Alpaca markets API
The Alpaca Markets API is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the simplest ways for beginners to start executing algorithmic trades using Python.
It has clean documentation, a genuinely easy setup, and the shortest path I’ve seen from zero → placing a trade.
The real beauty is this: once you’ve got your API keys, you can deploy your program anywhere — a server, a VPS, the cloud — and let it run while you sleep.
This is unlike most brokers, who force you to re-authenticate daily or weekly. That friction is usually where people lose hope, quit algorithmic trading, and go back to copying Rolex-wearing, Lamborghini-renting “gurus” in the hope of making £50.
In this guide, we’ll use Python and the official Alpaca SDK to:
connect to the API
inspect account details
place a trade
view open positions
Why Alpaca Is Ideal for Beginner Algorithmic Traders
Alpaca removes almost all of the early pain points of algorithmic trading.
It’s ideal if you:
want to automate trades programmatically
don’t want to deal with constant re-authentication
want to paper trade before risking real capital
are learning Python and want something that actually works
Once you understand Alpaca, moving to more complex brokers later becomes much easier.
How to Connect to the Alpaca Markets API in Python
To connect to Alpaca, you only need two keys:
an API key
a secret key
Both can be found in your Alpaca dashboard:
go to the
home page
look on the
right-hand side
scroll slightly until you see a box titled
“API Keys”
We’ll use the official Python SDK (alpaca-py).
Install the Alpaca Python SDK
pip install alpaca-pyInitialise the Trading Client
from alpaca.trading.clientimport TradingClientSetting paper=True ensures no real money is used while learning.
How to Access Account Details Using Alpaca API
Once connected, you can inspect your account details such as equity and buying power.
account = trading_client.get_account()
account.buying_powerThis is useful for:
position sizing
risk management
validating capital before placing trades
Tracking Daily Performance
A simple way to track daily performance is to compare today’s equity with yesterday’s.
balance_change =float(account.equity) -float(account.last_equity)This gives you a quick daily P&L figure without any extra infrastructure.
How to Find Tradable Assets with Alpaca
Before placing a trade, it’s good practice to confirm that the asset exists and is tradable.
qqq_asset = trading_client.get_asset("QQQ")If this call succeeds, the asset exists and can be traded.
How to Place Trades with Alpaca in Python
Alpaca supports several order types when trading via the API.
The four most common are:
Market orders
– execute immediately at the best available price
Limit orders
– execute only at a specified price or better
Stop orders
– trigger a market order once a price level is reached
Trailing stop orders
– dynamically adjust stop prices as the market moves
Let’s start with the simplest: a market order.
Creating a Market Order
from alpaca.trading.requestsimportMarketOrderRequest
from alpaca.trading.enumsimportOrderSide,TimeInForceHere we used qty to specify the number of shares.
Alternatively, for market orders only, you could use notional to specify the total dollar amount you want to spend.
Submitting the Order
market_order = trading_client.submit_order(
order_data=market_order_data
)At this point, the trade has been placed (on paper if paper=True).
How to View Open Positions
You can view all current open positions with a single call.
trading_client.get_all_positions()This is useful for:
portfolio tracking
exposure monitoring
building dashboards or alerts
Is Alpaca Safe for Algorithmic Trading?
For learning and early-stage algorithmic trading, Alpaca is a solid choice.
Pros
clean API
no constant re-authentication
free paper trading
easy Python integration
Things to be aware of
rate limits (handle retries properly)
US-focused markets
not a replacement for institutional brokers at scale
Many traders start with Alpaca and later move to brokers like Interactive Brokers once their systems mature.
Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about learning algorithmic trading, Alpaca removes most of the early friction that causes people to quit.
You can:
write real trading code
deploy it to the cloud
automate execution
focus on strategy instead of broker headaches
That’s exactly what beginners need.
About the Author
Jonjo is a senior software engineer and algorithmic trading system builder. He works with Python, pandas, and broker APIs to design, test, and deploy real-world trading strategies.
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