Introduction

Integrating with Ledger Live brings hardware-backed security and a trusted UX to your product. This document explains common integration patterns, transport mechanisms, APIs/SDKs, UX & accessibility guidance, security checkpoints, testing approaches, and the submission checklist required to ship a Live App or blockchain integration.

Whether you build a wallet, a dApp, or a service that needs on-device signing, these recommendations will help you design robust flows that respect user consent and protect private keys.

Why integrate with Ledger Live?

Ledger Live is the canonical companion application for Ledger hardware devices. Integrations let your users sign transactions on-device while keeping the UI you control. The benefits include authenticity, reduced signing errors, access to Ledger's discoverability channels, and improved trust with end users.

Common integration scenarios

Wallets & dApps

Third-party wallets or dApps may request signature operations routed through Ledger Live. Typical architecture: the dApp triggers a request → Ledger Live mediates user confirmation → hardware device performs the signature → signed payload is returned to the dApp for broadcasting.

Live Apps & embedded experiences

Ledger Live supports discoverable Live Apps and embedded flows. This lets services appear inside Ledger's UX with a curated installation and permission surface.

Custodial & enterprise integrations

Enterprise platforms often integrate via partner APIs and multi-signature patterns, combining Ledger's secure elements with backend operational tooling.

Key components & architecture

Transport & connection

Supported transports typically include USB (desktop), Bluetooth (mobile), and platform-specific bridges. Always design for connection failure and provide clear retry paths.

API surface & SDKs

Ledger publishes SDKs for common stacks. Choose the SDK that fits your stack and follow the official reference docs for serialization, canonical formats, and version compatibility.

Signing flow (high-level)

1. User initiates a signing action in your UI.
2. Your app packages a canonical payload and requests the operation from Ledger Live or the Ledger bridge.
3. Ledger Live shows the signing details and asks the user to confirm on their device.
4. The device returns a signature; your app broadcasts the transaction.

Payload hygiene

Always send human-readable labels (amount, recipient, fees) and include machine-verifiable metadata. Keep raw payloads accessible only to power users and auditors.

Security best practices

Security is the core promise of Ledger integrations. Follow these guardrails:

• Least privilege: Request only necessary permissions.
• Explicit consent: Each signature must be authorized on-device.
• Canonical serialization: Use the official formats to avoid mismatched signing semantics.
• Data integrity: Verify metadata locally, and never display opaque or truncated transaction summaries as the only source of truth.
• Audit & logging: Keep server logs for requests but never store private keys or sensitive raw payloads in logs.

UX & Accessibility

Design principles

Users must clearly understand what they sign. Keep transaction summaries short, provide expand/collapse details for advanced users, and use explicit CTAs like “Confirm on device”.

State management

Show states for Connecting, Waiting for device, Confirm on device, Signed, and Broadcasted. Offer a cancel button at every stage and provide diagnostics for failed pairs.

Localization & screen readers

Ship localized labels and ensure ARIA roles and live regions announce state changes for screen readers. Keyboard-only flows should permit connection and retry actions without a mouse.

Testing & CI

Use emulators (e.g., Speculos) and hardware-in-the-loop tests for end-to-end coverage. Automate tests that validate canonical serialization, signing flows, and connection recovery scenarios. Offer a developer mode in your app that allows safe simulated signatures for UX testing.

Submission & review checklist

When you submit a Live App or blockchain integration to the Ledger Developer Portal, expect the following required deliverables:

• Short product overview & support contact information.
• Installation and setup instructions (web & desktop where applicable).
• Security review notes and evidence of canonical serialization testing.
• Localization support details and accessibility notes.
• Automated tests and reproducible test cases (emulator + hardware).

Sample integration snippet (conceptual)

This is a simplified example showing a conceptual request to a Ledger Live bridge. Always prefer official SDKs and follow current docs for production-ready code.

// Conceptual JavaScript: request signature via Ledger Live bridge
const payload = {
  chain: 'ethereum',
  to: '0xabc123...def',
  value: '0.5',
  gasLimit: '21000',
  data: '0x'
};

async function requestSignature(payload){
  // This is a conceptual API. Use the official SDK/bridge API documented on the Developer Portal.
  const response = await window.ledgerLiveBridge.request('signTransaction', payload);
  if (response.error) throw new Error(response.error);
  return response.signature; // signature returned after hardware confirmation
}

Replace the conceptual bridge with the official Ledger SDK or bridge provided on the Ledger Developer Portal. Test signature formats against canonical examples before broadcasting to mainnet.

Operational & privacy considerations

A few operational notes:

• Offer an offline audit trail for signed operations without exposing private data.
• Use rate-limiting and anti-abuse protections on any endpoints that trigger on-device signatures to prevent automated misuse.
• Provide a support path for recovery or disputes, and clearly communicate what the support team can and cannot do regarding on-device signatures.

Checklist before launch

1. Compatibility: Confirm hardware and firmware compatibility across device models.
2. SDK: Use the latest stable SDK and lock dependencies in CI.
3. Security review: Internal and third-party audits where needed.
4. Localization: Validate all supported locales.
5. Accessibility: Run with screen readers and keyboard-only flows.
6. Telemetry & logs: Ensure no private keys or raw secrets are logged.

FAQ

Q: Can I use Ledger Live for custodial signing?

A: Ledger's device model is meant to secure private keys. For custodial flows, design around multi-party signing and partner APIs; consult Ledger’s enterprise or partner channels for appropriate integration patterns.

Q: Which chains are supported?

A: Ledger supports many chains via the Developer Portal. For exact, up-to-date lists and SDK compatibility, consult the official docs linked below.

Q: Where to get help?

A: The Ledger Developer Portal, GitHub repos, and community channels (Discord/GitHub issues) are primary support routes for developer questions.