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Interact with dApps

Cryptocurrency wallets allow you to send and receive cryptocurrencies like ether and matic.

They also function as a dApp browser.

What is a dApp browser?

A dApp browser is a way to interact with decentralized applications.

With an old school website like myspace or bebo, you could connect to them with a old school web browser such as Internet Explorer.

Connecting to a web3 enabled site, or a dApp, requires you to connect with a browser that can talk to the blockchain.

What browsers can talk to the blockchain?

Desktop

If you add a cryptocurrency wallet extension, then Google Chrome can!

You navigate to the chrome web store, you will be able to find extensions for wallets such as MetaMask and Coinbase

Once you have installed the extension, you can navigate to a web3 enabled site and click connect.

Mobile

The browser located inside your cryptocurrency wallet app can!

If you open up your favourite cryptocurrency wallet these days, there is a good chance it has an integrated web browser.

If you navigate to a website in that browser, you will have options to connect.

What is the simplest way to connect to a dApp?

Desktop

  • Get the MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet browser extension from the chrome store.
  • Visit the dApp in chrome.
  • Find the connect button, and click connect
  • Your extension will pop up and take you from there.

Mobile

  • Get the MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet mobile app from the play or ios store.
  • Open the app and open the browser inside the app.
  • Visit the dApp
  • Find the connect button, and click connect
  • Your mobile wallet app will take you from there.

What about Wallet Connect?

WalletConnect is an open source protocol that allows dApps to connect to mobile wallets apps with QR code scanning or deep links.

Desktop

You can select the wallet connect connect option on a dApp to connect a desktop browser to the mobile wallet app on your phone.

To do this,

  • Click the connect button on a dApp
  • Select wallet connect
  • Open your mobile wallet
  • And scan the QR code the dApp presents to you.

Mobile

You can select the wallet connect connect option on a dApp to connect a mobile browser to the mobile wallet app on your phone.

To do this,

  • Open your wallet app on your phone
  • Click the connect button.

The dApp should take care of redirects between your wallet and browser; but this can sometimes be a little flakey; so you may need to switch back yourself.

Requests sent from a dApp to your wallet can sometimes get lost as well, so you may need to trigger the request from the dApp more than once.

Signing a Message

A dApp may authenticate you by asking you to sign a message with your wallet.

This does not trigger a blockchain transaction; is secure; and does not cost you are money.

It allows the dApp to look up information they have stored for your account.

Perhaps you set a nickname for your wallet address, and the dapp needs to retrieve it.

Can dApps access my private keys or secret recovery phrase?

Not by signing a message to log in.

In general, DApps do not hold your keys. Hodl My Moon does not want your keys.

Signing a message to log in to Hodl My Moon does not give us access to your private key or secret recovery phrase.

If a dApp, or anyone asks you for your secret recovery phrase (or private key) do not give it to them. They can use it to access your cryptocurrency

Can a dApp initiate a transaction on my behalf?

No. Not if you do not give it your private key.

Hodl My Moon does not want your private key.

How are transaction's initiated then?

A dApp will use JavaScript to trigger your wallet to ask you to if you'd like to confirm a transaction on the blockchain.

You'll get a pop up window on a desktop, and a modal window on a mobile app.

You can confirm or reject the suggested transaction.

And I can reject every transaction?

Yes. I'm not sure why you'd want to; but you can.

When might I be asked to confirm a transaction on Hodl My Moon?

You could be asked if you'd like to confirm a transaction when you need to talk to the blockchain

Examples

  • You want to create a post (nft). Every post on our website is an nft.
  • You want to list or delist an nft on the marketplace.
  • Yout want to purchase an nft from the marketplace.

When won't I be asked to confirm a transaction on Hodl My Moon?

Whenever you do not need to talk to the blockchain.

Examples

  • Change your nickname
  • Change your avatar
  • Follow or unfollow other users
  • Like a post
  • Comment on a post
  • Share a post