Bridge (NinjaTrader / Quantower)
A bridge is a small add-on that runs inside a trading platform already installed on the same machine, such as NinjaTrader or Quantower, and forwards that platform's tick feed, order book and account to a separate order flow application over a local connection. It forwards only what the host platform is entitled to receive, and nothing leaves the computer.
Senzoukria · Glossary · Updated September 2026
How a bridge works
The bridge is installed as an indicator in the host platform and attached to a chart of the contract you want. On start it sends the current session's trade history, then live trades and order-book updates, with a periodic heartbeat so the receiving side can tell a quiet market from a dead link. The server listens on the local loopback address, so the data path never touches the network and both programs must keep running.
The host platform's chart settings decide the quality of what is forwarded. A tick chart with tick-by-tick replay enabled hands over individual executions; a chart on aggregated bars hands over bars, and the order flow is lost before it reaches the receiver. When the platform's connection does not report the aggressor side, history trades are classified with the tick rule, which is an estimate.
- One bridge at a time: NinjaTrader on port 7272, Quantower on port 7273.
- History is captured when the indicator starts; re-add it before reconnecting later.
- Providers cap the ticks returned per request, so history on an active contract may be shorter than expected.
Direct connection or bridge
| Situation | Path |
|---|---|
| Broker publishes data only inside its own platform | Bridge from that platform |
| API access permitted on the login | Direct Rithmic connection, no bridge |
| Concurrent-session limit on the login | Bridge avoids a second login |
| Depth or history coverage differs between paths | Compare the fields received, do not assume parity |
In Senzoukria
Bridges are a connection kind of their own on the Broker Connections page, and the Chart data source lists them as Local bridge, NT8 chart must be running, and Local bridge, Quantower must be running. The NinjaTrader bridge steps are on the download page and the Quantower indicator has its own guide with the DLL, the install folder under the platform's settings and the PowerShell check for the listening port. The connection help section, Connecting through a local bridge instead, walks through installing the add-on, opening a chart it can read and checking the link.
In the app the bridge shows as connected and the tick counter climbs; the footprint fills with the session history, then updates live. Bars that appear without order flow mean the platform is sending bars without ticks, which is fixed in the platform's chart settings, not in the receiver. Closing the platform closes the bridge with it. The bridge forwards entitlements, it does not create them: exchange fees and provider terms of the host platform still apply.
Common mistakes
- Placing the Quantower indicator in the versioned install folder that the platform deletes on update.
- Running the indicator on two charts or two platform instances at once, which conflicts on the port.
- Expecting the bridge to deliver depth or history the host platform never received.
- Assuming bridged and direct data are identical without comparing the fields.
Related
This page in other languages
Frequently asked questions
- Does a bridge send my broker credentials anywhere?
- No. The bridge reads the platform that already holds your login and forwards market data and account events to the receiving application on the same machine over the loopback address. No credentials are entered in the receiver for a bridged connection, and nothing is transmitted off the computer.
- Why is the history short on NQ or MNQ through the bridge?
- Data providers cap the number of ticks returned per request, and an active contract fills that cap within hours. Lowering the history window in the indicator, then removing and re-adding it, usually helps. The bridge waits a bounded time for the platform to return history and has nothing to send if the platform itself shows no tick history.
- Can I trade through the bridge?
- The bridge forwards account information alongside the feed; whether orders can be routed depends on the connection type, the account's permissions and the routing toggle on the connection card. On a prop firm account, ask the firm whether this application and connection are permitted before enabling anything.