Module 2 · Footprint Display Types
The Bid × Ask Footprint
The default, highest-resolution view — and how to scan a sequence of bars.
In this lesson you'll
- Read a multi-bar bid×ask footprint
- Track how aggression shifts from bar to bar
- Know when the bid×ask view is the right tool
The Bid × Ask footprint shows both numbers per row (bid × ask) and is the default in most platforms because it preserves the maximum resolution — you can see the exact sequence of aggression, tick by tick. Buyers' (ask) cells shade green; sellers' (bid) cells shade red, with intensity scaling to volume.
Here is a four-bar sequence: two strong up-bars, a stall, then a sharp reversal. Read it left to right and watch where the heavy volume sits.
When to use the bid × ask view
Because it is the most granular, the bid×ask view is the standard for spotting one-sided sweeps, absorption at a level, and the precise sequence of aggression. The cost is clutter — lots of numbers. When you only need the net answer (“who initiated more?”), the Delta view (next lesson) is cleaner.
Key takeaways
- Bid×Ask shows both numbers per level — the highest-resolution view.
- Green = ask/buyers, red = bid/sellers; intensity scales with volume.
- Read a sequence left-to-right and watch effort (volume/delta) vs result (price progress).
- Use it for sweeps, absorption and exact aggression order; switch to delta when you want less clutter.
Check your understanding
Pick an answer to reveal instant feedback. Answer every question to complete the lesson.
Why that's off: Effort without result is the opposite of strength; price stalled despite the buying.
Why that's off: There's no reason to assume error; the divergence between effort and result is the signal.
Why that's off: They're deeply related — comparing effort to result is core to reading footprints.
High effort (big positive delta / volume) with little price result is a classic warning. It suggests a passive seller may be absorbing the aggressive buying — which the next bar's −310 reversal confirms.
Why that's off: It's the most detailed view, not less accurate.
Why that's off: POC is independent of display mode; it still shows.
Why that's off: All footprint modes render the same tick data.
Bid×Ask preserves the most detail (both numbers per level) at the cost of visual clutter. Delta condenses each level to a single net number — cleaner, but less granular. Same underlying data.
Educational content only. Nothing here is financial or trading advice. Order-flow and options patterns shift probabilities; they never guarantee outcomes.