Developer Controlled Wallets

Welcome to the dynamic world of Web3. Whether you're a seasoned blockchain enthusiast or stepping into the decentralized sphere for the first time, this guide tailored for Developer-Controlled Wallets using Circle's Developer Services Console awaits.

Harness the power of Web3 technology to provide an unparalleled experience for your users, while maintaining full control and enhanced security over their wallets. Let's take a peek at the standout features that make the Developer Services Console an irresistible choice for your application

Before you get started, ensure that you have:

• Have a Developer Services account

• Created your API key

• (Optional) Install the applicable Server-side SDK (required if you register Entity Secret via SDK)

  Node.jsPython

  Node.js

  // Developer Controlled Wallets
  npm install @circle-fin/developer-controlled-wallets --save
  // User Controlled Wallets
  npm install @circle-fin/user-controlled-wallets --save
  // Contracts
  npm install @circle-fin/smart-contract-platform --save
  

  CopyCopied!

The Entity Secret is an integral component in Developer-Controlled Wallets, serving as a key element in bolstering security.

The Entity Secret is a robust 32-byte key engineered to enhance the security mechanisms of Developer Controlled Wallets. Its value lies not only in its complexity but also in the specific security benefits it confers.

The Entity Secret embodies the level of trust and authority that our platform confers upon developers. It enables smooth access to the extensive capabilities of developer-controlled wallets, while simultaneously ensuring their security is maintained. However, great power necessitates equally great responsibility. The safeguarding, encryption, and periodic renewal of the Entity Secret are duties that rest with you, the developer.

This dynamic of empowering developers while also entrusting them with critical security tasks reflects the core principles of decentralization intrinsic to the web3 ecosystem. As a developer, you're more than a creator; you assume the role of a guardian of security and a proponent of distributed authority.

import { generateEntitySecret } from '@circle-fin/developer-controlled-wallets'
// This will print a new entity secret in the terminal
generateEntitySecret()

With your Entity Secret now created, we're ready to advance to a critical juncture. You're about to convert the Entity Secret into Ciphertext and register it with the system. This process sets the stage for you to create your first wallet—a milestone to look forward to.

Begin by acquiring your entity's public key. This key is retrievable via our APIs and is instrumental in the upcoming steps. To obtain it, use your API key for authentication. The entity's public key plays a crucial role as it encrypts your Entity Secret. Once encrypted, the Entity Secret remains secure, ensuring the information is shared exclusively between you and the platform, keeping it out of reach from outsiders.

After obtaining the public key, the next step involves using RSA encryption to secure your Entity Secret. Follow these steps:

1. 1

   Encrypt the Entity Secret

   Employ RSA encryption with the public key to encrypt your Entity Secret. This cryptographic process ensures that the secret is encoded in such a way that only someone with the private key can decrypt it.

2. 2

   Encode as Base64

   After encryption, convert the encrypted data into Base64 format. Encoding in Base64 ensures the encrypted data can be safely conveyed and interpreted in various contexts, including those that may not handle binary data well.

3. 3

   Verify the Ciphertext Length

   Ensure that the generated Ciphertext is 684 characters in length. This specific length confirms the encryption process has been executed properly and that the data will be maintained correctly upon receipt.

The code provided will assist in automating this encryption process, generating a unique Entity Secret Ciphertext every time it is executed. The resulting Ciphertext is what you'll use to interact securely with the platform's API when performing operations that require it.

// npm install node-forge -S

import forge from "node-forge";

const entitySecret = forge.util.hexToBytes('YOUR_ENTITY_SECRET');

const publicKey = forge.pki.publicKeyFromPem('YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY');

const encryptedData = publicKey.encrypt(entitySecret, 'RSA-OAEP', { md: forge.md.sha256.create(), mgf1: { md: forge.md.sha256.create(), }, });

console.log(forge.util.encode64(encryptedData)) 

You can register your Entity Secret in two ways: using the SDK, or using the Circle Console. The registration links your Entity Secret with your developer account, ensuring that you can confidently manage wallet creation and transactions with the assurance of robust security measures in place.

You can use the sample code below as a guide to register your Entity Secret Ciphertext using the SDK.

import { registerEntitySecretCiphertext } from '@circle-fin/developer-controlled-wallets'

const response = await registerEntitySecretCiphertext({
  apiKey: '<api-key>',
  entitySecret: '<new-entity-secret>',
})
console.log(response.data?.recoveryFile)

You can use the Configurator Page in Developer Services Console to register your Entity Secret Ciphertext.

