Dhan API (Algo Trading) Review

To ensure system stability and fair usage, Dhan enforces the following rate limits

• Order APIs: 10 requests/sec | 250 requests/min | 7,000 requests/day.
• Data APIs: 5 requests/sec | 100,000 requests/day.
• Quote APIs: 1 request/sec | Unlimited per minute/hour/day.
• Order Modifications: Capped at 25 modifications per order

Individual traders can directly generate an Access Token from the Dhan web platform. All Dhan users get free access to Trading APIs.

Steps to Generate Access Token

1. Login to web.dhan.co
2. Go to My Profile → Access DhanHQ APIs
3. Generate the Access Token with 24-hour validity
4. Optionally, add a Postback URL to receive order updates

Users can also generate tokens using the API endpoint if TOTP is enabled.

Renew Token

Users can renew their active token for another 24 hours using the Renew Token API.

Important Notes

• Renewing a token expires the current token immediately
• Only active tokens can be renewed
• Expired tokens cannot be refreshed

API Key & Secret

Dhan also provides OAuth-based authentication using API Key and Secret credentials.

Steps to Generate API Key & Secret

1. Login to web.dhan.co
2. Go to My Profile → Access DhanHQ APIs
3. Switch to the API Key section
4. Enter:
• App Name
• Redirect URL
• Optional Postback URL
5. Generate the API Key and Secret

Authentication Flow

After generating the API Key and Secret, users must complete the following steps to generate the Access Token.

STEP 1: Generate Consent

This API validates the App ID and Secret and creates a login session for the user authentication process.

STEP 2: Browser-Based Login

1. Open the login endpoint in a browser
2. Login using Dhan credentials
3. Complete 2FA authentication using OTP, PIN, or password
4. After successful login, the user is redirected to the registered Redirect URL
5. A tokenId is received in the redirect URL

STEP 3: Consume Consent

This API validates the:

• API Key
• API Secret
• tokenId

After successful verification, the Access Token is generated, which is used for all API authentication and trading requests.

1. Trading APIs: Covers the full lifecycle of an order, including Placement, Modification, and Cancellation.
2. Advanced Order Types: Access to specialized tools like Super Orders (Bracket/Cover) and Forever Orders (GTT).
3. Data APIs: Provides Live Market Feeds via WebSockets and Historical Data for backtesting strategies.
4. Portfolio & Positions: Real-time access to Holdings, current open positions, and daily profit/loss.
5. Funds & Margin: APIs to check Available Limits and manage fund allocations.
6. EDIS & Control: Secure EDIS flows for selling holdings and Trader's Control for risk management.

DhanHQ Ver 2.0 stands out as a developer-friendly, high-speed API suite that prioritises transparency and performance. With its "zero-cost" API model and extensive documentation, it provides both retail traders and institutional developers with the tools necessary to execute sophisticated trading strategies with precision.

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