Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™ Developer Portal

A friendly developer guide to understand Ledger Live basics, integrate with the Developer Portal, and get your first flows working securely.

Overview

Ledger Live is a desktop and mobile wallet that interacts with Ledger hardware devices to securely manage accounts, sign transactions, and display transaction metadata. The Developer Portal exposes SDKs, APIs, and documentation so application developers can integrate Ledger functionality into their apps, wallets, and services.

Why this guide

This post walks you through the core concepts you need as a developer: accounts, device connection, signing flows, and where to find resources in the Developer Portal. Sample steps and code snippets are included to shorten your ramp-up time.

Audience

This is for frontend and backend developers building crypto-native applications, wallet integrators, and anyone who needs to understand how Ledger Live exposes secure signing flows to third-party apps.

Quick checklist

Getting started — Step by step

1. Register and explore the Developer Portal

Sign up for a developer account so you can access API keys, SDK downloads, and sandbox examples. The portal hosts guides for Ledger Live integrations and sample code for common use cases.

2. Install Ledger Live and connect a device

Download Ledger Live on your target platform and connect a Ledger device (e.g., Ledger Nano S Plus, Nano X). Follow the security prompts on the hardware device for PIN and recovery phrase setup.

3. SDK and environment

Choose your SDK: for typical web integrations, the JavaScript SDK is recommended. For more advanced flows, native SDKs are available. Install with the package manager of your choice and include examples.

4. Account discovery & permissions

Your app should request permission to discover accounts and read public keys. The hardware wallet displays an approval prompt for any sensitive operation — design your UX to explain why those approvals are needed.

5. Signing transactions

Transactions are prepared in your app and passed to the device for signing. Only the device knows the private key: the app receives a signature and broadcasts the transaction to the network.

Code snippet (JS demo)

This is a minimal, illustrative snippet — adapt it using your chosen SDK/version.

// illustrative only — replace with official SDK import in production
async function connectAndSign() {
  // 1. Discover device & request accounts
  const device = await ledger.connect();          // pseudo-API
  const accounts = await device.getAccounts();    // returns public keys
  // 2. Build tx
  const tx = buildTransaction({from: accounts[0], to: "0xabc...", value: "0.01"});
  // 3. Request signature on device
  const signature = await device.signTransaction(tx);
  // 4. Broadcast
  await network.broadcast({rawTx: signature.signedTx});
  return signature;
}

Ten colorful office links

Replace # with your target URLs (docs, internal dashboards, tickets, or portal pages).

🏢 Office Link 1 📁 Office Link 2 🧭 Office Link 3 📚 Office Link 4 🛠 Office Link 5 🔒 Office Link 6 ⚡ Office Link 7 🔗 Office Link 8 🧾 Office Link 9 ✅ Office Link 10

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need a Ledger hardware device to use the Developer Portal?

Short answer:

No — you can browse docs and SDKs without a device. To test signing and secure flows end-to-end you will need a Ledger device (or a trusted simulator if available in the portal).

Q: Where can I find the SDK and sample code?

Short answer:

The Developer Portal includes download links, GitHub repositories, and step-by-step guides for SDKs (JavaScript, Rust, etc.). Use the sample projects to clone and run local demos.

Q: How does device signing work?

Short answer:

Your app constructs the transaction data. It is sent to the Ledger device where the user approves it. The device returns a cryptographic signature — the app broadcasts the signed transaction to the network. The private key never leaves the device.

Q: Can I automate tests that require approvals?

Short answer:

Automated tests that require manual button presses are limited; the Developer Portal may provide emulators or instructions for CI-friendly flows. Always follow secure testing practices to avoid exposing secrets.

Q: What are common pitfalls for new integrators?

Short answer:

  • Not handling device disconnects gracefully.
  • Assuming network broadcast is immediate — always handle retries and confirmations.
  • Not providing clear UI prompts explaining why the user must confirm on their device.

Quick reference & best practices

  1. Use official SDKs from the Developer Portal and pin versions in production.
  2. Use strong UX to explain signing steps and why hardware approvals are needed.
  3. Never store mnemonics or private keys in plaintext; rely on Ledger for key custody.
  4. Log actions for observability but avoid logging sensitive fields.
  5. Use testnets and sandbox environments before mainnet integration.

Example: handling device disconnect (pseudo)

try {
  await device.connect();
} catch (err) {
  // notify user with clear next steps
  showToast("Ledger device not found. Make sure it's connected and unlocked.");
}