By meticulously completing the registration and protection of your Entity Secret, you've not only guaranteed the security of your key but also laid down a bedrock of trust for all activities involving our developer-controlled wallets. We prioritize the safety of your data and are committed to providing a seamless and secure user experience.

Welcome to a foundational step in utilizing our Developer Services: initiating your first API call to construct a WalletSet. We'll guide you through the process and clarify what a WalletSet entails within our platform.

A WalletSet within our ecosystem is a sophisticated grouping of wallets, securely tied together by a singular cryptographic key. Leveraging the Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) wallet technology, WalletSets offer an enhanced way to handle wallet management that spans multiple blockchain networks. This is particularly relevant for Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible blockchains, where it is common for wallets on different networks to share the same address, thanks to the underlying technology.

As we approach the creation of your inaugural WalletSet, it's important to comprehend a critical aspect of our APIs: idempotency keys.

Idempotency is a fundamental concept which guarantees that an operation is repeatable without changing the outcome. This concept is extremely important in API requests to make sure that if a request is accidentally sent more than once, it doesn't result in duplicate operations.

Consider situations like an unstable internet connection leading to multiple unintentional request submissions, or a user who accidentally activates a command several times. Without idempotency, such events might cause numerous unwanted operations.

To prevent this, an idempotency key is used. Each request includes a distinct key that, when recognized by the server within a certain timeframe as a repeat submission, prevents the repeated processing of that request. This mechanism is crucial to preserving the integrity of your operations, ensuring that only intended actions are carried out.

Now that we've got the concept of idempotency covered, let's look at creating your WalletSet.

Let's create our first wallet set!

For a comprehensive overview of each transaction you execute with Circle's Web3 APIs, the Developer Services Console provides detailed access to API logs. By examining these logs, you gain valuable visibility into how your application interacts with Circle APIs, which can be pivotal for various aspects including troubleshooting, performance optimization, and security oversight by highlighting any abnormal activities. For detailed records of your API interactions, please refer to the API Logs section.

Within the scope of our Quickstart guide, the API log is indispensable for gaining insights into specific API calls and the objects that are created as a result. Think of the API log as a detailed record that allows you to retrieve the unique IDs of objects that have been generated, especially when these IDs are needed for subsequent API interactions. API logs are a crucial educational resource that simplify the debugging process and help you methodically comprehend the intricacies of the API's operations. Hence, the API log is not only instrumental in improving operational workflows but also serves as a valuable asset for your development projects.

Ah, the most exhilarating phase: shaping your very first developer-controlled wallet in the vastness of web3. With your prepped API key and Entity Secret Ciphertext, we're only a few steps away from crafting a masterpiece. Let's dive right in!

In web3, a wallet isn't just a storage mechanism for digital tokens or NFTs, but the very essence of user interactions on the blockchain. Essentially, it's a blend of a unique address and accompanying metadata stored on the blockchain.

For developer-controlled wallets:

With that foundational knowledge, let's get to the hands-on part.

To create a wallet you use the following parameters:

And there you have it! By the end of this step, you'll have fully functional developer-controlled wallets, ready to shape web3 experiences.

Now that you have a wallet that contains some Testnet tokens, let's dive into initiating your first transaction. It's simpler than you might think, especially with our streamlined approach.

Before we can proceed, we need to determine the tokenId. You can do this by retrieving the token balances for your wallet.

Key Transaction Parameters:

The preceding parameters are just the essentials for initiating a transaction. The endpoint offers a richer, more detailed configuration to cater to a variety of transaction types. For a comprehensive list of the supported parameters, see the official documentation.

Once you've validated your transaction and everything checks out, you're all set. Transactions on the blockchain are immutable, meaning once they're validated, they cannot be reversed or altered. So, always double-check before sending!

After initiating a transaction through our API, you can look up the transaction hash on the Dev Controlled Wallets Transactions page for in the Developer Services Console. The transaction hash is a unique identifier for your transaction.

You can validate transactions in multiple ways:

• Developer Services Console
• Blockchain Explorer

Your journey with us doesn't stop here. There's so much more to discover und dive into:

Engage, Build, Share! Dive into our forums, share your feedback, and keep an eye out for exciting challenges and hackathons. Your unique perspective and skills are valuable, and we're eager to see the innovations you'll introduce to our growing ecosystem.

Before you embark further on your journey, we'd love to hear from you. Your feedback shapes the future of our platform and helps us provide a better experience for all developers.

What did you love about the process? Was there something you wish was different? Every insight, no matter how small, matters to us.

Thank you for your trust, dedication, and enthusiasm. Here's to the next chapter in your web3 journey and the marvelous innovations you'll bring forth.

Happy Building! 🚀

Next: Explore more Quickstarts