# Alpaca Py CLI

> AI agent skill for Alpaca Markets trading. Intelligent setup wizard (alpaca init) guides users through registration. Trade stocks/crypto, manage portfolios, execute orders via natural language. Token-efficient design with runtime guidance. Paper trading by default ($100k virtual money). IMPORTANT - Setup requires user interaction to configure API keys in shell environment.

- Skill: `johnalbertini14-glitch/alpaca-py-cli` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add johnalbertini14-glitch/alpaca-py-cli`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/johnalbertini14-glitch/alpaca-py-cli/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: johnalbertini14-glitch (https://skillmd.com/u/johnalbertini14-glitch)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/johnalbertini14-glitch/alpaca-py-cli

---


# Alpaca Trading (Python CLI) - OpenClaw Agent Skill

[![ClawHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/ClawHub-alpaca--py--cli-blue)](https://clawhub.ai/skills/alpaca-py-cli)
[![GitHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/GitHub-zijunl%2Falpaca--py--cli-green)](https://github.com/zijunl/alpaca-py-cli)

Trade stocks and crypto programmatically via Alpaca's API using a Python-based CLI tool.

## ⚠️ Security & Setup Requirements

**IMPORTANT - READ BEFORE USE:**

This skill stores API keys as environment variables in your shell config file.

**What happens during setup:**
- `alpaca init` displays registration steps for agent automation
- `alpaca auth` saves API keys to shell startup files (~/.zshrc, ~/.bashrc, or ~/.profile)
- This creates persistent environment variables accessible to all shell sessions

**Security considerations:**
- ✅ API keys are stored as environment variables (standard practice)
- ✅ Paper trading by default (virtual money, no risk)
- ⚠️ Keys in shell config are accessible to any process in that shell
- ⚠️ Setup modifies user's shell configuration files

**Recommended practices:**
1. **Get user consent** - Explain that setup will modify shell config
2. **Use paper trading keys** - Test with virtual money first ($100k virtual)
3. **Least privilege** - Use API keys with minimal required permissions
4. **Monitor activity** - Check your Alpaca account regularly

**For agents:**
- Get explicit user permission before running `alpaca auth` (saves keys to shell config)
- `alpaca init` is safe to run - it only displays instructions
- Use browser automation to complete registration steps automatically
- After obtaining keys via browser, call `alpaca auth` to save them

**Links:**
- ClawHub: https://clawhub.ai/skills/alpaca-py-cli
- GitHub: https://github.com/zijunl/alpaca-py-cli
- Alpaca Markets: https://alpaca.markets

# Alpaca Trading (Python CLI)

[![ClawHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/ClawHub-alpaca--py--cli-blue)](https://clawhub.ai/skills/alpaca-py-cli)
[![GitHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/GitHub-zijunl%2Falpaca--py--cli-green)](https://github.com/zijunl/alpaca-py-cli)

Trade stocks and crypto programmatically via Alpaca's API using a Python-based CLI tool.

**Links:**
- ClawHub: https://clawhub.ai/skills/alpaca-py-cli
- GitHub: https://github.com/zijunl/alpaca-py-cli
- Alpaca Markets: https://alpaca.markets

## Overview

Manage your Alpaca Markets trading account using the `alpaca` CLI tool and Python SDK. Supports both paper trading (simulated) and live trading.

## Installation

### Recommended: Homebrew Python (avoids urllib3/LibreSSL warnings)

```bash
# Install Homebrew Python 3.11+
brew install python@3.11

# Install alpaca-py
/opt/homebrew/bin/pip3.11 install alpaca-py pytz
```

### Alternative: System Python

```bash
pip3 install alpaca-py pytz
```

**Note:** System Python may show urllib3 warnings on macOS due to LibreSSL compatibility. Use Homebrew Python for a cleaner experience.

## Configuration

### Quick Setup with CLI

```bash
alpaca auth
```

This will interactively prompt you for:
- API Key
- Secret Key (hidden input)
- Trading mode (Paper or Live)

The command automatically saves your credentials to your shell config file (`~/.zshrc`, `~/.bashrc`, or `~/.profile`).

