Updated · first published
What is DOM (order book)?
The DOM (Depth of Market, or order book) is the vertical price ladder that shows, at each level, the size of resting limit orders on the buy and sell sides. It's the rawest view of liquidity: the one where tick-precise timing plays out.
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What DeepCharts does better
v15.6 adds the Full Depth DOM: displaying all the depth provided by the feed, with a configurable level count, where a classic DOM often shows only the few levels near price. DeepCharts also integrates DOM trading and order-rate controls: reading and execution in one place.
Using it day to day
Day to day, the DOM is for scalping: once direction is set elsewhere, you time entries to the tick. Read it by movement, orders stacking and pulling, size absorbing without receding, rather than by snapshot. Central on NQ, ES, FDAX.
Example: on the ES, large size appears at the best bid, absorbs several selling waves without moving, while aggressive selling fades. That's absorption on the book: buy entry to the tick, stop just below the defended level.
⚠ The trap to avoid
The trap: trading 'off the DOM' alone. The book is the most manipulated place in the market (spoofing, decoy orders). Without executed-flow context (footprint, delta) and liquidity over time (heatmap), you get trapped by orders that never intended to fill.
Combine it with
Combine it with the heatmap (the DOM over time), the Iceberg Detector (hidden size behind the display) and the footprint: the DOM gives timing, the others give context.
FAQ
What is the DOM in trading?+
The Depth of Market (order book): a price ladder showing, at each level, the size of resting limit orders on the buy and sell sides, updated in real time.
What does the v15.6 Full Depth DOM add?+
It displays all the book depth provided by the feed (configurable level count), instead of limiting the view to the few levels near price.
DOM or heatmap, what's the difference?+
The DOM is the instant, numeric view of the book. The heatmap is that same book painted over time. The DOM is for fine timing; the heatmap for seeing walls evolve.
Should you trade off the DOM (scalping)?+
The DOM is a tool, not a forced style. Some scalp directly on it, others use it as context to refine the execution of trades decided on the chart. Both approaches are valid.
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