Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™ Developer Portal

Introduction

Ledger’s Wallet (formerly Ledger Live) and the Ledger Developer Portal provide the foundation to build secure, user-trusted integrations between hardware signers and web or native applications. This guide introduces core concepts — how to get started with the Developer Portal, enable developer mode, build Live Apps using the Wallet API, and follow submission guidelines for device apps — with practical links and a clear structure using semantic headings (H1–H5).

Quick start

Install Ledger Wallet and prepare a device

To develop and test integrations you will need the Ledger Wallet app and a compatible Ledger signer device. Install the Ledger Wallet application from the official Ledger download page, then ensure your signer device firmware is up to date. Use a seeded test account or testnet funds while developing — never expose real seed phrases in logs or debug output.

Enable Developer Mode (H3)

Developer Mode reveals features such as the Discover/Developer tab and lets you load Live Apps for testing. The Developer Portal documents the exact steps to enable developer mode and create a Live App manifest.

Core checklist (H4)

• Download Ledger Wallet app and confirm official publisher.
• Enable developer mode on Ledger Wallet.
• Create a manifest and register a Live App for Discover testing.
• Use the Wallet API client library to talk to Ledger Wallet from your web app.

Architecture overview

Integrations typically include three layers: the web or native client (Live App), Ledger Wallet (user agent), and the Ledger signer hardware which securely signs transactions. The Wallet API provides a secure channel between the Live App and the user's Ledger Wallet instance, which brokers secure interactions with the signer.

Live Apps vs Device Apps

Live Apps run inside Ledger Wallet's Discover section and provide UI-driven experiences. Device Apps run on the Ledger device firmware and must follow Ledger’s app submission and security guidelines. Both have different submission flows, deliverables, and review checkpoints.

Security principles (H4)

• Never request a seed phrase from a user; treat seed phrases as absolute secrets.
• Signatures and approvals must always be explicit to the user on the device screen.
• Validate all transaction data on the client and device-side when possible.

Developer Portal & APIs

Ledger’s Developer Portal hosts docs, tutorials, API references, and the submission process. Start by reading the Wallet API Client introduction and the Live App creation tutorial to understand the request-response model used by Live Apps.

Wallet API basics

The Wallet API client wraps socket or HTTP-based channels for the Ledger Wallet to communicate with your Live App. Use the client library and follow the example Live App to reliably request signing operations, ask user consent, and handle errors gracefully.

Good dev practices (H5)

• Keep the UX flow short — signing prompts should show concise but complete information to the user.
• Implement retries and robust error handling for timeouts and device disconnects.
• Log telemetry only when explicitly permitted (never log secrets).

Submission & publishing

Follow Ledger’s documentation for the app submission process. Documentation deliverables typically include a short app description, installation steps, setup instructions, supported assets, and security rationale. For Live Apps, create the required manifest and testing endpoints; for Device Apps, follow the device app deliverable checklist and install/test instructions.

Testing & certification

Ensure cross-platform testing for desktop and mobile Ledger Wallet versions, and validate signing UX with multiple asset types. Ledger’s review process may request additional information — be responsive and supply reproducible test cases.

Release checklist (H4)

• Complete documentation deliverables.
• Provide test accounts and steps.
• Confirm UX and security expectations are met on device screens.

10 Official Ledger links (useful)

Closing guidance

When building with Ledger, prioritize user safety and clear device confirmations. Use testnets, never log secrets, and maintain a minimal, transparent UX for signing flows. The Developer Portal and official docs are your single source of truth for submission requirements and code samples — always prefer the latest official docs when in doubt.

Next steps (H5)

• Read the Wallet API intro and Live App tutorial.
• Enable developer mode and create a manifest.
• Iterate on UX and device confirmation flows, then submit for review.