lips above Teeth above Jaw) as a bias condition, combined with an entry trigger through an And gate into a Buy Signal. Stand aside when the lines tangle. Pair with the Awesome Oscillator (its companion in Williams's system) and backtest in the Tester.
Tips & gotchas¶
- Tangled = sleep = no trade. The filter is the feature — most of its value is keeping you out of chop.
- Read the stack and separation, not a single line — order + fanning = trend.
- Built on SMMAs of the median price — smooth and a little laggy by design.
- Pairs with the Awesome Oscillator in Williams's full method.
Related blocks¶
Inputs¶
| Socket | Type | What to wire in |
|---|---|---|
| Bars | bars |
OHLC bars (high/low required) |
Outputs¶
| Output | Type | Plots as | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaw | series |
Line | Slowest SMMA — long-trend reference |
| Teeth | series |
Line | Medium SMMA — bias filter |
| Lips | series |
Line | Fastest SMMA — entry trigger |
Parameters¶
| Parameter | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaw period | number · 2–200 | 13 |
|
| Teeth period | number · 2–200 | 8 |
|
| Lips period | number · 2–200 | 5 |
|
| Jaw color | colour | #42a5f5 |
|
| Teeth color | colour | #ef5350 |
|
| Lips color | colour | #66bb6a |
Reference auto-generated from the block catalog · category Indicators.