Lesson 1 of 6 · 2 min
What is the DOM?
The price ladder, its columns, and how it differs from a chart.
Definition
The depth of market (DOM) is a vertical price ladder showing the quantity of resting bids below the market and offers above it at each price, updated as orders are added, cancelled and filled.
Typical columns
- Price — one row per tick.
- Bid size / Ask size — resting quantity at each price.
- Last traded / volume at price — many DOMs add recent trades or session volume per row.
- Your working orders — and buttons to place, move or cancel them.
How it differs from a chart
A chart shows what happened. The DOM shows what is waiting to happen right now — a snapshot of displayed liquidity that can change many times per second.
Trading implication
The DOM is first an execution tool. As an analysis tool, it needs other evidence beside it.
Continuing marks this lesson complete. Your progress stays in this browser.