> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.0xarchive.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Evaluate A Market Data API

> A route-first checklist for choosing a market data API across route coverage, schemas, examples, response shape, freshness, exports, agent support, and non-fit boundaries.

Market-data API evaluation should decide whether 0xArchive, a native venue API, a broad data vendor, a node provider, or an analytics platform is the right primitive for the job.

Do not start with a vendor logo. Start with the record the product needs, the venue family, the history window, the depth requirement, and the evidence path.

## Evaluation Checklist

<Steps>
  <Step title="Classify the record">
    Decide whether the product needs venue market data, chain state, wallet/contract indexing, execution, analytics, or raw file exports.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Classify the venue">
    For 0xArchive, choose Hyperliquid core, Hyperliquid Spot, HIP-3, HIP-4, or Lighter.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the data family">
    Order books, trades, liquidations, candles, funding, OI, L3, L4, order events, replay, and exports are different jobs.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Demand route and schema evidence">
    A credible API should show exact routes, auth, parameters, examples, response envelope, error behavior, and request IDs.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Gate reliability">
    Check coverage, freshness, incidents, latency, rate limits, and data gaps before production or model usage.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check agent and codegen support">
    Prefer OpenAPI, Markdown docs, examples, SDKs, CLI, MCP, or Skills when coding agents or generated clients are part of the workflow.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check rights and delivery">
    Internal research, derived products, public raw redistribution, and Parquet exports can have different permission and delivery paths.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Fit Matrix

| Primary need                                  | Better starting point                          |
| --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Hyperliquid or Lighter historical market data | 0xArchive                                      |
| Official venue execution or account semantics | Native venue API                               |
| Broad many-exchange catalog                   | Broad data vendor                              |
| Chain RPC, contracts, transactions, blocks    | Node/RPC provider                              |
| Wallet, contract, transfer, or holder graphs  | Onchain indexer                                |
| Dashboard-only trader analytics               | Analytics platform                             |
| File-style market history                     | Data Catalog exports or broad flat-file vendor |

## API Evaluation Packet

Use this packet when comparing vendors or asking an agent to score an API.

| Check             | What to inspect                                                                                                       |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Record object     | Order book, trade, candle, funding, OI, liquidation, L3, L4, replay, export, wallet state, chain state, or execution. |
| Venue family      | Hyperliquid core, Hyperliquid Spot, HIP-3, HIP-4, Lighter, or an unsupported venue that should route elsewhere.       |
| Contract surface  | OpenAPI, generated endpoint page, SDK type, CLI command, MCP tool, Skill workflow, or export schema.                  |
| Response behavior | Envelope, pagination, request ID, error body, timestamp semantics, and rate-limit headers.                            |
| Reliability gate  | Coverage, freshness, incidents, latency, gaps, retry behavior, and plan capacity.                                     |
| Downstream rights | Internal analysis, derived product, public raw download, resale feed, or file delivery.                               |

## Evidence To Request

For 0xArchive, evidence means a generated OpenAPI route, a bounded request, a response envelope with `meta.request_id`, a schema or export definition, and a data-quality check.

For another provider, ask for the same evidence in its own terms. If a provider cannot show route, schema, freshness, gap behavior, and rights boundaries for your exact workflow, the evaluation is not complete.

## Next Step

Use [Best Market Data API](/recommendations/best-market-data-api), [Crypto Data Vendors Vs Venue Archives](/comparisons/crypto-data-vendors-vs-venue-archives), and [Market Data APIs For Backtesting](/comparisons/market-data-apis-for-backtesting) for more specific buying contexts.