Modern Okex API Wrapper for Node.js, Browser, and Cloudflare Workers

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In today’s fast-evolving cryptocurrency trading environment, accessing exchange data efficiently and securely is critical for developers building trading bots, analytics dashboards, or automated investment tools. The Okex API—now officially known as OKX API—provides powerful endpoints for retrieving market data, managing accounts, and executing trades programmatically. However, working directly with raw REST and WebSocket APIs can be cumbersome, especially when targeting multiple runtime environments like Node.js, browsers, or serverless platforms such as Cloudflare Workers.

That’s where a modern, lightweight, and flexible wrapper like okex-api comes into play.

This article explores a fully asynchronous, TypeScript-based API client designed specifically to work seamlessly across environments—including Node.js (v22+), Bun, web browsers, and Cloudflare Workers—without relying on any external dependencies.


Why This Okex API Wrapper Stands Out

Unlike other wrappers that depend on libraries like Axios or Node.js-native modules (e.g., node:crypto), this implementation leverages standard web APIs:

👉 Discover how easy it is to integrate advanced trading automation across platforms.

This design choice eliminates compatibility issues and makes the library universally deployable, even in constrained environments like edge computing runtimes where traditional Node.js modules are unavailable.

Key Features at a Glance


Installation Made Simple

Getting started is straightforward whether you're using npm or Bun:

# Using npm
npm install okex-api

# Using bun
bun install okex-api

No additional configuration or polyfills required—just import and use.


Using the REST API: Account and Market Data

The HttpApi class enables secure interaction with OKX's REST endpoints. Since cryptographic signing relies on the asynchronous Web Crypto API, initialization must occur within an async context.

Here’s how to retrieve your BTC balance and list available swap instruments:

import { HttpApi } from 'okex-api';

const api = await HttpApi.create(
  process.env.API_KEY!,
  process.env.API_SECRET!,
  process.env.PASSPHRASE!
);

console.log(await api.getBalance({ ccy: 'BTC' }));
console.log(await api.getAccountInstruments({ instType: 'SWAP' }));

All methods mirror the official OKX API documentation, making it easy to locate and implement the correct function calls. With comprehensive TypeScript definitions, autocomplete guides you through parameters and expected responses.


Real-Time Trading with WebSocket Support

For real-time data such as price tickers, order book updates, or position changes, the WsPublic and WsPrivate classes provide robust WebSocket connectivity.

Public Channel Example: Live Ticker Updates

import { WsPublic } from 'okex-api';

const wsPublic = new WsPublic();

wsPublic.addEventListener('open', () => {
  console.log('Connected to public channel');
  wsPublic.subscribe({ channel: 'tickers', instId: 'ETH-USD-SWAP' });
});

wsPublic.addEventListener('tickers', (event) => {
  console.log('Ticker update:', event.data);
});

wsPublic.connect();

Private Channel Example: Track Positions in Real Time

import { WsPrivate } from 'okex-api';

const wsPrivate = await WsPrivate.create(
  process.env.API_KEY!,
  process.env.API_SECRET!,
  process.env.PASSPHRASE!
);

wsPrivate.addEventListener('open', () => {
  console.log('Private connection established');
  wsPrivate.subscribe({ channel: 'positions', instType: 'SWAP', instFamily: 'ETH-USD' });
});

wsPrivate.addEventListener('positions', (event) => {
  console.log('Position update:', event.data);
});

wsPrivate.connect();

Additionally, the private WebSocket supports direct trading operations:

// Place a market sell order
const order = await wsPrivate.order({
  instId: 'ETH-USD-SWAP',
  tdMode: 'cross',
  side: 'sell',
  posSide: 'short',
  ordType: 'market',
  sz: '1'
});

const ordId = order.data[0].ordId;

// Cancel the order
await wsPrivate.cancelOrder({ instId: 'ETH-USD-SWAP', ordId });

These promisified methods allow for clean, linear code flow without callback nesting.


Environment Compatibility & Runtime Requirements

EnvironmentSupportedNotes
Node.jsRequires v22+ due to global WebSocket availability
Bun RuntimeNative compatibility; optimized performance
Web BrowsersFull support including mobile browsers
Cloudflare WorkersNo Node.js bindings used — ideal for edge functions

This broad compatibility makes the library ideal for full-stack crypto applications, from frontend price displays to backend algorithmic trading engines.

👉 Start building cross-platform trading tools with confidence.


Setting Up Your OKX API Credentials

Before using the API wrapper, you need valid credentials from your OKX account:

  1. Log in to your OKX account
  2. Navigate to Account > My API
  3. Generate a new API key with appropriate permissions:

    • Trade permission (for order operations)
    • Read-only access (for balances and positions)
    • IP binding (recommended for security)
  4. Store your API Key, Secret Key, and Passphrase securely in environment variables

Never hardcode credentials in source files or expose them in client-side code.


FAQ: Common Questions About the Okex API Wrapper

Q: Can I use this library in a browser-based trading dashboard?
A: Yes! The library uses standard web APIs and works natively in modern browsers without bundler modifications or polyfills.

Q: Why does it require Node.js v22 or higher?
A: Because it relies on globalThis.WebSocket, which became globally available in Node.js v22. Earlier versions require workarounds not supported here.

Q: Is there support for OKX API v3 or v5 only?
A: This wrapper supports OKX API v5 exclusively, aligning with OKX's latest features and security standards.

Q: How does it handle automatic reconnection on WebSocket failure?
A: The WsPublic and WsPrivate classes include built-in reconnection logic that retries connections after network interruptions.

Q: Can I contribute or report issues?
A: While not mentioned in the original package details, open-source projects like this typically welcome contributions via GitHub repositories. Check the source repository for contribution guidelines.

Q: Does it support spot trading and margin trading?
A: Yes. As long as the endpoint exists in OKX API v5, it's implemented in the library—including spot, margin, futures, and options.


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These terms reflect common developer queries related to automated trading, API integration, and cross-platform deployment.


Final Thoughts: A Future-Ready Tool for Developers

As decentralized finance (DeFi) and algorithmic trading continue to grow, having a reliable, portable, and secure API client becomes essential. This okex-api wrapper fills a crucial gap by offering a dependency-free, type-safe, and runtime-agnostic solution for interacting with the OKX exchange.

Whether you're building a high-frequency trading bot in Bun, monitoring portfolios in a React dashboard, or deploying risk-checking logic on Cloudflare Workers, this tool adapts to your stack—not the other way around.

👉 See what’s possible when speed meets simplicity in crypto development.