Trezor Suite® – Getting Started™ (Developer Add-On)

Getting started — overview

Welcome to the Trezor Suite® – Getting Started™ Developer Portal: a practical, developer-centric guide that helps you integrate securely with Trezor hardware wallets and the Trezor ecosystem. This page walks you through key concepts, SDKs, REST endpoints, best practices, and troubleshooting tips so you can build, test, and ship integrations with confidence.

Why Trezor for developers

Trezor provides a robust, open approach to hardware-secure key storage. For developers, that means reliable APIs, clear documentation, and a focus on cryptographic correctness. Whether you're building an exchange, a custodial service, a trading bot, or a consumer application with secure signing, the Suite and its developer tools let you keep private keys offline while performing operations with signed transactions.

Environment & tools

Before you write code, set up a reproducible environment. Install the Trezor Suite desktop app for initial device management, get Node.js (LTS), configure your package manager, and clone the developer SDKs. Use testnets for development to avoid real-value mistakes: Ropsten, Sepolia, or Bitcoin testnet are typical choices depending on the asset. Beware of firmware versions — keep the device firmware compatible with the SDK version you target.

Authentication & key management

Trezor separates device-held keys from application logic: the device authorizes signatures and exposes a structured API for retrieving public keys. Always avoid exporting private key material. Use deterministic derivation paths, validate address generation on-device, and implement robust backup and recovery workflows within your product.

APIs, SDKs & sample workflows

The Portal includes language SDKs and examples for JavaScript, Python, and Go. Standard flows include connecting to a device, requesting a public key, creating an unsigned transaction, sending the unsigned payload to the device for signing, and broadcasting the signed transaction to the network. Each SDK wraps low-level calls and supports device discovery, pairing, and session management.

Security best practices

Assume breach of the application layer and minimize asset exposure. Use transaction review on-device to confirm recipient addresses, implement rate limiting and anomaly detection for signing requests, and never accept raw approval from unverified UIs. Protect your backend with HSMs where appropriate and keep logs tamper-evident.

Testing & continuous integration

Automate tests for signing flows using emulators and hardware-in-the-loop. Include unit tests for your transaction builders and integration tests that validate whole flows from key derivation to broadcast. Use a CI environment to run smoke tests against public testnets and create reproducible device snapshots for regression testing.

Deployment, monitoring & maintenance

When you ship, watch for edge cases: firmware updates, new derivation standards, and chain reorganizations. Instrument telemetry around signing latency, device disconnects, and unusual transaction volumes. Provide clear user flows for device recovery and ensure your support team has internal troubleshooting checklists.

Community & contribution

The developer portal is backed by community forums, GitHub repos, and RFC-style proposals for protocol additions. Submit bug reports, participate in code reviews, and propose enhancements to libraries and documentation. Open collaboration increases security by enabling peer review and reuse.

Legal & compliance

Integrations may be subject to regulatory constraints depending on your jurisdiction and the services you provide. Consult counsel on custody rules, KYC/AML obligations, and data protection laws. Keep audit trails and consent records whenever signing operations affect end users' funds.

Quick practical examples

Example: To sign a Bitcoin transaction, build inputs and outputs in your backend, create the PSBT, and send it to the Trezor device via the SDK. The device will display the amount and recipient; once approved, it returns signatures that you combine into a final transaction.

// Pseudocode — high level example
// 1. Connect / discover device
// 2. Request public key for derivation path
// 3. Create unsigned transaction / PSBT
// 4. Send to device for signing
// 5. Combine signatures and broadcast

Developer tip: Use deterministic wallets with BIP32/BIP44 paths, and make explicit choices about address types (legacy, segwit, native segwit). Provide customers with clear UI to choose address formats.

Troubleshooting: If the device does not appear, check USB permissions on desktop, or WebUSB support in browsers. For mobile, pair using Bridge or WebSocket variants supported by the SDK.

Performance: Batch read-only calls (like public key lookups) and cache verified public keys to reduce latency. For high-volume services, consider a hybrid custody model where hot wallets handle microtransactions and Trezor devices handle cold storage for large amounts.

Accessibility: Ensure your UI provides keyboard navigation and screen-reader labels for device pairing steps. Provide descriptive error messages and recovery steps for users who lose access to their devices.

Where to go from here

Start by cloning the official SDK, running the quickstart script, and connecting a test device. Use the sample apps as templates to speed up your proof-of-concept development. Bookmark the developer portal for release notes and breaking changes.