Trezor Suite Developer Portal | Start Your Journey

Why develop for Trezor Suite?

Trezor is a hardware-first approach to protecting cryptographic keys and user funds. Building on top of Trezor Suite lets you combine hardware security with powerful desktop and web wallet features. Whether you're adding an integration, building a plugin, or crafting a dApp that uses hardware-backed signatures, the developer portal unlocks safe, auditable interactions with Trezor devices.

Quick start: your first hour

This section is a tight one-hour plan to get you from zero to a working prototype.

0–10 minutes: Prepare your environment

Unbox your Trezor device, install Trezor Bridge or connect with the Suite. For development you'll want:

• A modern OS (Windows/Mac/Linux)
• Node.js (LTS recommended)
• A code editor (VS Code recommended)

10–30 minutes: Explore official docs and SDKs

Read the API references, check the examples, and clone a simple demo repository. The docs explain how to detect devices, request addresses, and sign transactions.

30–60 minutes: Run a sample

Clone an example repo, plug in the device, build and run. Confirm you can retrieve a public address and sign a test message. This basic flow ensures your development environment and device are cooperating.

Core concepts: what you need to know

Device discovery & communication

Trezor devices expose a standardized transport and protocol. Browser-based flows typically use WebUSB (or a native bridge), while desktop apps often communicate via native APIs. Familiarize yourself with the message flow: request -> user confirmation on device -> device response.

Security model

Trezor's security hinges on isolating private keys inside the device. All signing requests are displayed to the user on the device screen before confirmation. As a developer you must minimize what you ask the device to sign and present clear, auditable intent to users.

Best practices

1. Always show the exact transaction details in your UI before sending a signing request.
2. Use derivation paths responsibly and follow BIP standards when requesting addresses.
3. Do not store private keys or raw backup data outside the secure device.

Sample code: sign a message (Node.js)

// Minimal pseudo-example to illustrate flow (replace with official SDK calls)
const TrezorConnect = require('trezor-connect').default;

async function signMessage() {
  await TrezorConnect.init({ manifest: { email: 'dev@example.com', appUrl: 'https://your.app' }});
  const response = await TrezorConnect.signMessage({
    path: "m/44'/0'/0'/0/0",
    message: "Hello from my app"
  });

  if (response.success) {
    console.log("Signature:", response.payload.signature);
  } else {
    console.error("Error:", response.payload.error);
  }
}

Replace the sample with official SDK code & initialization per the documentation for production (the sample above is intentionally minimal).

Testing & QA

Use a separate test account and testnet funds when performing integration tests. Automate device tests where possible — but remember some user flows require physical confirmation, which must be tested manually.

Continuous integration

Write unit tests for all business logic; factor out cryptographic calls so they can be mocked. Maintain an integration test plan that includes device confirmations, error recovery, and firmware mismatch cases.

Release checklist

Before shipping

• Confirm compatibility with latest Trezor Suite versions
• Test major OS and browser combos
• Document the UX and fallback flows (e.g., Bridge not installed)
• Security review — ensure you do not leak sensitive data

User support

Provide clear troubleshooting steps and link to official support resources. Common issues include device firmware mismatches, blocked USB permissions, and outdated Bridge/Suite installs.

Official resources (10 links)

Below are 10 official or authoritative resources to bookmark. Each link is styled so you can quickly spot it in your editor or site:

Common pitfalls & how to avoid them

1. Asking for broad permissions

Only request what you need. Asking for broad signing rights or multiple paths at once increases attack surface and will confuse users.

2. Poor UX around confirmations

Device screens are small. Summarize transaction amounts and key fields in your UI and let the device display the full canonical details for user verification.

3. Not handling device detach/attach

Gracefully handle device disconnects: show an explanatory modal and provide a retry. Avoid leaving the user in a blocked state.

Next steps and learning path

After you finish a prototype:

1. Write docs for your integration so others can reproduce it.
2. Open-source small helpers (if licensing allows) — the community benefits from well-documented adapters.
3. Engage with the community on GitHub and official channels to gather feedback and report issues.