Gemini API with Python

APIs allow you to connect software and services. The Gemini API helps you interact with Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange. Using Python makes it simple and clear.

What is Gemini API?

Gemini API is a tool that lets developers interact with Gemini’s platform. You can fetch prices, trade crypto, and check account balances in real time.

Why Use Python with Gemini API?

Python is easy to learn and widely used in web and data projects. Its libraries help you send requests, parse data, and build trading tools fast.

Getting Started

To use Gemini API, you first need an account on Gemini. After that, you create API keys from the account dashboard. Keep them secret and secure.

You also need to install Python. Most systems have it, but ensure you are running Python 3. If not, install it from the official Python website.

Installing Required Libraries

The main library for sending requests is requests. Install it using pip before starting your project.

pip install requests

Making Your First API Call

Public endpoints do not need authentication. You can fetch market prices using a simple call. Here is a quick example in Python.

import requests

# Gemini public API endpoint
url = "https://api.gemini.com/v1/pubticker/btcusd"

# Send a request to get Bitcoin price
response = requests.get(url)

# Convert to JSON format
data = response.json()

print(data)

{'bid': '62000.00', 'ask': '62100.00', 'last': '62050.00'}

In this code, the function requests.get() sends a request to Gemini and returns a response. The output shows the bid, ask, and last trade price.

Working with JSON Data

The data comes in JSON format. Python makes it easy to parse JSON. You can extract only the fields you want for your project.

# Extract fields from JSON response
print("Bid Price:", data['bid'])
print("Ask Price:", data['ask'])
print("Last Price:", data['last'])

Bid Price: 62000.00
Ask Price: 62100.00
Last Price: 62050.00

The method response.json() converts the API data into a Python dictionary. This allows easy access to specific values.

Using Private Endpoints

Private endpoints let you manage orders and accounts. They require authentication using your API key and secret. Never share your keys with anyone.

Here is a small example of how to prepare an authenticated request with Gemini API.

import base64
import hashlib
import hmac
import json
import time

api_key = "your_api_key"
api_secret = "your_api_secret"

url = "https://api.gemini.com/v1/account"
payload = {
    "request": "/v1/account",
    "nonce": int(time.time()*1000)
}

encoded_payload = json.dumps(payload).encode()
b64_payload = base64.b64encode(encoded_payload)
signature = hmac.new(api_secret.encode(), b64_payload, hashlib.sha384).hexdigest()

headers = {
    "X-GEMINI-APIKEY": api_key,
    "X-GEMINI-PAYLOAD": b64_payload,
    "X-GEMINI-SIGNATURE": signature,
    "Content-Type": "text/plain"
}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

Here the function requests.post() sends data to Gemini with headers for authentication. You will receive account details as output.

Error Handling

Errors are common when working with APIs. You should always check the status of a request. Python makes this simple with conditional checks.

if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Success:", response.json())
else:
    print("Error:", response.text)

The function response.status_code returns the status of the request. A 200 means success, while other codes show errors.

Best Practices

Here are some best practices for working with Gemini API:

• Always secure your API keys.
• Use environment variables instead of hardcoding.
• Handle errors and rate limits properly.
• Test on demo before real trading.

Real Use Cases

Using Gemini API with Python, you can create many useful tools. Examples include price trackers, trading bots, and portfolio dashboards.

Conclusion

Using Gemini API with Python is easy and powerful. Start with public endpoints to learn the basics. Then move to private endpoints for trading and account data.

With Python, you can create scripts that automate your crypto workflow. The key is to practice, handle errors, and keep your keys secure.