Common Mistakes & Failure Modes
A practical guide to the most common user errors and execution misunderstandings, and how to avoid them.
Most unexpected outcomes when using Airavat are not system failures. They are the result of misunderstandings about intent, permissions, or market mechanics.
This page outlines the most common mistakes and failure modes, how they arise, and how to avoid them.
Ambiguous or Incomplete Intent
One of the most common issues is unclear instructions.
Examples:
“Buy BTC”
“Reduce my position”
“Take profit”
“Exit partially”
These instructions lack required details such as size, order type, or direction.
What happens
Airavat asks for clarification, or
The instruction is rejected
How to avoid it
Always specify instrument, size, and action explicitly
Review the confirmation summary carefully
Confirming Without Reviewing
Confirmations exist to prevent mistakes — but they only work if they are reviewed.
What happens
A syntactically correct but unintended action is confirmed
The exchange executes exactly what was confirmed
How to avoid it
Read the confirmation summary line by line
Treat “yes” as a binding approval, not a formality
Incorrect API Permissions
Some actions fail because the API key does not allow them.
Examples:
Trading permissions not enabled
Market access restricted
Reduce-only or close instructions blocked
What happens
Orders are rejected by the exchange
How to avoid it
Review API permissions during setup
Rotate keys if permissions change
Exchange-Level Constraints
Airavat cannot override exchange rules.
Common constraints include:
Insufficient margin
Position or risk limits
Leverage restrictions
Market-specific rules
What happens
Orders are rejected or partially filled
How to avoid it
Verify account configuration on the exchange
Understand the market you are trading
Misunderstanding Order Types
Market behavior often differs from expectations.
Examples:
Market orders filling at unexpected prices
Limit orders not filling
Partial fills
What happens
Execution outcomes differ from what the user anticipated
How to avoid it
Understand trade-offs between speed and price control
Factor in slippage, liquidity, and fees
Confusing “Close,” “Reduce,” and “Sell”
These instructions are not interchangeable.
Examples:
Selling when no position exists
Using reduce-only incorrectly
Assuming “sell” always means “close”
What happens
Orders are rejected or behave differently than expected
How to avoid it
Be explicit about whether you are opening, reducing, or closing a position
Review confirmations carefully
Expecting Airavat to Make Decisions
Airavat does not:
Choose position size
Optimize entries or exits
Adjust strategy dynamically
Correct losing trades
What happens
Users assume logic or safeguards that do not exist
How to avoid it
Treat Airavat as an execution tool, not a trading system
Keep decision-making with the user
Assuming Protection From Market Risk
Airavat enforces execution safety, not outcome safety.
It does not protect against:
Volatility
Liquidations
Rapid price movement
Poor strategy design
What happens
Losses attributed incorrectly to the system
How to avoid it
Size conservatively
Understand leverage and liquidation mechanics
Accept market risk as inherent
When Something Feels Wrong
If execution does not behave as expected:
Stop issuing new instructions
Review confirmations and exchange activity
Verify permissions and limits
Contact support with details if clarification is needed
Clear diagnosis starts with understanding the execution path.
Final Reminder
Every executed action:
Starts with your instruction
Is explicitly confirmed by you
Is executed by the exchange
Airavat is deterministic. Unexpected outcomes usually come from unclear intent or misunderstood mechanics.
What’s Next
If you haven’t already, review:
Safety & Permissions
Understanding Intent & Confirmations
Order Types & Market Mechanics
Together, these pages cover nearly all failure modes encountered in practice.
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