The technical core of this site
How APIs work in general, what the Deriv API specifically offers, and a suggested path for learning to build with it.
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a defined way for one piece of software to ask another for data or actions, without needing to know how that other system works internally.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Request | A message sent asking an API to do or return something. |
| Response | What the API sends back — data, confirmation, or an error. |
| Endpoint | A specific address or channel that handles one kind of request. |
| Parameter | A value passed with a request to customise what it does. |
| JSON | A lightweight text format used to structure request and response data. |
| Authentication | Proving who is making the request, usually with a token or API key. |
| Authorization | Determining what an authenticated request is allowed to do. |
| WebSocket | A connection that stays open, allowing data to stream both ways in real time. |
| REST | A common API style built on individual request/response calls. |
| Rate Limits | Caps on how many requests can be made in a given period. |
| API Errors | Structured responses explaining why a request failed. |
A publicly documented WebSocket API that lets developers request market data, manage contracts and interact with Deriv accounts programmatically, with the account holder's authorisation.
It lets independent developers build tools — bots, dashboards, charting apps — that extend the platform without Deriv building each one itself.
A broader ecosystem of tools built around the platform, driven by outside developers rather than internal resourcing alone.
Direct, structured access to market data and account actions, instead of scraping a web interface.
Built on a persistent WebSocket connection, with structured JSON messages for each request type.
Uses API tokens or an OAuth-style authorisation flow tied to a specific account and permission scope.
Live and historical price ticks, contract details, account balances and transaction history, depending on scope.
Tokens can be scoped to read-only or trading access, and requests are subject to rate limits like most public APIs.
A third-party app opens a WebSocket connection, authenticates with a token the user has granted, subscribes to the data it needs, and reacts to the stream of responses — that loop is the foundation of almost everything built on the Deriv API.
A sensible order to learn this in, if you're building your first Deriv-connected tool.