### Manual Setup

Alternatively, set these in your shell profile manually:

```bash
export ALPACA_API_KEY="your_api_key"
export ALPACA_SECRET_KEY="your_secret_key"
export ALPACA_PAPER="true"  # Use "false" for live trading
```

Get your API keys from https://alpaca.markets (Dashboard → API Keys)

**Paper Trading** (recommended for testing):
- Use paper trading API keys
- Virtual $100,000 starting balance
- No real money at risk

**Live Trading** (real money):
- Use live trading API keys
- Real money, real risk
- Test thoroughly with paper trading first

## CLI Commands

### Setup & Configuration

#### Configure Credentials

```bash
alpaca auth
```

Interactive setup wizard that guides you through:
1. Enter API Key
2. Enter Secret Key (hidden)
3. Choose trading mode (Paper/Live)
4. Automatically saves to shell config

### Account & Market Info

#### Check Account

```bash
alpaca account
```

Shows:
- Account number and status
- Portfolio value, cash, buying power
- P&L (equity, last equity)
- Trading restrictions (pattern day trader, blocks)

#### Check Market Status

```bash
alpaca clock
```

Shows:
- Market status (🟢 OPEN or 🔴 CLOSED)
- Current time
- Next open/close times

#### View Market Calendar

```bash
# Show next 30 trading days (default)
alpaca calendar

# Show next 7 trading days
alpaca calendar --days 7
```

Shows trading days with open/close times (Eastern Time).

#### View Portfolio History

```bash
# Default: 1 month, daily bars
alpaca history

# Last week
alpaca history --period 1W

# Last 3 months with hourly bars
alpaca history --period 3M --timeframe 1H
```

**Periods:** 1D, 1W, 1M, 3M, 1Y, all  
**Timeframes:** 1Min, 5Min, 15Min, 1H, 1D

Shows:
- Start and end equity
- Total change ($ and %)
- Recent history (last 10 data points)

### Portfolio Management

#### View Positions

```bash
alpaca positions
```

Shows all current holdings with:
- Symbol, quantity, current price
- Entry price and market value
- Unrealized P&L ($ and %)
- Total portfolio value and P&L

#### Get Stock Quotes

```bash
# Single symbol
alpaca quote AAPL

# Multiple symbols
alpaca quote AAPL,TSLA,MSFT
```

Shows:
- Bid and ask prices
- Mid price and spread
- Quote timestamp

**Note:** Quotes may show incomplete data when market is closed. Best used during market hours (9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET).

### Order Management

#### View Orders

```bash
# Show open orders (default)
alpaca orders

# Show all recent orders
alpaca orders --status all

# Show last 20 closed orders
alpaca orders --status closed --limit 20
```

Shows:
- Order status with emoji indicators (⏳ pending, ✓ filled, ✗ canceled)
- Symbol, side (BUY/SELL), quantity
- Order ID and creation time
- Fill price (if filled)

#### Place Orders

```bash
# Buy shares
alpaca buy AAPL 10

# Sell shares
alpaca sell AAPL 5
```

Places a market order that executes at market price when market is open.

#### Cancel Orders

```bash
# Cancel specific order
alpaca cancel <order_id>

# Cancel all open orders
alpaca cancel-all
```

### Position Management

#### Close Positions

```bash
# Close specific position
alpaca close AAPL

# Close all positions (requires confirmation)
alpaca close-all
```

**Note:** `close-all` will prompt for confirmation before closing all positions.

## Example Workflows

### First Time Setup

```bash
# Configure credentials
alpaca auth

# Check account
alpaca account

# Check if market is open
alpaca clock
```

### Trading Workflow

```bash
# Check current price
alpaca quote TSLA

# Check account balance
alpaca account

# Buy some shares
alpaca buy TSLA 5

# Check pending orders
alpaca orders

# View positions (after order fills)
alpaca positions

# Get updated quote
alpaca quote TSLA

# Sell some shares
alpaca sell TSLA 2

# Check order history
alpaca orders --status all
```

### Portfolio Analysis

```bash
# View current positions
alpaca positions

# View portfolio history
alpaca history --period 1M

# Check market calendar
alpaca calendar --days 7
```

### Risk Management

```bash
# Check all open orders
alpaca orders

# Cancel specific order
alpaca cancel <order_id>

# Cancel all orders
alpaca cancel-all

# Close specific position
alpaca close AAPL

# Close all positions
alpaca close-all
```

## Automated Setup for Agents

When a user wants to start trading but hasn't configured Alpaca yet, agents can automate the entire setup process using browser automation.

