Get started with EVM networks

The StarKey browser extension and mobile in-app browser are both designed to interact with web applications.

StarKey injects a single window.starkey object into every page. Because StarKey is a multi-chain wallet, each network is exposed as its own namespace on that object — for EVM networks, this is window.starkey.ethereum.

For legacy compatibility, StarKey’s EVM provider is also injected directly at window.ethereum.

This provider conforms to two standards:

EIP-1193 — the common EVM provider interface (request, on, events) that every method on this page builds on.
EIP-6963 — multi-wallet discovery, so a dApp can find StarKey alongside other installed wallets without conflicts on window.ethereum.

Detecting the Provider

There are two ways to detect StarKey’s EVM provider: a direct check on window, or standards-based discovery via EIP-6963. Use direct injection for the simplest integration; use EIP-6963 when your dApp needs to list and let the user pick between multiple installed wallets.

Option 1: Direct injection

Check for the namespaced provider at window.starkey.ethereum (recommended), falling back to the legacy window.ethereum if needed:


const getProvider = () => {
  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return undefined
 
  const provider = window.starkey?.ethereum ?? window.ethereum
 
  if (provider) {
    return provider
  }
 
  window.open('https://starkey.app/', '_blank')
}

Extension injection can happen asynchronously right after page load, so if you check on initial render, poll briefly before giving up:


const checkIsExtensionInstalled = (): void => {
  const intervalId = setInterval(() => {
    if (window.starkey?.ethereum) {
      clearInterval(intervalId)
      setIsExtensionInstalled(true)
    }
  }, 500)
 
  setTimeout(() => clearInterval(intervalId), 5000)
}

Direct injection is simplest, but if the user has multiple EVM wallet extensions installed, they can overwrite one another on the shared window.ethereum object. Use EIP-6963 discovery below to avoid that conflict.

Option 2: EIP-6963 discovery

EIP-6963 lets every installed wallet announce itself independently, so your dApp can discover StarKey by name/RDNS rather than fighting over a single window.ethereum slot.


interface EIP6963ProviderInfo {
  uuid: string
  name: string
  icon: string
  rdns: string
}
 
interface EIP6963ProviderDetail {
  info: EIP6963ProviderInfo
  provider: unknown // EIP-1193 provider
}
 
const discoveredProviders = new Map<string, EIP6963ProviderDetail>()
 
function onAnnouncement(event: CustomEvent<EIP6963ProviderDetail>) {
  discoveredProviders.set(event.detail.info.uuid, event.detail)
}
 
window.addEventListener('eip6963:announceProvider', onAnnouncement as EventListener)
window.dispatchEvent(new Event('eip6963:requestProvider'))

StarKey’s RDNS is app.starkey. Once providers have announced themselves, pick StarKey out by that identifier:


const starkeyDetail = [...discoveredProviders.values()].find((detail) => detail.info.rdns === 'app.starkey')
 
const provider = starkeyDetail?.provider

This section covers detecting the provider, establishing a connection, reading and switching networks, sending transactions, signing messages, listening for events, and error handling.