Data-vendor API keys: Alpaca, Claude, Finnhub, Databento, Tradier
The API Keys tab of the Broker Connections window stores vendor keys in the operating-system keychain: Claude for the AI assistant, Finnhub for news, Alpaca for GEX and the options chain, Databento, Tradier and Market Data for real-time OPRA. Keys are write-only and never echoed back.
Senzoukria · Documentation · Updated September 2026
Where to find it
- Where
- Account → Broker Connections → API Keys tab (also opened by the "Open API keys" button on an empty GEX or Option Flow screen)
- Storage
- "Vendor API keys are stored in the OS keychain and never leave the backend."
- Display
- Write-only: a saved key shows as "•••••••• (saved — enter to replace)" plus a green "Key saved" / "Keys saved" / "Token saved" pill
What it does
The Broker Connections window has two tabs, Connections and API Keys. The second one gathers every vendor credential that is not a broker login. Each section has its own field, Save button, status line and, once a key exists, a Remove button. Saving an empty field returns "API key cannot be empty." (or "Token cannot be empty."); a successful save prints "Saved." and a removal prints "Removed."
Claude sits first because it powers the assistant on every screen. Its key is tested against Anthropic before it is stored: a refused key is not saved ("Anthropic refused this key."), a verified one prints "Key verified with Anthropic and saved.", and when Anthropic cannot be reached the key is saved anyway with "Saved, but Anthropic could not be reached — the key was not verified."
Sections
| Section | Tag / fields | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | AI assistant — one password field (sk-ant-…) | Tested online before saving; stored in the keychain, never sent to Senzoukria's servers |
| Finnhub | News · economic calendar — one key | Saved as is; unlocks the news feed and calendar |
| Alpaca | GEX · options chain — Key ID + Secret + checkbox "OPRA real-time subscription (paid Alpaca add-on)" | Both fields required ("Key ID and secret are both required."); with the box ticked the status reads "Saved — OPRA real-time active." |
| Databento | Footprint · heatmap · GEX · options flow — one key | Once saved, the per-module licence panel appears under the field |
| Tradier | GEX - OPRA real-time, free brokerage token | Validated online with a SPY quote before storing: "Saved - token verified live." |
| Market Data | GEX - OPRA real-time, email signup (no KYC) | Token from marketdata.app; validated the same way |
The "key required" empty state
When the GEX dashboard or the Option Flow feed is opened without Alpaca keys, the screen shows "Alpaca API keys required" and "Add your free Alpaca paper-trading keys to load the GEX dashboard" (or "…the Option Flow feed"), with an "Open API keys" button. The button opens the Broker Connections window directly on the API Keys tab; when it closes, the host screen re-checks the key so the empty state disappears as soon as a key is saved.
The component header records why: the previous text pointed to a "Broker Settings" dialog that no longer exists, and offered no button.
Limits and pitfalls
- Keys are never displayed again after saving; to rotate one, paste the new value over the placeholder and save.
- Alpaca paper-trading keys give the options chain; real-time OPRA is a paid add-on that you declare with the checkbox — Senzoukria does not detect it by itself.
- Tradier and Market Data are alternatives for real-time GEX; their pricing is the vendor's ("Real-time OPRA options data included at $0/mo" for Tradier Lite, "~$30/mo on the annual Trader plan" for Market Data, as written in the help texts).
- Every vendor bills on your own account; none of these keys is required to open a footprint from a broker connection.
Related pages
This page in other languages
Frequently asked questions
- Where is my key stored?
- In the operating system keychain, through the Rust backend. The interface never reads it back; it only asks whether a key exists.
- Which key does the GEX dashboard need?
- Alpaca by default (paper-trading keys are enough for the chain; OPRA real-time is a paid add-on). Databento, Tradier or Market Data can replace it depending on the source chosen.