Ledger® Live Wallet

Introduction

Welcome to the Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™ Developer Portal. This portal is your gateway to integrating with Ledger Live, the premier hardware wallet companion app that empowers users to securely manage their cryptocurrency assets.

Ledger Live provides a seamless experience for users to manage Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many other cryptocurrencies directly from their desktop or mobile devices. As a developer, this portal gives you access to resources, documentation, and tools to build applications, plugins, and extensions compatible with Ledger Live.

What is Ledger Live?

Ledger Live is the official companion software for Ledger hardware wallets, including the Ledger Nano S, Nano X, and Nano S Plus. It allows users to:

• Manage multiple crypto accounts securely
• Send and receive cryptocurrency transactions
• Check real-time portfolio balances
• Access decentralized apps (dApps) and DeFi platforms
• Install and update apps on the Ledger device

The combination of Ledger hardware wallets and Ledger Live software offers one of the most secure and user-friendly ways to interact with the crypto world.

Why Developers Should Engage with Ledger Live

Ledger Live is more than just an app; it is a platform. Developers can extend its capabilities by creating integrations that allow users to interact with their crypto assets in new and innovative ways.

• Leverage Ledger Live's secure environment to build safe applications
• Access APIs to fetch wallet data and perform blockchain operations
• Create plugins to add new functionalities inside the Ledger ecosystem
• Collaborate with the Ledger community and get support

Getting Started: Setting Up Your Development Environment

To begin developing with Ledger Live, you need to set up a few tools and understand the architecture.

• Node.js & npm: Ledger Live plugins are often written in JavaScript or TypeScript. Ensure you have node and npm installed.
• Ledger Live SDK: Download and familiarize yourself with the Ledger Live Common SDK which contains reusable libraries for communicating with Ledger devices.
• Hardware wallet: Having a Ledger device (Nano S, X, or S Plus) is essential to test your apps securely.

Once you have these tools ready, clone the Ledger Live repositories or start your plugin project.

git clone https://github.com/LedgerHQ/ledger-live.git
cd ledger-live
npm install
npm run start

Ledger Live Architecture Overview

Ledger Live is designed with modularity and security in mind. Understanding its architecture will help you develop efficient plugins and integrations.

• Core: Manages wallet data, synchronization with blockchain nodes, and transaction history.
• UI Layer: React-based interface that displays wallet info and manages user interactions.
• Device Communication: Uses secure protocols (via USB/Bluetooth) to communicate with Ledger hardware.
• Plugins: Extensions that add new features or support for additional coins and dApps.

By tapping into these components, you can create customized workflows for your users.

Building Your First Ledger Live Plugin

Plugins enhance Ledger Live by adding support for new blockchains or services. Here's a simplified example of how to start a plugin:

import { createPlugin } from '@ledgerhq/live-common/lib/hw/actions/plugin';

const myPlugin = createPlugin({
  name: 'MyCryptoPlugin',
  version: '1.0.0',
  commands: {
    async getBalance(account) {
      // Your code to fetch balance
      return 1000;
    }
  }
});

export default myPlugin;

This code defines a simple plugin that can be loaded into Ledger Live. The plugin includes commands for interacting with blockchain data or the Ledger device.

Security Best Practices

Working with crypto assets demands the highest security standards. Here are some best practices for developing with Ledger Live:

• Never expose private keys: Your plugins should never request or handle users' private keys directly.
• Use secure communication: All interaction with Ledger devices should be through the official SDK and secure protocols.
• Validate inputs rigorously: Avoid injection attacks by validating all inputs and data sources.
• Keep dependencies updated: Regularly update your libraries to patch vulnerabilities.

Useful Developer Resources

To accelerate your development, explore these resources:

• Ledger Developer Portal – Official documentation and API references.
• Ledger GitHub – Source code and example projects.
• Ledger Discord – Community support and developer chat.
• Ledger Support – Help center for troubleshooting.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™ Developer Portal opens doors to building secure, innovative applications in the cryptocurrency space. By leveraging Ledger's hardware security and Live's extensible platform, developers can craft solutions that empower users and drive adoption.

Dive into the SDKs, join the community, and start building today!