Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/tiagosiebler/coinbase-api/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
The coinbase-api SDK is isomorphic — it is designed to work in both Node.js server environments and browser/frontend applications. A webpack configuration is included in the repository to produce a browser-compatible UMD bundle from the compiled TypeScript output.
The same import or require statements work in both Node.js and browser environments. The SDK automatically uses the Web Crypto API for request signing in browsers instead of Node’s crypto module.
Building the Browser Bundle
Install dependencies
From the root of the cloned coinbase-api repository, install all Node.js dependencies: Compile TypeScript
Build the CJS and ESM output from source:This compiles the TypeScript source from src/ into dist/cjs/ and dist/mjs/. Bundle with webpack
Run the webpack bundler to produce a browser-ready UMD bundle:Webpack reads from dist/cjs/index.js (the CJS build output) and writes the final bundle to dist/coinbaseapi.js, along with a source map at dist/coinbaseapi.map. Use the bundle in your frontend
Include the bundle in your HTML or import it in your frontend build pipeline:<script src="dist/coinbaseapi.js"></script>
<script>
// The bundle exposes the SDK as the global "coinbaseapi"
const { CBAdvancedTradeClient, WebsocketClient } = coinbaseapi;
</script>
import { CBAdvancedTradeClient, WebsocketClient } from 'coinbase-api';
Webpack Configuration
The bundle is configured in webpack/webpack.config.cjs. Key settings:
// webpack/webpack.config.cjs
module.exports = {
entry: './dist/cjs/index.js',
output: {
path: path.resolve(__dirname, '../dist'),
filename: 'coinbaseapi.js', // output bundle name
library: 'coinbaseapi', // global variable name in browser
libraryTarget: 'umd', // Universal Module Definition
},
mode: 'production',
resolve: {
fallback: {
// Node.js built-ins not available in browsers — polyfilled to false
'http': false,
'https': false,
'crypto': false,
},
},
};
fallback configuration is important: it tells webpack to replace Node.js-only modules (http, https, crypto) with empty stubs in the browser bundle. The SDK handles this transparently — request signing switches to the browser-native Web Crypto API automatically.
Node.js vs Browser Differences
// In Node.js, JWT signing uses the 'jose' library
// with Node's built-in crypto module (jwtNode.ts)
// HTTP keep-alive uses Node's https.Agent
const client = new CBAdvancedTradeClient({
apiKey: 'your_key',
apiSecret: 'your_secret',
keepAlive: true, // uses https.Agent — Node.js only
});
| Feature | Node.js | Browser |
|---|
| JWT / request signing | jose + Node crypto | Web Crypto API |
| HTTP keep-alive | https.Agent | Native browser pooling |
| WebSocket | ws via isomorphic-ws | Native browser WebSocket |
| Bundle size | Full source | Minified UMD bundle |
Security Warning
Never expose your Coinbase API private key in client-side JavaScript. Any credentials bundled into browser code or embedded in HTML are visible to anyone who opens the browser developer tools.For authenticated REST API calls in a browser application, use a proxy server pattern:
- Your frontend sends requests to your own backend server (e.g. an Express or Next.js API route).
- Your backend holds the API keys securely and forwards calls to Coinbase on the frontend’s behalf.
- Your backend applies rate limiting, authentication, and authorisation before proxying.
Public WebSocket topics (market data, order books, ticker) do not require API keys and are safe to use directly from the browser. Current Limitations
Browser bundle documentation is still being expanded. Behavioural differences between Node.js and browser environments are still being documented. If you encounter any issues using the SDK in a browser, please open an issue on GitHub. 
