@polkadot-apps/keys

Hierarchical key derivation and session key management for Polkadot accounts.

Install

pnpm add @polkadot-apps/keys
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Peer dependencies are pulled in automatically via the monorepo workspace:

• @polkadot-apps/crypto -- symmetric encryption and HKDF
• @polkadot-apps/address -- SS58 and H160 address encoding
• @polkadot-apps/storage -- persistence for session keys
• polkadot-api -- PolkadotSigner type

Quick start

import { KeyManager } from "@polkadot-apps/keys";

// Derive a key manager from a wallet signature
const km = KeyManager.fromSignature(signature, signerAddress);

// Derive a symmetric encryption key for a specific context
const encKey = km.deriveSymmetricKey("document:abc123");

// Derive a Substrate account
const account = km.deriveAccount("voting-proxy");
console.log(account.ss58Address);
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KeyManager

Holds a 32-byte master key in memory and derives child keys via HKDF-SHA256. Does not persist anything -- persistence is the caller's responsibility.

Creating a KeyManager

From a cryptographic signature (most common). Derives the master key via HKDF-SHA256 with IKM=signature, salt=options.salt (default "polkadot-apps-keys-v1"), info=signerAddress.

import { KeyManager } from "@polkadot-apps/keys";

const km = KeyManager.fromSignature(signature, signerAddress);

// With custom salt
const km2 = KeyManager.fromSignature(signature, signerAddress, {
  salt: "my-app-v2",
});
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The signature parameter accepts a Uint8Array or a hex string (with or without 0x prefix). It must be at least 32 bytes.

From a raw 32-byte key (for restoring from storage or testing):

const km = KeyManager.fromRawKey(masterKeyBytes);
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Deriving symmetric keys

Returns a 32-byte key via HKDF-SHA256 with IKM=masterKey, salt="", info=context.

const encryptionKey = km.deriveSymmetricKey("document:abc123");
const signingKey = km.deriveSymmetricKey("hmac:notifications");
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Deriving Substrate accounts

Derives an Sr25519 account for a given context. Internally runs HKDF(masterKey, "", "account:" + context) to produce a 32-byte seed, then derives an Sr25519 keypair at //0.

const account = km.deriveAccount("voting-proxy");
console.log(account.ss58Address); // generic prefix 42
console.log(account.h160Address); // 0x...

// With Polkadot network prefix
const polkadotAccount = km.deriveAccount("staking", 0);
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Deriving NaCl keypairs

Returns Curve25519 (encryption) and Ed25519 (signing) keypairs derived from the master key.

import { nacl } from "@polkadot-apps/crypto";

const kp = km.deriveKeypairs();

// Encrypt for another party
const nonce = nacl.randomBytes(24);
const encrypted = nacl.box(message, nonce, recipientPubKey, kp.encryption.secretKey);

// Sign a message
const signed = nacl.sign(message, kp.signing.secretKey);
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Exporting the master key

const raw = km.exportKey(); // Uint8Array (32 bytes), safe to persist
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SessionKeyManager

Manages a BIP39 mnemonic-derived Sr25519 account with automatic persistence via a KvStore.

import { SessionKeyManager } from "@polkadot-apps/keys";
import { createKvStore } from "@polkadot-apps/storage";

const store = await createKvStore({ prefix: "session-key" });
const skm = new SessionKeyManager({ store });

// Load existing or create a new session key
const { mnemonic, account } = await skm.getOrCreate();
console.log(account.ss58Address);
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Managing multiple session keys

Pass a name to isolate different session keys in the same store.

const main = new SessionKeyManager({ store, name: "main" });
const burner = new SessionKeyManager({ store, name: "burner" });

const mainKey = await main.getOrCreate();
const burnerKey = await burner.getOrCreate();
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Deriving without storage

const info = skm.fromMnemonic("abandon abandon abandon ...");
console.log(info.account.ss58Address);
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Clearing a session key

await skm.clear(); // removes mnemonic from the store
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seedToAccount

Standalone function to derive an account from a BIP39 mnemonic.

import { seedToAccount } from "@polkadot-apps/keys";

const account = seedToAccount(mnemonic);

// With custom derivation path, SS58 prefix, and key type
const edAccount = seedToAccount(mnemonic, "//1", 0, "ed25519");
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API

KeyManager

SessionKeyManager

seedToAccount

Default values: derivationPath = "//0", ss58Prefix = 42, keyType = "sr25519".

Types

interface DerivedAccount {
  publicKey: Uint8Array;
  ss58Address: SS58String;
  h160Address: `0x${string}`;
  signer: PolkadotSigner;
}

interface DerivedKeypairs {
  encryption: { publicKey: Uint8Array; secretKey: Uint8Array };
  signing: { publicKey: Uint8Array; secretKey: Uint8Array };
}

interface SessionKeyInfo {
  mnemonic: string;
  account: DerivedAccount;
}
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License

Apache-2.0