Welcome to the Trezor Suite® Developer Portal — your launchpad for connecting secure hardware wallets to modern web and desktop apps. This guide walks you through the first steps: installing tools, understanding the Suite architecture, performing a simple connection, and shipping features safely. It's written to be practical, colorful, and structured with clear headings (H1 → H5) so you can skim or deep-dive as needed.
Overview: Why the Developer Portal Matters
The Developer Portal centralizes the documentation, SDKs, and best-practice guides for integrating Trezor hardware into wallets, exchanges, dApps, or internal tooling. Trezor Suite provides the bridge between your application and the hardware device — handling transport (USB/WebUSB/WebHID), message formats, and cryptographic operations while keeping private keys offline on the device.
Trezor Suite architecture at a glance
The Suite consists of a UI shell, a backend transport layer, and a suite of cross-platform SDKs. From a developer perspective, the main pieces you interact with are:
- Transport layer — WebUSB, WebHID, or native USB (for electron apps).
- Message protocol — JSON/Protobuf-based commands (e.g., getPublicKey, signTx).
- SDKs & helpers — typed client libraries that wrap raw messages and simplify flows.
Quick start (connect in 5 minutes)
This snippet shows the minimal steps to detect and connect a Trezor device from a web app (placeholder — adapt with official SDK imports).
// pseudo-code example (adapt to official SDK)
import { TrezorConnect } from 'trezor-connect';
async function connectTrezor() {
await TrezorConnect.init({ manifest: { email: 'dev@example.com', appUrl: 'https://your.app' } });
const result = await TrezorConnect.getPublicKey({ path: "m/44'/0'/0'/0/0" });
if (result.success) {
console.log('Public key', result.payload.xpub);
} else {
console.error('Connect error', result.payload.error);
}
}
Developer flow explained
The typical developer flow includes: registering your app (manifest), initializing the SDK, handling user prompts and errors, and verifying signed outputs. Focus on UX: hardware prompts are explicit, so keep in-app messages descriptive and show progress indicators.
Best practices for safety & UX
Always verify addresses
Never assume the address shown in-app is the address on-device. Use Trezor's built-in verification modal wherever possible so users can confirm addresses on the physical screen.
Graceful error handling
Handle transport interruptions (device unplug, permission denied) gracefully. Provide actionable steps like: "Re-attach device", "Unlock device", or "Allow USB permission".
SDK and tooling choices
Choose the SDK that best matches your stack: web-first products use Trezor Connect; desktop/electron apps often use native transport libraries. Use typed clients to prevent mistakes in serialization; unit test signing flows in a controlled environment with testnet funds.
Developer examples & patterns
Below are common patterns you will implement:
Account setup flow
1) Prompt user to plug-in and unlock device. 2) Call a public-key derivation method. 3) Display addresses and allow the user to pick. 4) Store only public keys or xpubs on your servers — never private keys.
Transaction signing flow
Build transactions on the host, send the unsigned transaction to the device for signing, receive the signature, and then broadcast. Ensure nonce and fee selection flows are transparent — show absolute token amounts and fiat conversions.
Security notes
Keep these core rules in mind: (a) private keys never leave the device, (b) verify all human-readable representations on-device, (c) treat the device as the source of truth.
Testing, CI and release
Automate regression tests for flows that don't require a physical device (unit tests, mocking). For device integration tests, use a dedicated test rig or mock server that simulates responses. During release, include clear upgrade notes for users who may need firmware updates.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Common issue: Device not found
Check browser permissions (WebUSB/HID) and operating system drivers. Provide a troubleshooting modal with step-by-step actions.
Common issue: Wrong network or chain
Ensure you request the correct coin/network parameters and present them clearly to the user; different chains require different message formats.
Licensing & contribution
Follow the project's contribution guidelines. Keep crypto libraries up-to-date and track security advisories for dependencies.
Conclusion & next steps
The Trezor Suite Developer Portal is designed to help you build user-centric, secure integrations quickly. Start by initializing the SDK and performing a simple public key retrieval. Then implement address verification and transaction signing as your next milestones. Keep the UX calm and informative — hardware confirmations are intentionally secure and explicit.
Pro tip: include animated progress indicators during device operations and link users directly to troubleshooting content (use the quick links above as placeholders).