Trezor Suite® – Getting Started™ Developer Portal

Quick summary: Trezor Suite is the official desktop and mobile companion application for Trezor hardware wallets. The Suite provides secure transaction signing, portfolio management, swap and buy integrations, and serves as the canonical integration point for third-party developers looking to build secure experiences around Trezor devices. For developers, the Suite exposes libraries, docs, and patterns (for example Trezor Connect) to integrate hardware-backed signing into web and native apps. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Why a Developer Portal for Trezor Suite?

Hardware wallets are the foundation of private-key security — they hold the secrets and prevent unauthorized signing. A Developer Portal focused on Trezor Suite gives engineers the information they need to:

• Understand Suite architecture and where third-party integrations belong.
• Learn how to use Trezor Connect and the JavaScript SDK for browser/native integrations. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
• Follow verified download and verification procedures so users remain protected from tampered builds. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• Adopt security best practices around UX prompts, firmware update flows, and host-side verification.

Who should read this guide?

This guide is written for web and mobile engineers, product managers, and wallet integrators who want to:

1. Integrate a Trezor signing flow into a web application.
2. Embed Suite-like features in companion desktop apps.
3. Build merchant checkout flows that rely on a Trezor device for custody or approvals.

Getting started: architecture overview

Trezor Suite splits responsibilities across a small set of layers: the hardware device (Model One, Model T, Safe family), the firmware on the device, the host bridge (or mobile Bluetooth stack), the Suite application (desktop / web / mobile), and integration SDKs (Connect). Recognizing each layer clearly is crucial — signing decisions happen on-device and must never be bypassed by host logic.

Core components

1. Hardware & firmware

The Trezor device stores the seed and performs cryptographic operations. Firmware updates are delivered and applied via the Suite; developers should design flows that never send raw seeds to the host and always require explicit user confirmation on the device.

2. Host (Suite / Bridge / Mobile)

The host communicates with the device via USB/U2F, WebUSB, or Bluetooth (depending on device model). For browsers, Trezor Connect is the recommended path: it abstracts transport details and provides a secure RPC-style surface for requesting signatures, derivations, and device info. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

3. Integration layer (Trezor Connect & SDKs)

Trezor Connect exposes calls like `getPublicKey`, `signTransaction`, and `encryptMessage`. Use Connect's explorer and documentation to test calls and see live examples before writing production code. The official Suite docs contain package-level guidance and example flows for common wallets. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Step-by-step: building a simple web integration

Below we walk through a minimal web app flow: connect → request public key → create a transaction → request signature → broadcast. This is a canonical pattern for web wallets and merchant integrations.

Prerequisites

• A Trezor hardware device (Model One, Model T, or Safe family).
• Trezor Suite installed and verified or use Trezor Connect in hosted mode for web. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
• Basic web development environment (Node, static server).

Example: minimal client code (JavaScript)

/* Minimal Trezor Connect example (browser)
  - Import the connect bundle
  - Request public key
  - Create sign request
*/
(async function(){
  // 1) Load Trezor Connect (recommended from official)
  const script = document.createElement('script');
  script.src = 'https://connect.trezor.io/9/trezor-connect.js'; // use official versioning in prod
  document.head.appendChild(script);
  script.onload = async () => {
    // Initialize
    TrezorConnect.init({ manifest: { email: 'dev@example.com', appUrl: 'https://your.app' } });

    // 2) Request public key
    const pub = await TrezorConnect.getPublicKey({path: "m/44'/0'/0'/0/0"});
    console.log('public key', pub);

    // 3) Sign transaction (pseudo)
    const signed = await TrezorConnect.signBitcoinTransaction({
      inputs: [...],
      outputs: [...]
    });

    console.log('signed tx', signed);
  };
})();
      

Security best practices (developer checklist)

1. Never assume device state

Always query device information before requesting an operation. If a device returns a different fingerprint/serial than expected, require re-authentication.

2. Sign only prepared data

Prepare and display transaction details server-side or in a secure renderer so the user can review them on-device. Avoid constructing transactions solely on untrusted client code.

3. Keep user experience clear

The device confirmation screen is the final authority—UI flows should clearly map the host's action to the device prompt so users understand why they must confirm.

Advanced topics

WalletConnect & external dapps

Trezor Suite supports WalletConnect for connecting dapps through a secure channel. If you’re building a dapp expecting hardware wallets, offer WalletConnect support as an alternate integration so Suite users can connect without browser extensions. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Multi-signature, merchant & enterprise flows

Multi-sig flows frequently combine a Suite-hosted signer with server-side co-signers or vault policies. Document the UX for co-signers clearly and automate fallbacks for offline approvals.

Testing & CI

Automated integration tests should include:

• Emulated signing flows (where possible)
• Retry and transport-failure simulation (USB disconnects, WebUSB errors)
• End-to-end acceptance with a testnet or staged environment

Developer resources (links & tools)

Below are the authoritative resources and entry points — save them and use official docs and downloads for production builds. The Suite docs are the canonical developer reference; Trezor Connect docs and the official guides explain device and firmware flows. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Design pattern: safe UX during signing

Principles

Make device confirmation meaningful:

• Show the exact amount, fees, recipient, and purpose on the host UI and on-device if available.
• Use deterministic, easy-to-validate serialization so the device and host agree on the signable payload.
• Support a "safe preview" where the user sees a human-friendly explanation before connecting the device.

Sample UX flow

1) User clicks "Send" → 2) App displays final transaction summary → 3) User connects Trezor → 4) The host requests signature via Connect → 5) Device displays details and asks for physical confirmation → 6) Signed transaction returned and broadcast.

Troubleshooting & common pitfalls

USB & WebUSB quirks

Browsers and OS combinations sometimes require additional permissions for WebUSB or the Bridge. Provide clear troubleshooting docs and fallbacks (e.g., native Suite desktop app vs. web-hosted mode). :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}

Firmware mismatches

If a host requests a capability the device's firmware doesn't support, the flow should fail gracefully and surface a clear upgrade path (link to firmware update guides).

Publishing & compliance

If your product distributes a modified Suite fork or bundles a hardware-integration, ensure you:

• Follow the official verification recommendations (checksums, signatures) when redistributing binaries. :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
• Document any third-party cryptography you add and obtain necessary audits for compliance-sensitive deployments.
• Offer transparent instructions for users to independently verify the authenticity of your build and the underlying firmware.

Wrap-up: launching with confidence

Building on Trezor Suite means combining strong device-side cryptography with thoughtful host UX and well-documented integration layers like Trezor Connect. Use the official docs, follow the security checklist above, and test on mainnet only when your testnet/staging flows are stable. The Official Suite docs and guides are the best starting point for everything covered here. :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}