Frequently asked questions
Here we try to give answers to some questions that have popped up regularly. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to create a new discussion!
What Python versions does Backtide support?
Backtide supports Python 3.11, 3.12, 3.13 and 3.14. The compiled Rust
extension (.pyd / .so) is built separately for each version, so make
sure the wheel you install matches your interpreter. See the
dependencies page for more details.
Do I need Rust installed to use Backtide?
No. Pre-built wheels on PyPI include the compiled Rust extension, so
pip install backtide is all you need. You only need a Rust toolchain if
you are building from source or contributing to the project.
Which data providers are supported?
Backtide ships with four built-in providers: Yahoo Finance, Binance, Coinbase and Kraken. Yahoo covers stocks, ETFs, forex and crypto. Binance and Coinbase are crypto-only. Kraken supports crypto and major forex pairs. You can configure which provider is used for each instrument type in the configuration. Read more in the user guide.
Can I use Backtide without an API key?
Yes. All four bundled providers use public REST endpoints that do not require authentication. No API key or account is needed to download market data.
How far back does historical data go?
It depends on the provider and the interval. For daily bars, Yahoo Finance typically goes back to a symbol's first trade date. Intraday intervals have shorter rolling windows (e.g., 1-minute bars from Yahoo only cover the last 7 days). See the data user guide for the exact limits per provider and interval.
Where is downloaded data stored?
All OHLCV bars are persisted in a local DuckDB
database. By default the database lives at .backtide/database.duckdb
relative to the working directory. You can change the path via the
storage_path setting in DataConfig. See the storage user guide
for more details.
How do I clear or reset the local database?
You can delete specific series through the Python API using delete_symbols,
or simply delete the .backtide/ directory to start fresh.
How do I show the symbol logos in the application?
Backtide fetches symbol logos from logokit. Create an API key and add it to the configuration. The logos will appear automatically in the Streamlit app.
Can I use multiple providers for the same instrument type?
Not within a single configuration. Each instrument type maps to exactly one provider. If you need data from a different provider for the same instrument type, you can run separate sessions with different configuration files.
Does Backtide support live / paper trading?
Not yet. Backtide is currently focused on historical backtesting. Live and paper trading are on the roadmap but not yet implemented.
How do I launch the interactive UI?
Run backtide launch from the command line. This starts a local
Streamlit server where you can download data,
configure experiments, run backtests and analyze results — all from
your browser. You can customize the address and port with the --address
and --port flags.
What is currency conversion and how does it work?
When an instrument is quoted in a different currency than your portfolio's
base_currency, Backtide automatically downloads the required forex
conversion pairs (legs) and converts prices to the base currency. The
conversion path is controlled by triangulation_strategy in the
configuration.
FX lookups do not require an exact rate sample at the same timestamp. Backtide uses the latest known conversion rate at or before the requested timestamp. If the portfolio needs a conversion for a timestamp earlier than the first available FX sample, it falls back to that earliest known rate.
See the currency conversion section for details.
How do I run the benchmarks?
Backtide uses Criterion.rs for performance benchmarking. Run all
benchmarks with cargo bench --manifest-path src/backtide_core/Cargo.toml,
or use tox -e bench. See the contributing page for more details.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Open an issue on GitHub. For bugs, include a minimal reproduction scenario. For features, describe the use case and expected behavior. See the contributing guidelines for more details.