Platform Market Data

Optional Fallback

Platform market data is an optional server-side fallback for users who have not connected a personal Alpaca account. It is backed by the Alpaca Broker API and is only enabled when the platform team configures credentials and feature flags.

Where It Applies

Platform-served bars are available only on these app surfaces:

Surface	What it enables
Algo Lab	Load historical bars and run Pine strategy backtests without a personal Alpaca connection
Backtest vs Alerts	Load the optional price chart bars without a personal Alpaca connection

If the fallback is disabled, both pages keep the previous behavior and ask the user to connect Alpaca before loading market bars.

What It Does Not Replace

You still need your own Alpaca connection for:

• Alerts vs Fills fill-review analysis
• Trade fills and account synchronization
• Portfolio data
• Live SIP or premium feed entitlements
• Crypto or unsupported asset classes
• Any workflow that depends on your personal broker account

IEX only

The platform fallback is locked to IEX stock bars. SIP requires per-user market-data agreements and cannot be redistributed from a shared platform key.

Admin Configuration

The server reads these optional variables:

Variable	Purpose
ALPACA_BROKER_API_KEY	Broker API partner key
ALPACA_BROKER_API_SECRET	Broker API partner secret
ALPACA_BROKER_ENV	sandbox or production
ALPACA_BROKER_DATA_FEED	Accepted for compatibility, but forced to iex
ALPACA_BROKER_MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE	Shared server-side throttle
ENABLE_PLATFORM_MARKET_DATA	Master kill switch
ENABLE_PLATFORM_MARKET_DATA_BACKTEST_LAB	Enables the Algo Lab surface
ENABLE_PLATFORM_MARKET_DATA_BACKTEST_VS_ALERTS	Enables the Backtest vs Alerts surface

Use the master flag and per-surface flags together. Keeping credentials blank or any relevant flag set to false preserves the old connect-Alpaca behavior.