alpaca-trading

alpaca-trading

A Claude skill for working safely in the Trading repository and its Alpaca-related workflows.

What It Does

Guides Claude to work within the current mixed Python and PowerShell Trading repo structure. It preserves existing repo patterns, defaults to paper-trading-safe guidance, keeps live-trading safeguards explicit, and treats AI analysis as advisory rather than as a direct execution trigger.

Trigger Phrases

Phrase	Action
alpaca script for...	Create or update a script in the existing Trading repo structure
backtesting script	Work in the Backtesting/ area
paper trading...	Prefer the paper-trading-safe path
live trading...	Require explicit live-trading guardrails
trade journal...	Work in the Journal/ area or its related logging flows
alpaca module	Use the reusable PowerShell modules under src/

Repo Structure: Trading

Trading/
|-- Alpaca/
|-- Backtesting/
|-- Journal/
|-- Scheduler/
|-- src/
|-- Tests/
|-- rsi_macd_bot/
`-- btc-signal-executor/

Safety Rules Always Enforced

• Paper trading is the default guidance unless the user explicitly requests live trading
• API keys come from environment variables or existing repo config flows, never hardcoded
• Live trading must remain opt-in and guarded by an explicit confirmation step
• AI output is advisory only and must not directly place orders
• Existing trading logic should be preserved unless the user explicitly asks for a larger rewrite

Live Trading Guard

Every script touching real money should keep an explicit confirmation gate:

if ($LiveTrading) {
    $Confirm = Read-Host "Type CONFIRM to proceed with live trading"
    if ($Confirm -ne "CONFIRM") { exit 0 }
}

AI Coaching Pattern

Claude can provide analysis such as BULLISH, BEARISH, or NEUTRAL, but deterministic code must still apply risk checks and decide whether any order is placed.

Script Conventions

Follow the existing repo conventions for PowerShell and Python rather than inventing a new architecture. Reuse nearby patterns for logging, config, tests, and docs.

Files

Alpaca Trading/
|-- README.md
|-- skill.md
|-- upgrades.md
`-- alpaca-trading.skill

Installation

Run the repo packer against this folder to rebuild alpaca-trading.skill, then install it with your normal Claude skill workflow.

Upgrade Log

See upgrades.md for the structured upgrade log and completedchanges.md for tracked completed changes.

Implement In Claude

1. Update the checked-in source files for this skill first.
2. Rebuild alpaca-trading.skill from the current source files. Include any supporting runtime files the package depends on.
3. Import the .skill package into Claude using your normal Claude skills workflow, or place it in your local Claude skills directory if you manage skills manually.
4. Start a new Claude chat or refresh available skills, then test with one of the trigger phrases or example requests from this README.