Devsuite

How to Generate a New Stacks Address in JavaScript

Kamaldeen Sulyman's photo
Kamaldeen Sulyman
·

5 min read

How to Generate a New Stacks Address in JavaScript

Table of contents

Introduction

The Stacks blockchain enables smart contracts and decentralized applications on Bitcoin, utilizing unique addresses for user identity and asset management. In this guide, we'll explore how to generate a new Stacks address using JavaScript, along with essential background information to understand the process better.

What is a Stacks Address?

A Stacks address is a unique identifier used on the Stacks blockchain to manage assets and interact with smart contracts. It functions similarly to an account number in a banking system, allowing users to send and receive tokens, participate in smart contracts, and identify themselves within the Stacks ecosystem. Each Stacks address is derived from a cryptographic key pair, ensuring security and authenticity.

Stacks website

How is a Stacks Address Generated?

A Stacks address is generated from a public key, which is itself derived from a private key. The private key is a randomly generated 32-byte number that should be kept secret, as it allows control over the assets associated with the corresponding Stacks address. The public key, which can be shared, is used to verify transactions and generate the Stacks address.

What is Stacks.js?

Stacks.js is a JavaScript library developed by the Stacks community to facilitate interaction with the Stacks blockchain. It provides tools for creating transactions, managing keys, and generating addresses. Stacks.js simplifies blockchain development by offering a high-level API, making it easier for developers to build applications that leverage the Stacks network.

Step-by-Step Guide to Generate a New Stacks Address

Follow these steps to create a new Stacks address using JavaScript and the Stacks.js library.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js: Ensure Node.js is installed on your machine. You can download it from the Node.js official website.

  • Stacks.js: We'll install this package using npm.

Step 1: Set Up Your Environment

Create a new directory for your project and initialize a Node.js project:

mkdir stacks-address-generator
cd stacks-address-generator
npm init -y

Step 2: Install the Stacks.js Library

Install the @stacks/transactions package, which includes utilities for creating keys and addresses.

npm install @stacks/transactions

Step 3: Generate a New Stacks Address

Create a new JavaScript file, generate-address.js, and open it in your favorite code editor. Use the following code to generate a new Stacks address:

const { makeRandomPrivKey, getPublicKey, publicKeyToAddress, TransactionVersion } = require('@stacks/transactions');

// Generate a random private key
const privateKey = makeRandomPrivKey();

// Get the public key from the private key
const publicKey = getPublicKey(privateKey);

// Convert the public key to a Stacks address
const stacksAddress = publicKeyToAddress(TransactionVersion.Mainnet, publicKey);

// Convert the private key and public key to hex strings for display
const privateKeyHex = Buffer.from(privateKey.data).toString('hex');
const publicKeyHex = publicKey.data.toString('hex');

console.log('Private Key:', privateKeyHex);
console.log('Public Key:', publicKeyHex);
console.log('Stacks Address:', stacksAddress);

Explanation of the Code

  • const { makeRandomPrivKey, getPublicKey, publicKeyToAddress, TransactionVersion } = require('@stacks/transactions');
    This line imports specific functions and constants from the @stacks/transactions library. The imported functions include makeRandomPrivKey for generating a random private key, getPublicKey for deriving a public key from a private key, publicKeyToAddress for converting a public key to a Stacks address, and TransactionVersion to specify network versions (Mainnet or Testnet).

  • const privateKey = makeRandomPrivKey();
    This line calls the makeRandomPrivKey function to generate a new random private key. The resulting private key is stored in the privateKey variable.

  • const publicKey = getPublicKey(privateKey);
    This line derives the public key from the previously generated private key using the getPublicKey function. The public key is stored in the publicKey variable.

  • const stacksAddress = publicKeyToAddress(TransactionVersion.Mainnet, publicKey);
    This line converts the public key into a Stacks address using the publicKeyToAddress function. The TransactionVersion.Mainnet argument specifies that the address should be for the Mainnet network. The resulting Stacks address is stored in the stacksAddress variable.

  • const privateKeyHex = Buffer.from(privateKey.data).toString('hex');
    This line converts the private key from its original format (likely a Uint8Array) into a hexadecimal string. The Buffer.from(privateKey.data) creates a Buffer from the private key data, and .toString('hex') converts this Buffer into a hexadecimal string for easy readability.

  • const publicKeyHex = publicKey.data.toString('hex');
    This line converts the public key to a hexadecimal string. The publicKey.data property is used to access the raw public key data, and .toString('hex') converts it into a hexadecimal string for display.

  • console.log('Private Key:', privateKeyHex);
    This line prints the private key in hexadecimal format to the console with the label "Private Key:". This allows you to view the generated private key.

  • console.log('Public Key:', publicKeyHex);
    This line prints the public key in hexadecimal format to the console with the label "Public Key:". This allows you to view the derived public key.

  • console.log('Stacks Address:', stacksAddress);
    This line prints the Stacks address to the console with the label "Stacks Address:". This allows you to view the generated Stacks address associated with the public key.

Step 4: Run Your Script

Execute the script in your terminal to generate a new Stacks address:

node generate-address.js

You should see output similar to the following, with your new private key, public key, and Stacks address:

Conclusion

In this guide, you learned how to generate a new Stacks address using JavaScript. This process involves creating a secure private key, deriving the corresponding public key, and then generating a Stacks address. The Stacks.js library simplifies this process, providing the tools needed to interact with the Stacks blockchain efficiently.

I'd love to connect with you on Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram.

Additional Resources

About QuickNode

QuickNode is dedicated to constructing the infrastructure necessary to uphold the forthcoming era of Web3. Since 2017, we've collaborated with numerous developers and organizations, facilitating the expansion of decentralized applications (dApps) and offering superior access to over 29 blockchains. Sign up for our newsletter to access further content like this and remain up-to-date with the latest developments in Web3!

BlockchainWeb3StacksQuickNodeAPIsDeveloperWeb Development