Interactive Brokers (IBKR) provides a Python API called **ib_insync** to interact with the TWS (Trader Workstation) or IB Gateway. This API allows Python applications to place trades, retrieve market data, manage accounts, and more.
Here’s a guide to getting started with the **IBKR API using Python**:
### 1. **Setting Up Your IBKR Account and Enable API Access**
- **Open an IBKR account** if you don’t have one.
- **Enable API access** in the TWS or IB Gateway under Configuration > API > Settings, and allow connections from localhost.
- **Download and install IB Gateway or Trader Workstation (TWS)** as the API requires one of these to be running.
### 2. **Installing ib_insync**
- **ib_insync** is a popular Python wrapper for the IB API, making it simpler to work with than the official ibapi library.
- Install ib_insync:

bash

 pip install ib_insync

 

### 3. **Connecting to IBKR with ib_insync**
- Run TWS or IB Gateway and note the **port** (usually 7497 for TWS paper trading or 4001 for IB Gateway paper trading).
- Connect to the IB API by creating an instance of IB().
#### Example: Establishing a Connection

python

from ib_insync import IB

# Initialize and connect to the IBKR API

ib = IB()

ib.connect('127.0.0.1', 7497, clientId=1) # clientId should be unique for each connection

# Check connection

if ib.isConnected():

 print("Connected to IBKR API")

else:

 print("Connection failed")

### 4. **Fetching Market Data**
- Use the ib_insync API to get real-time or historical market data.

#### Example: Fetching Real-Time Quotes

python

from ib_insync import Stock



# Define the stock symbol and request market data

stock = Stock('AAPL', 'SMART', 'USD')

ib.qualifyContracts(stock)



# Request market data

ticker = ib.reqMktData(stock)

ib.sleep(2) # Wait a couple of seconds to receive data



print(f"Current Price for {ticker.contract.symbol}: {ticker.last}")

#### Example: Fetching Historical Data
`python
bars = ib.reqHistoricalData(
stock, endDateTime='', durationStr='1 D', barSizeSetting='1 hour',
whatToShow='MIDPOINT', useRTH=True
)

# Convert to pandas DataFrame
df = util.df(bars)
print(df.head())

---

### 5. **Placing an Order**

 - Place orders programmatically by defining the **contract** and **order** types.

#### Example: Placing a Market Order

python
from ib_insync import MarketOrder

# Define a contract and order
order = MarketOrder('BUY', 10) # Buy 10 shares
trade = ib.placeOrder(stock, order)

# Monitor the order status
ib.sleep(1)
print(f"Order Status: {trade.orderStatus.status}")

#### Example: Placing a Limit Order

python
from ib_insync import LimitOrder
# Define a limit order to buy 10 shares at a specific price
order = LimitOrder('BUY', 10, 150.00) # Buy 10 shares at $150
trade = ib.placeOrder(stock, order)

# Monitor the order status
ib.sleep(1)
print(f"Limit Order Status: {trade.orderStatus.status}")

---



### 6. **Managing Account Information and Portfolio**

 - Retrieve account and portfolio data with simple calls.



#### Example: Fetching Account Information

python
account_values = ib.accountValues()
for value in account_values:
print(f"{value.tag}: {value.value}")

#### Example: Fetching Portfolio Holdings

python
portfolio = ib.portfolio()
for position in portfolio:
print(f"Symbol: {position.contract.symbol}, Quantity: {position.position}, Market Value: {position.marketValue}")
`

---

### 7. **Automating Trades with Event Listeners**
- **ib_insync** provides event listeners to automate responses to market conditions.

#### Example: Automated Trade Execution Based on Price Threshold

python

def on_bar_update(bars, hasNewBar):

 last_price = bars[-1].close

 print(f"Last Price: {last_price}")

 if last_price < 150:

 order = MarketOrder('BUY', 10)

 ib.placeOrder(stock, order)



# Listen to bar updates for the specified stock

ib.reqRealTimeBars(stock, 5, 'MIDPOINT', False)

ib.realtimeBarEvent += on_bar_update

ib.run()

---

### 8. **Disconnecting and Closing the Session**
- Always disconnect after completing tasks.

python

 ib.disconnect()

 print("Disconnected from IBKR API")

 

### 9. **Error Handling and Logging**
- Use try-except blocks to handle potential API errors, as network issues or invalid symbols could cause interruptions.

---

### Summary of Key Concepts with IBKR Python API:
- **ib_insync** is a simplified and effective library for IBKR automation.
- You can connect to TWS or IB Gateway and perform trading tasks, fetch market and account data, and create automated trading strategies.
- **Event listeners** allow for reactive trading based on real-time data, suitable for algorithmic trading or monitoring.

This setup provides you with a complete workflow to automate trading and manage portfolios with IBKR in Python. Let me know if you'd like examples on any specific functionality!