StdDev Pass Node

Standard Deviation — Series Input

IndicatorVolatilityPass

Overview

The StdDev Pass Node computes the rolling population standard deviation of any upstream numeric series. It is the pass-input counterpart to the standard StdDev node, accepting a { values, timestamps } input instead of reading from a stock source.

Standard deviation measures the dispersion of values around their rolling mean. A rising StdDev indicates increasing volatility; a falling value indicates a calming market. The result is in the same units as the input series, making it easy to interpret relative to the data.

Formula

Rolling Mean
μ = Σ xᵢ / period
Population Standard Deviation
σ = √[ Σ (xᵢ − μ)² / period ]
Population (N) denominator is used (not N − 1 sample). Null is returned if any value in the window is missing or NaN.

Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
periodnumber20Rolling window size. Must be ≥ 1. First (period − 1) outputs are null.

Inputs & Outputs

SlotDirectionTypeDescription
inputInput{ values, timestamps }Any upstream numeric series
valuesOutput(number | null)[]Rolling population standard deviation; nulls during warm-up
timestampsOutputnumber[]Unix timestamps aligned to the input series

Use Cases

Indicator Volatility Measurement

Measure how much an oscillator fluctuates over time to detect periods of unusual or subdued activity.

Custom Bollinger Bands

Combine StdDev Pass with an SMA to build Bollinger Bands manually with full control over each component.

Signal Noise Estimation

Use StdDev to quantify the noise floor of a signal and filter out low-significance moves.

Z-Score Normalisation

Divide (value − SMA) by StdDev to create a z-score series for cross-asset comparisons.

Tips & Best Practices

📐 Population vs Sample

This node uses the population formula (N denominator). For a sample StdDev (N − 1), multiply the output by √(period / (period − 1)).

⚡ Null Propagation

A single null in the rolling window causes the entire window's output to be null. Clean your input series if gaps are expected.

🔗 Building Block

StdDev is the foundation of Bollinger Bands, Band Width, RVI, and many volatility-adjusted indicators. Use it as a component in custom pipelines.

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