# Ibkr

> Interactive Brokers — global stocks/forex/futures via a LOCAL TWS/IB Gateway, not cloud. Covers stocks, ETFs, forex, futures; account, positions, orders, quotes, history, order placement. Use when the user wants to check or trade an Interactive Brokers account (e.g. "IBKR positions", "buy 10 AAPL on IBKR paper", "my IB account net liq"). Requires a running TWS / IB Gateway — NOT a cloud key.

- Skill: `starchild-ai-agent/ibkr` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add starchild-ai-agent/ibkr`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/starchild-ai-agent/ibkr/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: starchild-ai-agent (https://skillmd.com/u/starchild-ai-agent)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/starchild-ai-agent/ibkr

---


## What this is — read this first

🖥️ **Local-gateway broker.** IBKR has **no key-based public API**. You run **Trader Workstation (TWS)** or the lighter **IB Gateway** on a machine, log in, enable the API socket, and this CLI connects over a local socket. Your IBKR credentials live in TWS — they never reach this skill.

**⚠️ This will NOT work from the Starchild container by default**, because TWS runs on *your* computer and the container's `127.0.0.1` is the container itself. Two ways to use it:

1. **Run locally** — run TWS/Gateway + this script on your own computer. (simplest)
2. **Bridge the network** — run IB Gateway on a host the container can reach, add the container's IP to TWS's "Trusted IPs", and set `IBKR_HOST`/`IBKR_PORT`. You handle network/security; never expose the API socket to the open internet.

If `status` says the socket isn't listening, this is why.

## Set up TWS / IB Gateway (one time)

1. Download **TWS** or **IB Gateway** from [interactivebrokers.com](https://www.interactivebrokers.com) → Trading → Platforms. IB Gateway is lighter and headless-friendly; TWS is the full GUI.
2. Log in. **Paper trading:** IBKR gives every account a free paper login (account id starts with `DU`); log into the paper session for testing.
3. Enable the API: **TWS → File → Global Configuration → API → Settings** → check **"Enable ActiveX and Socket Clients"**. For trading, leave **"Read-Only API" unchecked** (read-only blocks order placement). Note the **Socket port**.
4. Default ports: **7497** = TWS paper, **7496** = TWS live, **4002** = IB Gateway paper, **4001** = IB Gateway live.
5. Market data requires the relevant **data subscriptions** on the account, or quotes/bars return empty.

## Configure (.env)

No secret keys — only the gateway location. Request via secure input if non-default.

| Variable | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `IBKR_HOST` | no | default `127.0.0.1` |
| `IBKR_PORT` | no | overrides the profile default (7497 paper / 7496 live) |
| `IBKR_CLIENT_ID` | no | API client id, default `1` (use distinct ids for concurrent connections) |
| `IBKR_ACCOUNT` | no | pin a specific account code (e.g. `DU1234567`); blank = first managed account |

Paper accounts start with `DU`, live with `U`. `--profile paper` guards against accidentally hitting a live account.

## Usage

`pip install ib_async` (first run). JSON output. Default profile `paper` (port 7497).

```bash
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py status                  # checks socket + lists managed accounts
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py account
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py positions
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py orders [--executions]
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py quote --symbol AAPL
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py history --symbol AAPL --duration "30 D" --bar-size "1 day"
# place (paper): qty in units; market or limit; contract defaults STK/SMART/USD
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py place --symbol AAPL --side buy --qty 10 --type limit --limit-price 180 --tif day
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py cancel --order-id <numeric-id>
# live (real money): TWS on live port + --confirm-live
python skills/ibkr/scripts/ibkr_cli.py --profile live --confirm-live place --symbol AAPL --side buy --qty 1
```

Non-US / non-stock instruments: pass `--exchange`, `--currency`, `--sec-type` (e.g. `--sec-type CASH --symbol EUR --currency USD --exchange IDEALPRO` for forex). `history` uses IB's `--duration` ("30 D", "1 Y") and `--bar-size` ("1 day", "1 hour", "5 mins").

## Gotchas

- "socket not listening" / connection refused = TWS not running, not logged in, on another machine, wrong port, or API socket disabled. Re-read setup step 3.
- For order placement, **"Read-Only API" must be OFF** in TWS settings — otherwise placement is silently blocked even with `--confirm-live`.
- `cancel` needs the **numeric IBKR order id** and only cancels orders currently open in this session/account.
- Quotes/history return empty without the right **market-data subscription** on the account.
- Use a unique `IBKR_CLIENT_ID` if TWS complains about a client id already in use.