Understanding Smart Account Signers

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Smart Account Signers (Configuration)

• Stored permanently in the smart account’s configuration
• Each signer has specific permissions:
  • CAN_INITIATE: Create new transactions
  • CAN_VOTE: Approve pending transactions
  • CAN_EXECUTE: Execute approved transactions
• Modified through configuration changes (add/remove signers)
• Example: Adding a new recovery key or admin key to your smart account

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Transaction Signers (Authorization)

• Must be existing smart account signers
• Must provide enough signatures to meet the threshold
• Only used for transaction authorization, not stored
• Example: Two admins signing a configuration change

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How They Work Together

1. transaction_signers: The keys that will sign to approve this specific change
2. Configuration parameters: The actual changes to make (like new smart account signers)

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Example

{
  "transaction_signers": ["admin1", "admin2"], // Who's authorizing this change
  "smart_account_signers": [
    // The new configuration
    {
      "address": "newSigner",
      "permissions": ["CAN_INITIATE", "CAN_VOTE"]
    }
  ]
}

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Common Use Cases

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Adding a New Admin

1. Smart Account Signers: The new admin’s key and their permissions
2. Transaction Signers: Existing admins who approve adding the new admin

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Removing a Compromised Key

1. Transaction Signers: Other admins sign to approve the removal
2. Configuration Change: Remove the compromised key from smart account signers

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Using Spending Limits

1. Smart Account Signers: Keys authorized to use spending limits
2. Transaction Signers: Single authorized key executing within limits

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Signing the Returned Transaction

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1. Decode the Transaction

import { VersionedTransaction } from "@solana/web3.js";

const response = await fetch(
  "https://developer-api.squads.so/api/v0/smart_account/..."
);
const { transaction } = await response.json();

// Decode the transaction
const transaction = VersionedTransaction.deserialize(
  Buffer.from(transaction, "base64")
);

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2. Collect Required Signatures

// Example with multiple signers
const signer1 = SIGNER_1_KEYPAIR;
const signer2 = SIGNER_2_KEYPAIR;

// Sign with each required signer
transaction.sign([signer1, signer2]);

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3. Send the Signed Transaction

const connection = new Connection(/* your RPC endpoint */);
const signature = await connection.sendTransaction(transaction);
console.log(`Transaction sent: ${signature}`);

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Common Signing Patterns

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Single Signer

const wallet = useWallet(); // Your wallet integration
transaction.sign([wallet]);

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Multiple Signers (Sequential)

// First admin signs
transaction.sign([admin1]);

// Save and share the transaction
const serialized = transaction.serialize();

// Later, second admin signs
const finalTx = VersionedTransaction.deserialize(serialized);
finalTx.sign([admin2]);

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Multiple Signers (Simultaneous)

const signers = [admin1, admin2];
transaction.sign(signers);