Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™ (Developer Portal)

Overview

The Ledger® Live Wallet Developer Portal provides the tools, SDKs, and documentation you need to integrate your application with Ledger hardware and Ledger Live software. Whether you are building a companion mobile app, a web interface that interacts with Ledger devices, or a service that validates signatures and transaction data, this guide walks through common developer tasks and the recommended approach for secure integration.

Prerequisites

• An active developer account on the Ledger® Developer Portal (create one at the portal to get API keys and access tokens).
• Familiarity with cryptocurrency concepts (accounts, addresses, UTXOs vs account-based models).
• Local development environment: Node.js (LTS), a browser for web integrations, and a supported Ledger device (e.g., Ledger Nano S Plus, Ledger Nano X) for hardware testing.
• Optionally, a testnet wallet or faucet credentials for performing test transactions without real funds.

Quick Start — 7-Minute Flow

1. Create a developer account on the Ledger® Developer Portal and register your application to receive an API client ID and secret.
2. Download SDKs: Choose between the provided JavaScript SDK for web and Node, or the mobile SDKs for native development. Install with npm install @ledgerhq/live-sdk (example package name—check portal for exact names).
3. Connect a Ledger device: For web integrations, use WebHID/WebUSB or Ledger Bridge depending on browser support. For native apps, use BLE (Ledger Nano X) or USB libraries exposed by the SDK.
4. Switch to testnet: Configure your SDK to target the testnet RPC endpoints and request testnet tokens from a faucet for safe development.
5. Build a signing flow: Implement a flow where the app builds an unsigned transaction, sends it to the Ledger device for user confirmation, and receives the signed payload to broadcast.
6. Validate and broadcast: Use the portal’s validation utilities or a trusted node to broadcast transactions and monitor confirmations.
7. Security review: Follow the security checklist below before moving to production.

SDKs, APIs & Tools

The Developer Portal provides official SDKs that wrap commonly needed primitives: device connection, derivation path management, transaction serialization, signing, and helpers for popular chains (Bitcoin, Ethereum and many EVM-compatible chains). Use the SDKs to avoid low-level mistakes and to keep device interactions consistent across platforms.

Common capabilities:

• Device enumeration and secure channel setup
• Key derivation and address generation (BIP32/BIP44)
• Transaction construction and signature retrieval
• Chain-specific helpers (fees, nonce management)
• Testnet and mainnet endpoints

Security Best Practices

Ledger devices are designed so the private keys never leave the secure element. However, your integration must not undermine that guarantee. Follow these rules:

• Never ask users for their 24-word recovery phrase in your app. Ledger devices keep the phrase offline.
• Always use the official SDKs and signed firmware checks where provided by the portal.
• Use a secure channel (HTTPS/TLS) for any API communication. Validate certificates and use certificate pinning in mobile apps if appropriate.
• Limit scopes on API keys and rotate keys regularly. Store secrets in secure vaults (e.g., OS keychain, secret manager).
• Perform user device confirmation for every action that spends funds — never silently sign transactions.

Testing & Debugging Tips

• Use testnets and mock devices provided by the SDK for CI testing.
• Log only non-sensitive metadata. Never log raw signatures or private inputs.
• Automate end-to-end tests that include device confirmation flows (where possible use simulated confirmations or test harnesses).
• Validate that the address displayed on the device matches the address your app generated to prevent UI spoofing attacks.

Helpful Resources

• Official Ledger® Developer Portal documentation and changelog (check there for SDK package names and up-to-date examples).
• Sample applications and GitHub repositories linked from the portal for reference implementations.
• Community forums and developer Slack/Discord channels for integration guidance and troubleshooting.

Top 5 FAQs — Ledger® Live Wallet Developer Portal

1. How do I get API access and SDKs?

Create a developer account on the Ledger® Developer Portal, register your application, and download the SDK packages and client credentials. The portal will provide installation instructions and example code for web, Node, and mobile.

2. Can I sign transactions without a connected Ledger device?

No — signing sensitive operations must happen on a Ledger device so the private key never leaves secure hardware. For automated testing you can use simulator tools provided by the SDK, but simulators are not suitable for production.

3. Which chains are supported?

Ledger supports a wide range of chains. Check the Developer Portal’s compatibility matrix for the current list; most major chains (Bitcoin, Ethereum, major EVM chains, and many alt chains) have SDK helpers and examples.

4. How can I test integrations without risking funds?

Use testnets and faucet tokens. Configure the SDK to use testnet endpoints and validate the entire flow (address generation, signing, broadcasting) on test networks before switching to mainnet.

5. What are the common reasons a transaction is rejected by the device?

Transactions are rejected when the device detects malformed data, mismatched addresses, or an attempt to sign a transaction that doesn’t match the displayed parameters. Ensure your transaction building logic matches the chain’s serialization rules and that the device prompts match the intended transaction details.