Ledger Developer Portal - Getting Started

Introduction

Welcome to the Ledger Developer Portal. This guide is designed for developers looking to integrate Ledger hardware wallets into their applications or explore blockchain security features. Ledger provides a secure and reliable platform for managing digital assets, offering comprehensive APIs and SDKs to streamline development.

Whether you are building a web application, mobile wallet, or enterprise solution, Ledger equips you with tools to ensure the security of your users’ assets while maintaining flexibility and ease of integration.

Getting Started

Before diving into development, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

A Ledger hardware wallet (Ledger Nano S or Ledger Nano X)
Ledger Live installed and configured
Basic knowledge of blockchain transactions and APIs
Development environment set up with Node.js or your preferred language

Once your hardware wallet is ready, you can explore Ledger’s APIs to interact with supported cryptocurrencies securely.

Installation & Setup

To integrate Ledger SDKs into your project, follow these steps:

Install the Ledger libraries using your package manager:

npm install @ledgerhq/hw-transport-node-hid @ledgerhq/hw-app-eth

Connect your Ledger device via USB and unlock it
Open the required app on your Ledger device (e.g., Ethereum app for ETH transactions)
Run a test script to verify the connection

const TransportNodeHid = require("@ledgerhq/hw-transport-node-hid").default;
const AppEth = require("@ledgerhq/hw-app-eth").default;

async function main() {
    const transport = await TransportNodeHid.create();
    const eth = new AppEth(transport);
    const address = await eth.getAddress("44'/60'/0'/0/0");
    console.log("Your Ledger ETH address:", address.address);
}
main();

This snippet establishes a secure connection and retrieves your Ethereum address, serving as a starting point for more advanced operations.

Best Practices

When developing with Ledger devices, keep these security practices in mind:

Never expose your private keys. Ledger ensures private keys never leave the device.
Validate all transactions before signing.
Keep your Ledger device firmware up to date.
Use official Ledger SDKs and libraries.

Following these guidelines ensures your applications are secure and reliable for end users.

Resources & Documentation

Ledger provides extensive resources for developers:

Explore SDKs for Ethereum, Bitcoin, and other supported cryptocurrencies to unlock the full potential of Ledger integration.

Next Steps

After mastering the basics, you can:

Build a custom wallet interface using Ledger SDKs
Integrate transaction signing into your web or mobile apps
Experiment with smart contract interactions
Contribute to open-source projects within the Ledger ecosystem

With Ledger, you are empowered to create secure, innovative, and user-friendly blockchain applications.