Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™

Developer Portal: A Practical Introduction

Presenting a concise guide for developers integrating with Ledger Live

This presentation walks through the fundamentals of Ledger Live Wallet via the Developer Portal — from account setup and security-first architecture to API usage, transaction flows and best practices. Each slide is structured with headings (H1 → H5) so you can easily reuse the HTML content in documentation, slides or a developer knowledge base.

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Why integrate with Ledger Live?

Trust, security and a wide user base

Ledger’s value proposition

Security-first hardware and software

Ledger Live pairs a user-facing wallet application with Ledger hardware devices to provide secure key storage and transaction signing. For developers, integrating with Ledger Live gives access to a trusted signing surface, improved user onboarding, and a familiar UX for end users already using Ledger devices. Use cases include DApps that want on-device signing, custodial services validating user-held keys, and exchanges offering cold-storage flows to their clients.

From a developer standpoint, you gain the ability to rely on Ledger’s ecosystem: verified transaction signing, deterministic address generation (BIP standards), and a consistent multi-asset UX. The Developer Portal offers documentation, example code, API references, and SDKs to streamline integration.

Getting started

First steps for developers

Create an account on the Developer Portal

Register, explore docs, obtain API keys (if required)

Begin by visiting Ledger’s Developer Portal and creating a developer account. Confirm your email and explore the portal sections: API references, SDK downloads, integration guides and sample projects. Some integration paths require API keys or OAuth credentials — follow the portal instructions to request access and set the necessary webhooks or callback URIs.

Prepare a sandbox or testnet environment for development and QA. Ledger supports test networks and simulated devices to validate flows without risking real funds. Always keep a clear separation between test and production credentials to prevent accidental exposure of keys or user data.

Core concepts

Key entities and flows

Accounts, devices, transactions, and policies

Understand what each piece represents

Accounts: representations of user wallets for each asset. Devices: Ledger hardware that stores private keys and signs transactions. Transactions: structured payloads prepared by your application and signed by the device. Policies: rules for transaction validation and risk management (e.g., transaction limits, allowed destinations).

Familiarize yourself with the device lifecycle: pairing, key derivation (BIP32/BIP44), device firmware updates, and user confirmations. These steps influence the UX and require careful error handling in your integration code so the user knows what to expect at each stage.

Architectural patterns

How to design your integration

Client-side vs server-side responsibilities

Keep private keys off servers — use the device

Best practice: private keys must never be transmitted or stored by your servers. Instead, prepare unsigned transactions server-side (or client-side), then send the payload to the client to request signing via Ledger Live / the hardware device. Only signed payloads (or signed operations) should be sent to the network or relayed to third-party services.

Design patterns include a lightweight client that handles device pairing and signing, while servers manage business logic, broadcasting transactions, and persistent state. Use secure channels (HTTPS/TLS) and validate all user inputs. Provide clear instructions and fallback options for firmware updates or device connectivity issues.

Typical transaction flow

End-to-end sequence

Construct → Review → Sign → Broadcast

User confirmation on-device is the trust boundary

1. Construct: Your application constructs an unsigned transaction (inputs, outputs, fees, metadata). 2. Review: Present a clear human-readable summary to the user for pre-approval. 3. Sign: Send the signed payload to the user’s Ledger device (or ask Ledger Live to perform the signing). The user checks the details and confirms on the device. 4. Broadcast: Take the signed transaction and broadcast it to the relevant network.

Important: make the displayed reviewable fields explicit — amount, recipient, fee, and any memo. The device display is limited; optimize messages accordingly so users can verify intent before confirming.

APIs & SDKs

Available tools and recommended libraries

Ledger SDKs, Device Protocols, and community resources

Examples: JavaScript SDKs, Ledger App SDKs, REST endpoints

Ledger publishes SDKs and libraries to interact with devices: JavaScript libraries for web integrations, native libraries for desktop apps, and the Ledger App SDK for building on-device applications. Use official SDKs where possible to stay aligned with security updates and device protocol changes. Community examples often show common patterns for transaction construction and address derivation.

When using REST APIs or JSON-RPC endpoints for network interactions, follow rate limits and use retry strategies for transient errors. Document and version your integration so your users and teammates know which SDK versions correspond to which device firmware or API versions.

UX & error handling

Designing obvious and safe interactions

Device prompts, progress states, and informative errors

Reduce user friction — be explicit about next steps

Provide clear on-screen instructions during device pairing and signing. Use progress spinners and stateful messages to communicate waiting periods: "Waiting for device", "Awaiting user confirmation", or "Broadcasting transaction". Map device error codes to friendly messages and offer actionable fixes: reconnect cable, open Ledger Live, or update firmware.

Accessibility matters: include keyboard navigation, screen-reader friendly labels, and color-contrast aware themes. Offer alternative signing flows for users without hardware devices where appropriate — but never compromise security expectations or suggest storing private keys insecurely.

Security considerations

Threat model and hardening

Protect UX, network, and user assets

Follow principle of least privilege

Threat modeling should start early. Identify trust boundaries (device vs app vs server) and reduce attack surface. Use TLS for every client-server call, enforce CSP for web apps, and ensure any third-party libraries are vetted. Monitor for dependency vulnerabilities and apply patches promptly. Encourage users to keep firmware updated and to verify device authenticity during onboarding.

For critical operations consider multi-sig, timelocks, or policy-based approvals. Keep logs for security-relevant events but avoid logging sensitive material like private keys or raw signed payloads that could be replayed in some networks.

Next steps

Where to go from here

Reading, testing and production rollout

Links, sample code and recommended practices

• Visit the Ledger Developer Portal to access SDK downloads and API references. • Clone example repositories to see working flows. • Use Ledger’s testnets and device simulators to validate signing flows before mainnet deploy.

• Create a staged rollout plan: internal QA → beta testers → public. • Document expected failure modes and recovery steps for your support teams. • Keep a changelog and lock dependency versions to ensure reproducible builds.