How to deploy a Streak strategy live
Streak allows a backtested rule-based strategy to be promoted to live execution, routing orders directly into Zerodha Kite without manual intervention for each signal. This guide covers the steps from backtested strategy to live market deployment, including paper trading validation, margin checks, risk controls, and ongoing monitoring.
For the backtest workflow that precedes this step see How to backtest a strategy on Streak. For the platform overview see Streak platform overview.
Why paper trade before going live
Backtesting uses historical data with idealised fill assumptions. Paper trading (Streak’s virtual portfolio mode) runs the strategy on live market data with the same logic but without real money. This intermediate step validates:
- Signal frequency: confirms the strategy generates the expected number of signals per day or week. Unusually high or low signal frequency relative to the backtest can indicate a data discrepancy or market regime change.
- Execution feasibility: verifies that the limit prices implied by the strategy’s entry conditions can actually be filled in a live order book. Deep OTM options or illiquid stock futures may be impractical to fill at the theoretical signal price.
- Timing and candle alignment: confirms that the strategy’s candle close times align with market hours and that the first candle of the day behaves as expected (open gaps, pre-market activity).
A recommended minimum paper trading period is two weeks for intraday strategies and four weeks for daily strategies, covering at least one expiry cycle for F&O contracts.
Step-by-step procedure
Validate backtest results and run paper trading
Open the strategy in Streak and click Paper Trade (or Virtual Trade). Streak runs the strategy on live market data but does not place real orders; simulated P&L is tracked in a virtual portfolio. Monitor the paper trading results for at least two weeks before proceeding to live deployment.
Compare the live paper-trade signal frequency and simulated P&L with the backtest statistics. Significant divergence (for example, the strategy generates three times as many signals live as in the backtest) is a warning sign that warrants re-examination of the condition logic or the historical data quality.
Check margin sufficiency
Before activating the strategy, calculate the margin required per unit of the position using the Zerodha SPAN calculator. For a strategy that may hold multiple simultaneous positions (for example, it re-enters on each signal without exiting the prior one), multiply the per-position margin by the maximum number of concurrent positions the strategy can hold.
Log in to Kite and check Funds → Available Margin. Ensure available margin exceeds the worst-case strategy margin by at least 15 percent. Insufficient margin at the time a signal fires will cause the order to be rejected; a partial rejection (one leg of a multi-leg strategy executing while another is rejected) can leave an unintended naked position.
For pledge-based margin, confirm the cash component rule: at least 50 percent of the total margin must be in cash or cash equivalents. See Margin pledge mechanics on Zerodha for details.
Open the strategy and click Deploy
In the Streak dashboard, locate the strategy you want to deploy. Click the three-dot menu (or the Deploy button, labelled Go Live in some interface versions). Streak shows a pre-deployment summary confirming:
- The instrument, exchange, and timeframe.
- Entry and exit conditions in plain-language format.
- Estimated margin requirement.
- Product type (NRML or MIS).
Review this summary carefully. Confirm the symbol, lot size, and product type are correct. A common mistake is deploying a strategy configured for MIS (intraday) on an instrument where MIS is not available or where overnight positions are intended.
Select the deployment mode
Streak offers two live-deployment modes:
| Mode | How it works | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Alert mode | Streak sends a push notification and email when entry/exit conditions are met; you manually place the order in Kite | First deployment of any new strategy; low-frequency strategies; when you want human confirmation before each trade |
| Auto mode | Streak places the order directly in Kite via the API without manual confirmation | Intraday strategies with signals that require sub-minute execution; once you are confident in the strategy’s live behaviour |
Always start with Alert mode for the first one to two weeks on any strategy. This allows you to verify that the signals are sensible before granting Streak full order-placement authority.
In Auto mode, Streak places a limit order at the price defined by the execution configuration. If the order is not filled within the configured wait time (typically one to three candles), Streak either cancels or converts it to market depending on the execution setting. Review these execution parameters carefully for options strategies, where limit order fills at the theoretical signal price are not guaranteed.
Set position limits and risk controls
Before activating, configure the risk controls available in Streak’s deployment settings:
- Max trades per day: cap the total number of entry signals acted on per trading session. This prevents a strategy from trading excessively during a volatile day when signals fire repeatedly.
- Max open positions: limits how many open positions the strategy can hold simultaneously. For most retail strategies, this should be 1 or 2.
- Daily loss limit: if the strategy’s simulated P&L in a single day falls below this threshold, Streak pauses automated execution for the remainder of the session. Set this to a level you can absorb without account-level margin stress.
