Let me explain you with Pseudo Code – the Necessary steps – how to implement Web3 Crypto Login {Off-Chain}. You could program it in whatever language you like, or at least – the Back-end part.
The User Lands on Your Site/App
First thing is first. No matter if the User already knows you or your service or it is a known customer, you’ve got to attract him/her. This is not a Software Coder’s Problem. The list of issues for the Developer is
- the site/app to be as fast as possible
- Search Engine Optimized,
- User eXperience optimized
- and improved in every other Technical Detail.
But, beyond the bytes – it is a task for the Marketer, Advertiser, Promoter, Psychologist & Business Owner to get to, and a Client.
How to decide if the user is known?
In the old Web 2.0 World – this is accomplished with JWT Tokens, Http Cookies &/or Headers, biometric authentication on mobile devices or hardware smart card with valid certificate for Qualified Electronic Signature. Actually, Technically – many of these Login solutions are not very far away from the Web3 Crypto way.
The first and most essential requirement is the User to have a Crypto Wallet. To non-tech individual all the blockchain area is total mystery. There are ignorant people that even – do not comprehend how the debit cards, the bank accounts work. How you gonna explain to such individual what is all this digital money? Take time to educate, improve User Experience, use metaphors for easier understanding and guide the unexperienced.
Is the User Logged in his Crypto Wallet?
If the Web App or the Mobile App cannot access a Crypto Account provided by some wallet, it means that the User is a total – unknown guest. The Interface should show the appropriate message and the appropriate action the User must take to move forward. Some possibilities to choose from:
- The Crypto Blockchains that the Service/Platform works with.
- You may Sign a Message for Login/Authorization. You may do this with every Crypto Wallet that has this feature build into the software.
- NFT Authentication – Every Smart Contract Platform theoretically may have some equivalent implementation. It is not 100% requirement to be Ethereum.
- A Web3 Service should show the Crypto Wallets – that the App has tested with. A Software Platform must test the integration different products so it could have at least some small confidence – what works and what not.
When a User has opened his Crypto Wallet, a Web3 Enabled App or a Web Page may request to look up the accounts that the user has. You could also read How to Get Started as a User – in Crypto. A Client Side JavaScript code or some Native App Code could check:
- The Target Environment/Profile of the Crypto Wallet. A Wallet may “point to” testing, development, local – non-production blockchain
- Load or Verify – On-Chain or Off-Chain Tokens or signatures.
- Log-In Verification may be carried out with On-Chain records (NFTs or other coins),
- Or it may be executed with signed message stored off-chain.
All this Authorization & Authentication is somehow similar to JWT. The algorithms are similar or even the same. The only different is the Standard and who owns and controls the private keys.
From a security standpoint it is a 100% important – the Server to execute the same verifications as well.
Sidenote
There is a thing in software development called environment – local, testing, production. The whole crypto area is just layers of software. A wallet could be instructed to “point” to a testing environment. Both the client and the server MUST check ✅ this. This will be especially important when real money starts flowing in.
Here you have some snippets how to do it: https://programtom.com/dev/2021/11/22/web3-login-example-source-code-snippets/.