Get an Option Chain
Overview
This GET endpoint enables you to retrieve an option chain for a specific security. An option chain is a series of options with a fixed number of options with the strike price above and below a center strike price. For instance, if you want an option chain with Range set to 1, you will receive two pairs (Call + Put) of options: one above the center strike price and another below the center strike price.
There are four required parameters that must be provided in the request's header and query:
Et-App-Key (header). This is the unique key of your app that identifies your app when communicating with our service. It can be found it in the BO Companies widget. When editing the company's settings, navigate to the WebApi tab and look for the required key (it could be a key for the web terminal, the mobile app, or a custom key).
Authorization (header). This is the authorization token from the very first token request.
API version (path). Unless necessary, leave it at "1.0".
symbol (path). This is the ticker symbol of the underlying security for which the option series must be fetched.
There's also one optional parameter worth examining:
filter (query). This is an SQL query used to retrieve only those options that satisfy the conditions of the query. The following table outlines the parameter's syntax.
Syntax
Description
Example
Expiration = {Date}
This query enables you to retrieve options with a specific expiration date.
Expiration = #2020-01-17T00:00:00Z#
Range = {integer}
This query enables you to retrieve the specified number of options below and above the center strike price. For instance, if you want an option chain with Range set to 1, you will receive two pairs (Call + Put) of options: one above the center strike price and another below the center strike price.
Range = 1
ExpirationType
This query enables you to retrieve options of the specified expiration type.
Regular = 0
Quarterly = 1
Weekly = 2
Flex = 3
Undefined = 4
Mini = 5
NonStandard = 6
ExpirationType = 0
Here's the final template for this API request:
GET apiURL/v1.0/options/optionChain/AAPL?filter=Range%20%3D%201%20Response
In response to this API request, you will receive an option chain filtered according to the specified query:
{
"Expirations": [
{
"Expiration": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"CentralStrike": 320,
"Options": [
{
"Id": 19358441,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918C00320000",
"Description": "CALL Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Exchange": "OPRAC",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-08-02T16:31:52.7125148Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-29T13:13:44.6562343Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Call",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 20303472,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918C00320000",
"Description": "CALL Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Call",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 20303475,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918P00320000",
"Description": "PUT Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Put",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 19358441,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918C00320000",
"Description": "CALL Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Exchange": "OPRAC",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-08-02T16:31:52.7125148Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-29T13:13:44.6562343Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Call",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 19358443,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918P00320000",
"Description": "PUT Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Exchange": "OPRAC",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-08-02T16:31:52.7125148Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-29T13:13:44.6562343Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Put",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 19358443,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918P00320000",
"Description": "PUT Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Exchange": "OPRAC",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-08-02T16:31:52.7125148Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-29T13:13:44.6562343Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Put",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 20303472,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918C00320000",
"Description": "CALL Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Call",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
},
{
"Id": 20303475,
"Symbol": "AAPL 200918P00320000",
"Description": "PUT Apple Inc. $320 EXP 09/18/20",
"Currency": "USD",
"AddedDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"ModifyDate": "2019-10-23T14:07:32.9789618Z",
"Type": "Option",
"Precision": 2,
"VolumePrecision": 0,
"TickSize": 0.01,
"Enabled": true,
"AllowTrade": true,
"AllowMargin": true,
"AllowShort": true,
"OptionType": "Put",
"ExpirationType": "Regular",
"ExpirationDate": "2020-09-18T00:00:00Z",
"StrikePrice": 320,
"SeriesId": 103,
"UnderlyingAssetSymbol": "AAPL",
"ContractSize": 100
}
]
}
]
}Common Mistakes
Here are some of the common mistakes that developers make when attempting to retrieve option chains.
Failing to Specify the Et-App-Key Parameter
If you specify the wrong Et-App-Key parameter or fail to include it in the header altogether, you'll get the following error:
{
"error": "Application key is not defined or does not exist"
}Last updated