These controls are particularly important for the first month of live deployment.
Activate the strategy
Click Activate or Start. Streak begins evaluating the entry conditions from the next complete candle. Note that the current in-progress candle is not evaluated until it closes; this is consistent with the backtest’s fill assumption.
After activation, verify the strategy appears as Active in the Streak dashboard.
Monitor and stop the strategy
During live deployment:
- Keep the Streak dashboard open in a browser tab during market hours (or monitor the mobile app). The dashboard shows the strategy status, any pending signals, and the running P&L.
- Keep the Kite Positions page open in a separate tab. Verify that orders placed by Streak appear in the Kite order book and positions list.
- Check Kite Funds periodically to confirm that the margin buffer remains adequate.
If the strategy behaves unexpectedly (for example, generates a signal that seems incorrect, places an order at an unexpected size, or enters a position in a volatile market you want to avoid), click Stop or Pause in the Streak dashboard immediately. Then manually review and, if necessary, square off the open position in Kite.
Do not rely on Streak’s automated exit to close a position in an emergency. If market conditions are extreme (for example, a major gap on an event), exit the position manually in Kite before Streak’s exit condition fires.
Managing rollovers for F&O strategies
If the strategy trades futures or options, positions must be rolled over or closed before expiry. Streak does not automatically roll F&O positions from one contract month to the next; you must:
- Configure the strategy’s exit conditions to close the position at least one day before expiry, or
- Manually close the expiring contract and open the next-month contract via Kite.
See How to roll over an F&O position on Zerodha for the rollover procedure.
For stock option strategies, physical settlement applies to in-the-money contracts at expiry. Ensure the strategy’s exit conditions trigger well before the expiry-week close-out deadline. See How to avoid physical settlement for the deadline schedule.
Taxes and transaction costs on live execution
Streak’s P&L display does not deduct transaction costs. For F&O live trades, the following costs apply to each order:
- Brokerage: Zerodha charges ₹20 per executed order (flat fee) for F&O.
- STT: 0.025 percent on the sell side for futures; for options, STT applies on the premium for sells and on intrinsic value for exercised ITM options (the latter is significantly higher).
- Exchange transaction charges: NSE charges 0.002 percent for F&O.
- GST: 18 percent on brokerage and transaction charges.
- SEBI turnover fee: ₹10 per crore of turnover.
For a strategy generating 5 trades per day, transaction costs can amount to ₹200–₹500 per day, which must be earned back before the strategy is net-positive. Factor these costs into the minimum acceptable P&L per trade.
What can go wrong
- Internet or data feed interruption during a live session. If Streak loses connectivity, it may miss signals or fail to place orders. Keep the Kite app open so you can intervene manually.
- Order rejection due to insufficient margin. A rejected order leaves the strategy in a limbo state; the entry fired but the position was not opened. Streak may attempt re-entry on the next signal without knowing the prior one was rejected. Monitor the Kite order book for rejections.
- Auto-square-off for MIS positions. Zerodha’s RMS squares off MIS positions at 3:25 PM if Streak has not already exited. This is intentional but ensure the strategy does not hold positions into the auto-square-off window on days when you want manual control of exit.
- Streak subscription lapse. If the Streak subscription expires, live strategies are paused but open positions remain in Kite. Monitor positions independently of Streak.
- Physical settlement on stock options. An automated strategy holding an in-the-money stock option into expiry will trigger physical settlement. Set hard exit conditions before the Wednesday close (for stock option expiry) to prevent this.
Related guides
- How to backtest a strategy on Streak
- How to roll over an F&O position on Zerodha
- How to exit a multi-leg F&O position on Zerodha
- How to avoid physical settlement
- How to calculate margin using the Zerodha SPAN calculator
- How to understand peak margin penalty
- Streak platform overview
- F&O segment on Zerodha
References
- SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2021/577 dated 19 August 2021, Framework for algorithmic trading by retail investors through Application Programming Interfaces.
- SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/MRD/MRD-PoD-3/P/CIR/2024/120 dated October 2024, Rationalisation of weekly index derivatives contracts.
- Streak help centre, “How to go live with a strategy”, streak.tech/help.
- Zerodha support article: “What is auto square-off and when does it happen?”, support.zerodha.com.
- NSE F&O physical settlement circular, NSE/FAOP/39225 and subsequent updates.
- Zerodha brokerage schedule, zerodha.com/charges.