Trading Operations¶

📋 Implementation Status: ✅ Core functionality complete (v1.0.0)
Enhanced Features: 🚧 Planned for v1.1.0

This guide covers trading operations through the Alpaca API integration.

Trading Flow¶

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant UI
    participant API
    participant Alpaca
    participant DB

    User->>UI: View Account/Positions
    UI->>API: GET /api/alpaca/account
    API->>Alpaca: Fetch Account Info
    Alpaca-->>API: Account Data
    API->>DB: Store/Update
    API-->>UI: Return Data
    UI-->>User: Display Portfolio

    Note over User,DB: Order Placement (v1.1.0)
    User->>UI: Place Order
    UI->>API: POST /api/alpaca/orders
    API->>Alpaca: Submit Order
    Alpaca-->>API: Order Confirmation
    API->>DB: Log Order
    API-->>UI: Order Status
    UI-->>User: Confirm Order

Overview¶

The trading system integrates with Alpaca Markets for paper and live trading. The current implementation provides core trading functionality with plans for enhanced features.

Current Features (v1.0.0)¶

Account Management¶

• View account balance and buying power
• Monitor portfolio value
• Track cash and equity positions
• Check account status

Position Management¶

• View all open positions
• Track unrealized P&L per position
• Monitor position values
• Close positions manually

Order Management¶

• View open orders
• Check order status
• Cancel pending orders
• View order history

Market Information¶

• Real-time market clock
• Market open/close status
• Trading hours information

Accessing Trading Features¶

Dashboard¶

1. Navigate to the Trading page from the dashboard
2. View your account information at the top
3. See your current positions in the positions table
4. Monitor open orders in the orders section

API Endpoints¶

All trading operations are available through REST API:

# Get account information
GET /api/alpaca/account

# Get positions
GET /api/alpaca/positions

# Get orders
GET /api/alpaca/orders

# Close position
POST /api/alpaca/positions/{symbol}/close

# Cancel order
DELETE /api/alpaca/orders/{order_id}

See Execution API Documentation for complete API details.

Planned Features (v1.1.0+)¶

Order Placement¶

• Market orders
• Limit orders
• Stop orders
• Stop-limit orders
• Bracket orders
• Time-in-force options

Advanced Features¶

• Automated strategy execution
• Bulk order placement
• Order templates
• Trade alerts
• Performance analytics
• Risk-adjusted position sizing

Trading Workflows¶

• Pre-trade risk checks
• Automated order routing
• Post-trade reconciliation
• Trade journaling
• P&L reporting

Safety Features¶

Paper Trading¶

• All trades use virtual money
• Test strategies without risk
• Same API as live trading
• Safe learning environment

Risk Controls (v1.1.0)¶

• Position size limits
• Maximum exposure limits
• Daily loss limits
• Automated circuit breakers

Best Practices¶

1. Start with Paper Trading: Test thoroughly before live trading
2. Monitor Positions: Regularly check your open positions
3. Use Stop Losses: Protect against large losses
4. Review Orders: Double-check orders before submission
5. Track Performance: Monitor your trading metrics

Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

Connection Issues - Verify Alpaca API credentials - Check internet connection - Ensure API keys are active

Order Failures - Check account buying power - Verify market is open - Confirm order parameters

Position Updates - Positions update in real-time - Refresh dashboard if needed - Check order status

Support¶

For trading issues: - Check Troubleshooting Guide - Review Execution API Documentation - Contact support

Enhanced trading features will be available in v1.1.0