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Packages & tools

Use this page when you are setting up a Product project and need to know which SDK, CLI, or helper package belongs in your workflow. The short version is: install the Product SDK for app code, use the Host API when you need to speak directly to the Polkadot app host, and use the CLIs to register names, publish bundles, and manage contracts.

Note

This is a public developer preview. Package versions, published names, and the concrete network you target may change. Never put a mnemonic, seed phrase, or private key into a command line or config file that could be committed.

Developer packages

Most projects only need a few direct dependencies:

Package Install Purpose Bin
@parity/product-sdk npm i @parity/product-sdk TypeScript SDK for building apps: multi-chain access, transactions, signing, contract calls, cloud storage, and identity. —
@novasamatech/host-api npm i @novasamatech/host-api Host↔product transport protocol and typed business methods used by apps running inside the Polkadot app. —
@parity/dotns-cli npm i -g @parity/dotns-cli CLI for the .dot naming system: register names, set content/address records, manage reverse names and stores. dotns
@parity/polkadot-app-deploy npm i -g @parity/polkadot-app-deploy Deploy CLI: uploads a built static bundle to Bulletin, binds it to a .dot name, and optionally lists it. pad
@polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-cli npm i -g @polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-cli Contract Dependency Manager: build, deploy, publish, register, and install PolkaVM contracts. cdm
@polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-env npm i @polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-env Maps a network name to its Asset Hub / Bulletin RPCs, IPFS gateway, and CDM registry address. —

Tip

The CLIs all select a network preset. For this Devnet, use devnet: pad and dotns use --env devnet; CDM uses -n devnet. If a command fails because a preset cannot be found, check that the tool is up to date before trying other names.

Product SDK family

@parity/product-sdk is the main dependency for Product app code. It gives an app access to wallet, storage, chain, contract, and identity services through the surrounding host: the Polkadot app or the web gateway. That host boundary is intentional. Product apps should not manage private keys or build their own wallet layer.

Package Purpose
@parity/product-sdk Main SDK entry point for Product apps.
@parity/product-sdk-chain-client Typed access to the Devnet chains.
@parity/product-sdk-descriptors Chain descriptors used by the SDK.
@parity/product-sdk-signer Host-backed signing, plus development signers for tests.
@parity/product-sdk-contracts Contract calls and ABI handling for PolkaVM contracts.
@parity/product-sdk-cloud-storage Bulletin-backed content storage helpers.
@parity/product-sdk-host Host detection and host-provided services.

These packages are versioned together in the Product SDK monorepo and are usually pulled in through @parity/product-sdk rather than installed one by one.

Host API packages

Apps that run inside the Polkadot app talk to the host through the Host API. Use this when you need lower-level control over host communication, or when you are testing how your app behaves inside the real host protocol.

Package Install Purpose
@novasamatech/host-api npm i @novasamatech/host-api Typed host methods for accounts, signing, storage, chat, payments, and remote chain access.
@novasamatech/host-api-wrapper npm i @novasamatech/host-api-wrapper Product-side runtime that connects a web app to the host bridge.
@parity/host-api-test-sdk pnpm add -D @parity/host-api-test-sdk Test host for end-to-end tests without launching the full app. 
flowchart LR
  subgraph iframe[Product iframe]
    P[Product code] --> W[host-api-wrapper injects injectedWeb3.spektr]
    W --> T[Transport: SCALE codecs over postMessage]
    T --> HA[createHostApi business methods]
  end
  HA -- host_* / remote_* --> HC[host-container / host-papp]
  HC --> S[Signing UI + permissions]
  HC --> RPC[remote chainHead / chainSpec / tx broadcast]
  RPC --> N[(Devnet chains)]

The host-side stack and shared libraries live in the triangle-js-sdks monorepo.

Command-line tools

CLI Package Bin What it does
Deploy @parity/polkadot-app-deploy pad Publishes a built static bundle, stores it on Bulletin, and points a .dot name at it.
DotNS @parity/dotns-cli dotns Registers and manages .dot names: register, lookup, content, primary, transfer, store, pop, and more.
CDM @polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-cli cdm Builds, deploys, publishes, and registers PolkaVM contracts.

A typical deploy invocation binds a built bundle to a name on a chosen network:

pad ./dist my-app.dot --env devnet

Warning

The deploy account must already hold a live Bulletin storage authorization — pad never self-authorizes and fails fast if the authorization is missing or expired. Authorizations are granted by the network's authorizer, an operator action.

CDM libraries

The cdm CLI is built on shared libraries that apps and other tools can reuse:

Package Install Purpose
@polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-env npm i @polkadot-community-foundation/cdm-env Resolves a network name to registry and endpoint information.
@parity/cdm-builder npm i @parity/cdm-builder Shared build, deploy, publish, and install pipeline.
@parity/product-sdk-contracts npm i @parity/product-sdk-contracts Runtime contract resolution and ABI use from Product apps.

End-user entry points

These are the applications end users install, not developer packages, but they are the environment your app runs in.

Entry point Link
Polkadot app — Android (Play) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.pcf.polkadotapp
Polkadot app — Android APK https://get.polkadotcommunity.foundation/android/latest.apk
Polkadot app — iOS TestFlight https://testflight.apple.com/join/VvC8SHVE
Polkadot app — Desktop https://polkadotcommunity.foundation/desktop/
Web gateway https://dev-dot.li
Devnet faucet https://faucet.polkadot.io

Note

Some Devnet builds also auto-fund newly created accounts, so you may not need the faucet for a first run.

Reference apps

Working examples deployed on the Devnet. They double as usage references for the packages above.

App URL
Browse (app directory) https://browse.dev-dot.li
DotNS UI https://dotns.dev-dot.li
CDM Frontend https://contracts.dev-dot.li
Playground template https://playground-template.dev-dot.li
Simple Survey https://survey.dev-dot.li

Source repositories

Use source repositories when you need implementation detail that is too specific for this reference page. Product and tooling repositories are linked under paritytech; app client repositories keep their app-specific source links.

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