Split provider API documentation

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ The callable receives `(venue, config)` and returns a structural
 `MarketDataProvider`. See [docs/provider-contract.md](docs/provider-contract.md)
 for the normalized model and a complete skeleton.
 
+Every provider must have a second-level API guide at
+`docs/providers/<provider>.md` and a catalog row in
+`docs/providers.md`. Keep provider-specific installation, constructor,
+configuration, behavior, errors, and limitations out of the catalog page.
+
 ## Determinism and macro vintages
 
 Historical results must be reproducible. Cache or snapshot mutable upstream

README.md

@@ -21,10 +21,8 @@ the engine receives only normalized bars and ordered trades.
   request, and local or remote backtest.
 - [Normalized data model](docs/data-model.md) — instruments, contracts, bars,
   live trades, macro vintages, and validation rules.
-- [Using providers](docs/providers.md) — registry, CCXT market discovery,
-  historical bars, live trades, configuration, and errors.
-- [Local files and databases](docs/local-data.md) — runtime schema discovery,
-  arbitrary CSV/SQLite DDL, SQLAlchemy databases, and column mappings.
+- [Provider catalog](docs/providers.md) — shared lifecycle and second-level API
+  guides for CCXT, CSV, SQLite, and SQLAlchemy.
 - [Backtesting](docs/backtesting.md) — CLI options, configuration files, runtime
   channels, report schema, and reproducibility.
 - [FastAPI server](docs/server.md) — concurrency, authentication, timeouts,
@@ -131,8 +129,9 @@ schema = await provider.inspect_schema()
 SQL identifiers are validated against reflected metadata; filter values are
 bound parameters. For complex transformations, expose a database view rather
 than putting raw SQL in harness configuration. See the complete
-[local-data guide](docs/local-data.md) for CSV, native read-only SQLite,
-SQLAlchemy URLs, timestamp handling, symbol/timeframe semantics, and CLI JSON.
+[provider catalog](docs/providers.md), with dedicated API guides for
+[CSV](docs/providers/csv.md), [SQLite](docs/providers/sqlite.md), and
+[SQLAlchemy](docs/providers/sqlalchemy.md).
 
 ## Direct backtest harness
 

docs/backtesting.md

@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ The same harness accepts `--provider csv`, `--provider sqlite`, or
 `--provider sqlalchemy`. Their provider configuration maps arbitrary source
 columns to normalized OHLCV, while raw Pine and normalized bars follow the
 same local-container or FastAPI path. See
-[Local files and databases](local-data.md) for complete configuration examples.
+the [provider catalog](providers.md) for their individual API and configuration
+guides.
 
 ## Runtime image policy
 

docs/getting-started.md

@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ cache.
 ## Next steps
 
 - [Learn the normalized data model](data-model.md).
-- [Search and filter provider markets](providers.md).
-- [Connect local CSV, SQLite, or SQLAlchemy data](local-data.md).
+- [Choose a provider and open its API guide](providers.md).
 - [Configure parameters, runtime channels, and reports](backtesting.md).
 - [Deploy the concurrent server](server.md).

docs/index.md

@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ exchange / broker / macro API
 |---|---|
 | Install the package and run a first backtest | [Getting started](getting-started.md) |
 | Understand instruments, contracts, bars, trades, and macro vintages | [Data model](data-model.md) |
-| Discover markets and use CCXT or another provider | [Using providers](providers.md) |
-| Connect a CSV file, SQLite table, or SQLAlchemy database | [Local files and databases](local-data.md) |
+| Choose a provider and open its API guide | [Provider catalog](providers.md) |
 | Configure local and remote raw-Pine backtests | [Backtesting](backtesting.md) |
 | Deploy and operate the concurrent FastAPI service | [FastAPI server](server.md) |
 | Implement a new exchange or broker adapter | [Provider contract](provider-contract.md) |

docs/provider-contract.md

@@ -88,3 +88,11 @@ passes `--venue` plus the JSON object from `--provider-config` to the factory.
 - confirmed OHLCV behavior, pagination, deduplication, and source provenance;
 - close/cleanup behavior and explicit missing-capability errors;
 - no network access or credentials in CI.
+
+## Documentation required for a provider PR
+
+Add `docs/providers/<provider>.md` with installation, constructor and registry
+configuration, supported capabilities, symbol semantics, examples, errors, and
+limitations. Add the provider to the catalog in [providers.md](providers.md).
+Provider-specific API details belong on that second-level page; keep the
+catalog focused on discovery and shared lifecycle behavior.