Last updated: August 26, 2026
We've introduced the Alpaca Skills Library, an open-source collection of agent skills designed to help AI assistants run repeatable workflows with Alpaca's API, MCP Server, and CLI.
The first release is the Trading API Backtesting Skill with CLI, with the second release being the Paper Trading Skill. The Backtesting Skill helps your AI agent move from a strategy idea to a documented research run by guiding strategy formalization, historical data retrieval, benchmark comparison, assumption tracking, and reproducible reporting through Alpaca’s Trading CLI. Use it to transform strategy ideas into documented research runs with traceable data, structured artifacts, and documented monitoring information for independent user review.
The Paper Trading Skill helps your AI agent move from a trade intention to an executed position by guiding strategy confirmation, order previews with buying power checks, paper-only safety gates, and post-submission monitoring. Use it to transform trade ideas into documented execution runs with validated orders, traceable status updates, and decision-ready monitoring.
Alpaca has long focused on API-first infrastructure for builders. As more people use AI assistants to write and run trading workflows, the Skills Library provides shared instructions, guardrails, and reporting standards so agents can produce more consistent results.
What is the Alpaca Skills Library?
Alpaca Skills Library is an open-source workflow package for AI agents. Each skill is a SKILL.md file with step-by-step instructions your agent can follow when asked to complete a task, such as running a historical backtest or fetching market data through Alpaca’s Trading API and Market Data API.
If you use an AI coding assistant that supports skills (Claude Code, Codex, etc), you can add a skill from the repository and invoke it through natural language.
Skills are designed to help agents:
- Formalize intent: Translate a freeform strategy idea into precise rules before any code runs.
- Fetch data consistently: Get historical bars, quotes, calendars, and corporate actions through Alpaca’s Market Data API.
- Report transparently: Return benchmarks, assumptions, caveats, and artifact paths in a standard format.
- Stay reproducible: Save run folders, raw outputs, and data fingerprints so you can compare results across runs.
Now, you can browse skills on GitHub, install them in supported AI coding assistants, and contribute improvements or publish new skills for the community.
First in the Library: Trading API Backtesting Skill
The Trading API Backtesting Skill is the first skill in the library. It helps your AI agent transform a start date, end date, and strategy concept into a structured historical backtesting workflow.
Before running a simulation, the skill instructs the agent to formalize the strategy, confirm assumptions with you, document fill models, indicator definitions, and benchmark choices. During the run, the agent fetches historical market data through Alpaca’s CLI, executes a local simulation script, and writes structured outputs such as notes.md, summary.json, report.md, trades.csv, and equity.csv.
Key capabilities include:
- Strategy formalization before execution
- Deterministic backtesting workflows
- Standardized benchmark comparisons
- Data fingerprints for reproducibility
- Transparent assumptions and disclosures
- Structured reports and performance summaries
- Optional paper trading validation workflows
Second in the Library: Paper Trading Skill
The Paper Trading Skill is the second open-source agent skill in the library. It is designed to help AI assistants preview, submit, inspect, and manage paper-trading orders across US equities, US options, and crypto.
The skill guides agents through strategy confirmation, order previews with buying power checks, paper-only safety gates, and post-submission monitoring. During the workflow, the agent checks intended paper trades against available account information and configured controls, executes orders in the Alpaca paper environment, and provides documented monitoring of fill status and position changes.
Paper trading lets you practice your strategy in real market conditions without risking capital, so you can build confidence in your process.
Key capabilities include:
- Strategy confirmation
- Order previews with buying power checks
- Paper-only safety gates
- Post-submission monitoring
- Multi-asset order management (US equities, US options, and crypto)
How to Install Alpaca Skills
Clone the alpaca-skills repository. Each skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file inside. Put those folders where your coding assistant looks for skills.
- Claude Code: Add skill folders to
.claude/skills/in your project, or to~/.claude/skills/for all projects. Claude finds them on its own. You can type /skill-name to run one directly. - Codex: Add skill folders to
.agents/skills/in your project, or to~/.agents/skills/for all projects. Codex finds them on its own. You can also type $skill-name to run one directly. - Cursor: Add skill folders to
.cursor/skills/in your project, or to~/.cursor/skills/for all projects. Cursor also reads.agents/skills/. One option is to clone the whole repo to~/.agents/skills/alpacaso every skill is available everywhere.
Each skill is plain Markdown. You can read and edit the instructions before you run a backtest or other task.
Contribute to Alpaca Skills Library
Skills Library is built with Alpaca’s open-source community in mind. You can contribute new skills, improve existing workflows, and share specialized knowledge with other builders using Alpaca’s APIs, MCP Server, and CLI.
This is the first of many skills we plan to release. Future additions will cover trading, market data, research workflows, and agent-native automation.
Getting Started with AI Trading at Alpaca
Over the last few months, we’ve released Alpaca’s MCP Server V2 and CLI, making it easier for developers to interact with Alpaca APIs and documentation through natural language or command-line tools.
To get started, see the latest API specs here:
- Trading API: https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/openapi/trading-api.json
- Market Data API: https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/openapi/market-data-api.json
For informational purposes only. Examples are illustrative and are not investment advice.
The Paper Trading API is offered by AlpacaDB, Inc. and does not require real money or permit a user to transact in real securities in the market. Providing use of the Paper Trading API is not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities, securities derivative or futures products of any kind, or any type of trading or investment advice, recommendation or strategy, given or in any manner endorsed by AlpacaDB, Inc. or any AlpacaDB, Inc. affiliate and the information made available through the Paper Trading API is not an offer or solicitation of any kind in any jurisdiction where AlpacaDB, Inc. or any AlpacaDB, Inc. affiliate (collectively, “Alpaca”) is not authorized to do business.
Information and outputs generated through Alpaca’s CLI, MCP Server, or connected AI agents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or cryptocurrency. AI-generated outputs may contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies and should be independently reviewed and verified before use or reliance. Alpaca does not recommend any specific security, cryptocurrency, or investment strategy. Users should conduct their own due diligence before making investment decisions. All firms mentioned operate independently and are not responsible for one another's products or services.
Hypothetical, simulated, or backtested results do not represent actual trading and have inherent limitations. They do not guarantee future results, and actual results may differ materially. AI-assisted and automated workflows involve additional risks, including inaccurate or incomplete outputs, system or connectivity failures, and unintended activity. Users should independently review, test, and monitor all workflows and outputs before relying on them.
Options trading is not suitable for all investors due to its inherent high risk, which can potentially result in significant losses. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before investing in options.
Securities brokerage services are provided by Alpaca Securities LLC (dba "Alpaca Clearing"), member FINRA/SIPC.
Cryptocurrency services are made available by Alpaca Crypto LLC ("Alpaca Crypto"), a FinCEN registered money services business (NMLS # 2160858), Alpaca Crypto is not a member of SIPC or FINRA. Cryptocurrencies are not stocks and your cryptocurrency investments are not protected by either FDIC or SIPC. Please see the Disclosure Library for more information.
This is not an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities or cryptocurrencies or open a brokerage account or cryptocurrency account in any jurisdiction where Alpaca Securities or Alpaca Crypto, respectively, are not registered or licensed, as applicable.
