Keplr, Explained: Native vs. Non-Native Integration

This blog post was originally published on Keplr's Medium blog on June 14, 2022.

Want to know about Keplr Wallet integration and the options? Start here.

Building a safe, trusted tool in a decentralized environment doesn't come with a clear guidebook; it's a constantly evolving process of iteration. The heart of Keplr wallet is to help the ecosystem scale by enabling builders to reach users without the wallet being a bottleneck — a clear path forward is enabled by permissionless, frictionless integration.

This article addresses recurring questions about Keplr integration: how does a project integrate with Keplr, and what is the difference between native and non-native integration?

Native Integration

Since implementing some additional features requires communication and heavier lifting between teams, we've separated these offerings as a premium service. Due to some costly provisions like endpoint infrastructure, it does have a price tag.

To offer maximum value to these integrations, we consider them more as partnerships and work closely with these teams. Not only do we guarantee uptime and provide quality service, but we regularly receive feedback and prioritize processing their inquiries.

Service differences between native and permissionless integration include: dedicated infrastructure/endpoints, guaranteed uptime, priority support, regular syncs, and mobile support (as an additional feature for natively integrated chains).

If you would like to move forward with native integration, be prepared to discuss community activity, contribution to the Cosmos ecosystem, team background, and project roadmap, along with any technical specifications. Contact us at partnerships[at]chainapsis.com.

Permissionless (Non-Native) Chain Integration

To contribute to the scalability of the Cosmos ecosystem, Keplr's aim is to give builders permissionless access to users by providing transaction signing and other basic account management functionalities. Permissionless integration is free and self-guided, with documentation provided online.

If you simply want a launch pad to access Cosmos' user base, permissionless integration is the way to go. You can see examples of permissionless integrations with chains like Comdex, Ki, Likecoin, and many others. For IBC-enabled chains, even IBC transfers can be supported for permissionless integrations.

Pros: Free reign to use the Cosmos ecosystem's leading IBC-enabled wallet, giving you access to an ever-expanding, active, and passionate user base.

Cons: You are in charge of managing the integration and its success, and certain features and support are not available.

If permissionless integration is a better fit for your project, the technical details can be found in the Keplr documentation.

Some Other Options

If you're a Cosmos builder and not satisfied with these options, we highly encourage:

• Getting more involved on GitHub and doing a feature request for Cosmos SDK.
• Forking Keplr code and building your own stuff — Keplr is open source!
• Joining Keplr's dev team and helping shape its future (we're hiring!).

The Keplr team is excited to see the influx of community members and projects into Cosmos. We remain committed to providing an awesome service, while continuing to grow and improve with the ecosystem. Looking forward to seeing many more chains on Keplr wallet, whichever path you choose. 🔭

Keplr, Explained is a blog series published by the Chainapsis team to equip the Cosmos community with more understanding about IBC technology, its development, and the teams behind them.