Application Programming Interface (API) Highlights
Our proprietary APIs let you create an automated rule-based trading system that takes advantage of IB's high-speed order routing functionality and broad market depth.
The API allows you to trade all products that are supported through TWS, including stocks, options, futures, forex, and bonds. Designed for professional traders who desire a highly efficient algorithmic trading solution, our APIs provide many advantages when designing and implementing a programmed trading strategy, including:
- Support for multiple programming languages including Java, Visual Basic for ActiveX, C++, and DDE for Excel. This makes your system more robust and reliable compared to those written in the simplistic, non-standard environment offered by other brokers.
- Access to TWS order entry and order management features without the need for a dedicated server and the high overhead of a FIX system.
- Sample applications to help get you started. Less experienced programmers can develop and hone their applications using Excel before migrating to a more robust language.
- The ability to link your system to our TWS demo for testing.
Use the following table to see which API technology best fits your needs.
| Access Technology | Programming Expertise | Performance | Code Platform | Time to Production | Has Sample Application |
| Java to Socket | Professional | Very robust and reliable; high performance. | Available for all platforms including Windows, Mac, UNIX/Linux. | High learning curve; longer time to production. | Yes |
| C++ to Socket | Professional | Very robust and reliable; high performance. | Sample code for Windows only. Socket protocol is platform independent. | High learning curve; longer time to production. | Yes |
| VB to ActiveX 1 | Intermediate | Somewhat robust and reliable (ActiveX can lose events); fairly high performance. | Windows only. | Medium learning curve; moderate time to production. | Yes |
| DDE for Excel | Beginner | Limited; uses obsolete technologies; lower performance. | Windows only. | Small learning curve; rapid development time | Yes |
| POSIX C++ | Professional | Very robust and reliable; high performance. | POSIX-compliant platforms (Linux, (Non-MFC Windows applications) | High learning curve; longer time to production. | Yes (Limited functionality) |
- Also included in IB's API software is an Active X for Excel sample client for those customers who want to take advantage of our Active X API in an easy-to-use spreadsheet interface.