### Setup Workflow

1. **Run `alpaca init`** - Displays clear registration steps
2. **Use browser automation** to complete steps 1-3:
   - Navigate to https://alpaca.markets
   - Click "Sign Up" and fill registration form
   - Verify email (can use email skill to automate)
   - Log in and navigate to Dashboard → API Keys → Paper Trading
   - Generate new API key pair
   - Extract both keys (API Key and Secret Key)
3. **Run `alpaca auth`** - Save the extracted keys to shell config

### Example Agent Flow

```
User: "I want to start trading stocks"

Agent: 
1. Runs: alpaca init (gets registration steps)
2. Uses browser skill to:
   - Open https://alpaca.markets
   - Fill registration form with user info
   - Verify email automatically
   - Navigate to API Keys page
   - Generate and extract keys
3. Runs: alpaca auth (with extracted keys)
4. Confirms: "✓ Setup complete! You have $100k in paper money."
```

### Key Points

- `alpaca init` is **non-interactive** - just displays steps
- Agents should use browser automation to follow the steps
- `alpaca auth` requires user consent (modifies shell config)
- After setup, verify with `alpaca clock` or `alpaca account`


## Agent Usage

When the user asks about their portfolio or wants to trade:

1. **Configure credentials**: Run `alpaca auth` for first-time setup
2. **Check market status**: Run `alpaca clock` to see if market is open
3. **Check account**: Run `alpaca account` to see current balance and buying power
4. **Get positions**: Run `alpaca positions` to list current holdings
5. **View orders**: Run `alpaca orders` to see pending/recent orders
6. **Get quotes**: Run `alpaca quote <symbols>` to check current prices
7. **Place orders**: Run `alpaca buy/sell` to execute trades
8. **Manage risk**: Run `alpaca cancel/close` commands as needed

## Safety Tips

- **Always test with paper trading first** (`ALPACA_PAPER=true`)
- Use `alpaca auth` to safely configure credentials (secret key is hidden)
- Check `alpaca clock` before trading to see if market is open
- Check quotes before placing orders to understand current prices
- Check `account.buying_power` before placing orders
- Use `TimeInForce.DAY` to auto-cancel unfilled orders at market close
- Monitor positions regularly with `alpaca positions`
- Check order status with `alpaca orders`
- Review portfolio performance with `alpaca history`
- Use `alpaca cancel-all` to quickly cancel all pending orders
- Use `alpaca close-all` with caution (requires confirmation)
- Set stop-loss orders for risk management
- Never share your API keys publicly

## Market Hours

US stock market hours (Eastern Time):
- **Regular hours**: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET
- **Pre-market**: 4:00 AM - 9:30 AM ET
- **After-hours**: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET

Orders placed outside market hours will be queued and executed when market opens.

Quotes may show incomplete or stale data when market is closed.

Use `alpaca clock` to check current market status.

## Troubleshooting

### urllib3 Warning (LibreSSL)

If you see:
```
NotOpenSSLWarning: urllib3 v2 only supports OpenSSL 1.1.1+, currently using LibreSSL
```

**Solution:** Install and use Homebrew Python 3.11+ which uses OpenSSL:
```bash
brew install python@3.11
/opt/homebrew/bin/pip3.11 install alpaca-py pytz
```

Then update the script shebang to use Homebrew Python:
```bash
sed -i '' '1s|#!/usr/bin/env python3|#!/opt/homebrew/bin/python3.11|' ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/alpaca-py-cli/scripts/alpaca
```

### Missing pytz

If you see:
```
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pytz'
```

**Solution:**
```bash
pip3 install pytz
# or
/opt/homebrew/bin/pip3.11 install pytz
```

### Command Not Found

If `alpaca` command is not found, use the full path:
```bash
~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/alpaca-py-cli/scripts/alpaca
```

Or add to PATH in your shell config:
```bash
export PATH="$HOME/.openclaw/workspace/skills/alpaca-py-cli/scripts:$PATH"
```

## Files

- **CLI Tool**: `~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/alpaca-py-cli/scripts/alpaca`
- **Config**: Environment variables in `~/.zshrc` (or `~/.bashrc`, `~/.profile`)

## Official Documentation

- Python SDK: https://alpaca.markets/docs/python-sdk/
- API Reference: https://docs.alpaca.markets/reference/
- Trading API: https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/trading-api
- Market Data API: https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/market-data

## Initialization (For Agents)

See the "Automated Setup for Agents" section above for the complete workflow.

**Quick summary:**
1. Run `alpaca init` to see registration steps
2. Use browser automation to complete registration and extract API keys
3. Run `alpaca auth` to save keys (with user consent)
4. Verify with `alpaca clock` or `alpaca account`

The new `alpaca init` command is non-interactive and agent-friendly - it simply displays clear steps that an agent can follow using browser automation.