FAQ

Short answers to common questions. Each one links to the page with the details.

Using Hivesigner

Is Hivesigner free?

Yes. Hivesigner does not charge people or apps. Its source code is open under the MIT license.

Does Hivesigner ever see my keys?

No. Your keys stay in your browser on your device. Hivesigner signs there. They are never sent to Hivesigner's servers or to the apps you use. See Where your keys are stored and Keep your keys safe.

What if I forget my passcode?

Nobody can recover a passcode, not even Hivesigner. Remove the account from Hivesigner and add it again with your Hive key and a new passcode. Your Hive account and the apps you authorized do not change. See If you forget your passcode.

Can I use Hivesigner on my phone?

Yes. Open https://hivesigner.com in your phone's browser and add your account there. Your keys are stored in that browser only, so add the account on each device you use. See Add and manage accounts.

Which apps use Hivesigner?

https://hivesigner.com/apps lists the apps that broadcast to Hive through Hivesigner, most used first. Each app publishes its own name and description. Hivesigner does not verify them. Opening an app there shows a page that can give it posting access. See Authorize an app from the directory.

How is Hivesigner related to Hive Keychain?

They are separate tools. Hive Keychain is a browser extension and a mobile app. Hivesigner is a website, so there is nothing to install. When an app asks you to sign a message, the signature is the same kind Hive Keychain makes, so the app checks either one with the same code. The verification token from Hivesigner's own Sign message page is checked on Hivesigner's Verify message page. See Message signing.

Building with Hivesigner

Can I use Hivesigner in a mobile app?

Yes. Send the user to Hivesigner in a browser and use a callback your app can receive: an https link your app owns (Android App Links or iOS Universal Links) or a loopback address such as http://127.0.0.1/auth. Custom schemes such as myapp:// are refused. See Mobile and desktop apps.

Do I need an app account?

You need one to sign people in with posting access and to broadcast through the API. See Register your app. Sign links and message signing work without one. So does sign-in without posting access.

Can the API send transfers?

No. The API broadcasts posting operations only, such as votes, comments and follows. For transfers and other actions that need the active key, use sign links: the user approves each one with their own key.

Which languages have an SDK?

The official SDK is for JavaScript. Community libraries exist for Python. Any language can call the REST API. See SDKs and REST API.

Help

Where can I get help?

Ask in the HiveDevs Discord server: https://discord.gg/pNJn7wh. Report a bug as an issue on the GitHub repository it concerns: https://github.com/ecency/hivesigner-ui for the website, https://github.com/ecency/hivesigner-api for the API or https://github.com/ecency/hivesigner-sdk for the JavaScript SDK. On a screen that refuses a request, Report this problem sends the problem to the Hivesigner team.

How can I contribute?

Hivesigner is open source on GitHub, in the three repositories above. Open an issue with a bug or an idea. Send a pull request with a fix.