Is fundamental analysis better than technical analysis? Or do you need both?

I think both are important as they serve different functionalities and a knowledge of both would be crucial.

For short-term trading, I would say TA is definitely more important because prices rise and fall due to human expectations about the price. As people are studying the charts too like you, when they see a certain pattern, they are more likely to act and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don't know how to read, you are at an disadvantage. TA tells you the fluctuation patterns and you can profit from it.

Meanwhile FA is more like understanding the long-term potential and general trend, which is more important for long-term investing.​​​

Fundamental Analysis

Find the intrinsic value of an investment, buy it with a margin of safety. Hope that the market will realize it is undervalued and the price will be closer to value.

The disadvantage of FA

Opportunity cost. Price does not always go back to the value

Subjective. When do you actually buy it?

Low can get lower.

Technical Analysis

Study of past prices to predict the future.

The disadvantage

Analysis paralysis. The field of TA is ever-growing. When is it enough and make a decision to buy?

Subjective. One way of using TA may be totally different for another way of using it.

It takes time to be good at TA.

Using a system

Entry and exit rules are fixed. Money management is part of the system.

You can backtest a trading idea to find an edge in the market. Study the returns, drawdown, equity curve, etc.

Then put some money to forward test. If it works, then scale in the positions.

Conclusion

Using a system is using FA and TA, on top of that, you need to test the idea. You also need to do money management unless you have unlimited funds.

Hope it helps, cheers.