IBKR CLI

Comprehensive Interactive Brokers (IBKR) TWS/Gateway skill using ib_insync. Includes Python and bash CLIs for account, market data, historical data, contract...

IBKR Skill

Overview

This skill integrates with Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation (TWS) and IB Gateway through ib_insync, exposing operational IBKR workflows through:

• A unified Python CLI: scripts/ibkr_cli.py
• A bash CLI wrapper: scripts/ibkr.sh
• Compatibility alias: scripts/openclaw.sh
• Backward-compatible script entrypoints:
  • scripts/get_account_info.py
  • scripts/get_historical_data.py
  • scripts/place_order.py

Prerequisites

• Interactive Brokers account with API permissions.
• TWS or IB Gateway running with API enabled.
• Python 3.9+ recommended.
• ib_insync installed:

pip install ib_insync

Connection Configuration

All CLIs support connection overrides using flags or env vars.

Environment variables:

• IBKR_HOST (default 127.0.0.1)
• IBKR_PORT (default 7497)
• IBKR_CLIENT_ID (default 1)
• IBKR_ACCOUNT (optional)

Examples:

IBKR_PORT=4002 IBKR_CLIENT_ID=14 ./scripts/ibkr.sh account-summary
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py positions --host 127.0.0.1 --port 7496 --account DU123456

Bash CLI

./scripts/ibkr.sh <command> [args]

Supported commands:

• account (account summary + positions)
• account-summary
• positions
• portfolio
• pnl
• quote
• historical
• place-order
• cancel-order
• open-orders
• executions
• contract-details
• scanner

./scripts/openclaw.sh is an alias to the same CLI surface.

Python CLI

python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py <command> [args]

Account Services

python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py account-summary --json
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py positions --account DU123456
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py portfolio --json
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py pnl --account DU123456 --wait 2

Market Data Services

python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py quote --symbol AAPL --sec-type STK --market-data-type 3
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py historical --symbol EURUSD --sec-type CASH --duration "30 D" --bar-size "1 hour"

Notes:

• Historical requests support full IB-format values via flags, including spaced tokens like "30 D".
• For CASH, default whatToShow is MIDPOINT unless explicitly overridden.

Contract Discovery

python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py contract-details --symbol ES --sec-type FUT --expiry 202606

Trading and Order Lifecycle

python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py place-order --symbol AAPL --sec-type STK --action BUY --quantity 10 --order-type MKT
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py place-order --symbol AAPL --sec-type STK --action SELL --quantity 10 --order-type LMT --limit-price 250 --tif GTC
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py open-orders
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py cancel-order --order-id 12345
python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py executions --json

Supported order types in the CLI:

• MKT
• LMT
• STP
• STP LMT

place-order waits for status updates and surfaces API errors collected during placement.

Scanner Service

python3 scripts/ibkr_cli.py scanner --instrument STK --location-code STK.US.MAJOR --scan-code TOP_PERC_GAIN --rows 25

Compatibility Scripts

Legacy scripts remain supported and now delegate to the unified CLI:

• get_account_info.py
• get_historical_data.py (legacy positional mode still works)
• place_order.py (legacy positional mode still works)

Error Handling

The CLI returns non-zero exit codes for:

• Import/dependency failures
• Connection failures
• Contract qualification failures
• Invalid arguments
• Missing open order for cancellation

References

See references/api_reference.md for IBKR and ib_insync documentation links.