Environments

The Tradovate Partner API is split into two main environments: Development and Production. Each environment has two domains: LIVE and DEMO. Understanding these environments is crucial for building a reliable integration.

Quick Start

Environment Details

Development Environment

This is your testing environment for API integration and development work. You should use this environment for:

• Testing your integration before going live
• Experimenting with new features
• Debugging issues without affecting real users

Production Environment

This is your live environment for real client operations and real trading. Only use this environment when:

• You’re ready to serve actual customers
• Your integration has been thoroughly tested
• You’re confident in your implementation

Domain Types

Understanding the difference between LIVE and DEMO domains is crucial:

• LIVE: This environemnt represents real trading with actual money and positions. Any live accounts you own will show up in this environment. This environment must be used to manage certain entities like tradovate subscriptions, market data subscriptions, and user plugins.
• DEMO: This represents simulated trading for simulation and evaluation purposes. All of your sim accounts will show up in this environment.

Client Access Points

Your users will access their accounts through these client applications:

Development Clients

• Tradovate: https://trader.staging.ninjatrader.dev/`
• NinjaTrader: https://web.staging.ninjatrader.dev/

These are your development point-of-access for clients. When you create a user, you can test their experience using one of these clients.

Production Clients

• Tradovate: trader.tradovate.com
• NinjaTrader: web.ninjatrader.com

These are your production point-of-access for real clients. When a user signs up, they can access their evaluation accounts via one of these clients, or the Tradovate or NinjaTrader standalone applications. They can also access via the TDV or NT mobile apps.

Admin Dashboards

• Development: dashboards.staging.ninjatrader.dev
• Production: dashboards.tradovate.com

These are the development and production admin dashboards apps, respectively. You’ll use these to manage your users and monitor your integration.

API Base URLs

Development Environment

• Development Simulation URL: https://demo-api.staging.ninjatrader.dev/v1
• Development LIVE URL: https://live-api.staging.ninjatrader.dev/v1

Production Environment

• Production Simulation URL: https://demo.tradovateapi.com/v1
• Production LIVE URL: https://live.tradovateapi.com/v1

WebSocket URLs

Real-Time User Data WebSockets

Development

• wss://demo-api.staging.ninjatrader.dev/v1/websocket OR
• wss://live-api.staging.ninjatrader.dev/v1/websocket

Use of live or demo URLs will give real-time updates for their respective environments.

Production

• wss://demo.tradovateapi.com/v1/websocket OR
• wss://live.tradovateapi.com/v1/websocket

Market Data WebSockets

Development

• wss://md-api.staging.ninjatrader.dev/v1/websocket

Production

• wss://md.tradovateapi.com/v1/websocket

Market Replay WebSockets

Development

• wss://replay.staging.ninjatrader.dev/v1/websocket

When using a Market Replay Socket, forward all messages (both market data and real-time user data) through the replay socket. Expect all messages from the replay session to come through the replay socket.

Production

• wss://replay.tradovateapi.com/v1/websocket

Environment Differences

LIVE Environment Capabilities

• Change Tradovate Subscription details
• Cancel or renew subscriptions manually
• Immediately expire a subscription
• Change user plugins (such as TradingView)

SIM Environment Capabilities

• Change sim accounts’ permissions
• Adjust sim accounts’ max-net liquidities
• Change the Risk Category of a sim account, useful for:
  • Applying a halted-trading category for an individual account
  • Upgrading an account to a new type
  • Changing an account’s baseline risk rules
• Halt trading for an entire category (useful to stop all, or specific categories of users from trading in an emergency)
• Return an account to its SOD state at a given date (by session date, not calendar date)

Best Practices

Environment Selection

• Start with Development: Use the Development environment for all testing and integration work
• Test thoroughly: Only move to Production when you’re confident in your implementation
• Use DEMO first: Test with DEMO domains before using LIVE domains, even in Production

URL Configuration

• Store URLs as variables: Store environment URLs as configuration variables in your application
• Use environment-specific credentials: Use different authentication credentials for each environment
• Handle errors gracefully: Implement proper error handling for environment-specific responses

WebSocket Connections

• Choose the right URL: Use the appropriate WebSocket URL for your environment and data type
• Implement reconnection logic: WebSocket connections can drop, so implement proper reconnection logic
• Handle environment differences: Different environments may have different connection requirements

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