The source code is only used by a programmer to make corrections, adjustments, modifications, or improvements in the MT4 program. The MT4 platform only uses the executable files, so only these files are necessary to use an EA, an indicator, or any other MT4 program. There are two file formats in MetaTrader 4: ‘.ex4’ for the executable files and ‘.mq4’ for the source code. MQL4 code is compiled into EX4 format, which is the machine-readable format that is executed by the MetaTrader 4 platform. MQL4 is a programming language used for creating custom indicators, expert advisors, and scripts in the MetaTrader 4 platform. The resulting code may not be perfect, but it can still be useful for gaining insights into how a particular indicator or expert advisor works. Decompiling is the process of converting a compiled binary file, like an EX4 file, back into its original source code.
