Ledger® Live Wallet – Getting Started™ Developer Portal

A colourful, practical developer guide: install, integrate, secure, and ship Ledger Live (Ledger Wallet) integrations.

Overview

This guide helps engineers and product designers integrate with Ledger Live (now often referenced as Ledger Wallet), explore the Ledger Developer Portal, and build secure UX that interacts with Ledger devices. It covers the architecture, installing the client, API patterns, UX best practices for wallet flows, device communication essentials, and security checks. Use the links panel to jump to official docs and downloads.

Core developer resources live on the Ledger Developer Portal — a hub for device app docs, Ledger Live (Wallet) integration guides, SDKs and submission requirements. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Who this is for

  • Frontend engineers building wallet integrations or dApp connectors.
  • Backend teams adding account synchronisation or transaction relays.
  • Product designers shipping Ledger-native UX patterns (connect, sign, confirm flows).
  • Security engineers reviewing seed handling and firmware rules.

What you'll need

  1. A Ledger device (Nano S+, Nano X, Stax or Flex) and the latest firmware.
  2. Ledger Wallet / Ledger Live installed for device management and app install. (Always download from ledger.com.) :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
  3. Basic knowledge of web3 / blockchain APIs for the chain(s) you support.
  4. Node.js toolchain for build scripts and optional Ledger CLI tooling.

Install & First Run (Developer-friendly)

Follow the official download page to install Ledger Wallet safely — avoid third-party builds and unknown APKs. Ledger's support pages include step-by-step installers for macOS, Windows, Linux and mobile apps. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Quick install steps

  1. Visit the official download page and choose your OS.
  2. Install the app and open My Ledger to install device apps.
  3. Connect and unlock your Ledger device with the PIN.
  4. Install the app(s) for the chains you plan to develop for (e.g., Ethereum, Solana).

CLI & Dev tools

Ledger provides CLI tooling and npm packages (for build/test). These accelerate local device testing and reproducible builds. You can find packages like @ledgerhq/live-cli on npm to automate parts of integration and CI flows. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Example: check a device from terminal

$ npx @ledgerhq/live-cli help
# lists commands: device list, install app, get version

Architecture & Integration Patterns

Ledger Live acts as a secure manager and user-facing UI which coordinates with hardware devices (Ledger signers). There are three common integration pillars:

1. Accounts / Chain integration

Integrate at the accounts layer to expose balances, transactions, and history. Ledger Live's accounts model standardizes how balances and operations appear. See the official "Adding your blockchain" docs for requirements (derivation paths, operation types, explorer links). :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

2. Discover / Live Apps (in-app dApps)

Ledger Live supports discoverable apps (Live Apps) where services surface inside the wallet. For discoverability, follow Ledger's UX, privacy and data handling guidelines in the developer portal.

3. Device App / Firmware considerations

If your integration calls for an on-device app (C / Rust), follow device app submission and deliverables guidance (documentation, tests, and signing). The device documentation includes build systems and a submission checklist. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Example flow: sign a transaction

  1. Backend constructs an unsigned transaction and returns it to the frontend.
  2. Frontend sends request to Ledger Live or directly to WebUSB/WebHID connector.
  3. Ledger device displays transaction details; user confirms on-device.
  4. Signed transaction is broadcast by the application or backend relay.

Security Guidance & Best Practices

Security is central. Never ask users for seed phrases, and never build flows that require entering private recovery words. Ledger strongly warns users to download official apps and avoid fake installers — attacks impersonating Ledger apps have targeted macOS users. Always emphasise this in your UX and onboarding text. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Key security rules for your product

  • Never request the 24-word seed phrase in-app or via email.
  • Use on-device confirmation for sensitive operations (change address, large transfers).
  • Pin and firmware checks — instruct users to keep firmware and Ledger Wallet updated.
  • Use secure channels (HTTPS/TLS) and verify transaction payloads before sending to device.
  • Minimize the scope of signing requests; show readable summaries for users to review on-device.

UX copy examples (do's and don'ts)

Do: "Confirm the transaction on your Ledger device. Never share your recovery phrase with anyone."

Don't: "Please paste your 24-word phrase to continue." (This is a common scam prompt.)

Developer Checklist — Ship ready

Pre-submission

  • Follow the documentation format required in the portal (introduction, install, setup, accounts view, receive/send, edge cases). :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
  • Automated tests that exercise signing and account balance computations.
  • UI screenshots showing flows on Ledger Live and device prompts.
  • Privacy policy and support contact for end users.

Release

  1. Create a developer account on the Ledger Developer Portal and submit packages per their instructions.
  2. Follow the submission checklist (deliverables, documentation, install instructions, and test plan). :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
  3. Once approved, list integration in relevant discoverability sections of Ledger Live if applicable.
Tip

Keep a changelog and versioned API docs to make future audits easier for Ledger and your users.

Practical Examples & Code Snippets

Connect to a Ledger device (web example)

Below is a minimal WebHID/WebUSB approach (pseudocode simplified for clarity):

// request device, then use transport to communicate
import TransportWebUSB from "@ledgerhq/hw-transport-webusb";
import AppEth from "@ledgerhq/hw-app-eth";

async function connect() {
  const transport = await TransportWebUSB.create();
  const eth = new AppEth(transport);
  const addr = await eth.getAddress("44'/60'/0'/0/0");
  console.log(addr);
}

Signing flow (high level)

  1. Build raw transaction payload on backend.
  2. Send payload to frontend; request signature via Ledger transport (WebUSB / WebHID / Bridge).
  3. User approves on device; signed payload returns to frontend.
  4. Send signed payload to blockchain via your node or provider.
Note

Transport libraries and hardware-specific app APIs are maintained by Ledger and community packages — always align versions with the developer portal recommendations.

UX Patterns — Make users feel safe

Good UX reduces fraud and support churn. Use clear copy, progress states, and on-device preview screens so users can inspect important transaction details before approving.

Guidelines

  • Show risk-level badges for unusually large transactions.
  • Show device pairing state prominently and check for firmware mismatches.
  • Explain why a device prompt is required (e.g., "Confirm on your Ledger device to sign this transfer").
  • Provide an obvious 'cancel' path while the device prompt is pending.

Resources (10 Official & Useful Links)

Tip: Bookmark developer docs and check them when updating your integration — Ledger updates device/SDK requirements periodically.

Final notes: This guide is a practical starting point — always follow the latest instructions on the Ledger Developer Portal and Ledger support pages before shipping. If you're integrating an on-device app, carefully review the submission checklist and tests required by Ledger. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}