TickAtlas
trend 10 min read Updated 2026-03-21

Williams Alligator (Alligator)

The Alligator indicator uses three smoothed moving averages (Jaw, Teeth, Lips) to identify trend direction and filter ranging periods. Created by Bill Williams.

TL;DR

  • Alligator is a trend indicator used in technical analysis
  • When lines are intertwined, the Alligator is "sleeping" (ranging market). When they spread apart, it is "eating" (trending). Lips > Teeth > Jaw = uptrend.
  • Best timeframes: H1, H4, D1
  • Skip to API docs →

What is Williams Alligator?

The Alligator indicator uses three smoothed moving averages (Jaw, Teeth, Lips) to identify trend direction and filter ranging periods. Created by Bill Williams.

How Alligator is Calculated

formula 
Jaw (Blue) = SMMA(13), shifted 8 bars forward
Teeth (Red) = SMMA(8), shifted 5 bars forward
Lips (Green) = SMMA(5), shifted 3 bars forward

How to Interpret Alligator

When lines are intertwined, the Alligator is "sleeping" (ranging market). When they spread apart, it is "eating" (trending). Lips > Teeth > Jaw = uptrend.

Trading Strategies Using Alligator

Strategy 1: Alligator Awakening

Enter trades when the Alligator "wakes up" from a sleeping state.

Entry Rules

Buy when Lips crosses above Teeth and Jaw, and all three lines begin spreading apart. Sell on the reverse.

Exit Rules

Exit when lines begin converging (intertwining) or Lips crosses back through Teeth.

Combining Alligator with Other Indicators

Alligator works best when combined with complementary indicators:

  • Alligator + MACD: Combine for stronger confluence signals
  • Alligator + ADX: Combine for stronger confluence signals
  • Alligator + SMA: Combine for stronger confluence signals

Alligator Across Different Timeframes

Alligator works across all 7 timeframes but performs best on H1, H4, D1 for most trading styles.

H1 H4 D1

Learn about all 7 timeframes →

Accessing Alligator via TickAtlas API

GET https://tickatlas.com/v1/indicator

Python Example

python 
import requests

url = "https://tickatlas.com/v1/indicator"
headers = {"X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"}
params = {
  "symbol": "EURUSD",
  "indicator": "Alligator_Jaw",
  "timeframe": "H1"
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params)
data = response.json()
print(data)

Sample Response

200 OK 
{
  "symbol": "EURUSD",
  "indicator": "Alligator_Jaw",
  "timeframe": "H1",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-21T14:00:00Z",
  "value": 58.43,
  "signal": "neutral"
}
Get Your API Key

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. 1

    Trading during the "sleeping" phase when lines are intertwined

  2. 2

    Not waiting for clear separation of all three lines before entering

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Alligator compare to moving average crossovers?

The Alligator uses displaced smoothed moving averages, making it better at filtering out noise during ranging periods compared to standard MA crossovers.

Continue learning

More trend indicators

Ready to use Alligator data in your application?

Start your free trial and access real-time Alligator data across 7 timeframes.

Get Your Free API Key