Blockchain - Ethereum Wallets


Ethereum is currently experiencing significant development and transformation, leading to the creation and introduction of numerous components, clients, and tools in recent years.

A wallet serves as a versatile application that securely stores private keys. By utilizing the addresses contained within, it can determine the ether balance linked to those addresses through blockchain queries. Additionally, it facilitates the deployment of smart contracts.

Popular Wallets and Client Software

After examining the function of wallets in the Ethereum ecosystem, we will now explore several widely used clients.

Below is a partial list of the client software and wallets that are compatible with Ethereum −

  • Geth − This is the official Ethereum client developed in Go.
  • Eth − This client is implemented in C++.
  • Parity − Developed by Parity Technologies, this client is built using Rust.
  • Trinity − Trinity serves as the implementation of the Ethereum protocol and is written in Python.

Light Clients

Simple Payment Verification (SPV) clients only download a limited portion of the blockchain. This capability enables low-resource devices, including mobile phones, embedded systems, and tablets, to verify transactions effectively.

In this scenario, a full Ethereum blockchain and node are unnecessary, yet SPV clients can still confirm the validity of transactions. SPV clients are often referred to as light clients, a concept that parallels Bitcoin SPV clients.

Metamask Wallet

There are several wallets designed for Ethereum that cater to desktop, mobile, and web platforms. One widely used wallet is MetaMask, which is favored for Ethereum development.

Ethereum Metamask Wallet

MetaMask functions as a browser extension and is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Brave. The primary purpose of MetaMask's development is to create a user-friendly interface for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain. It facilitates effective account management and enables users to connect to the Ethereum blockchain without the need to run Ethereum node software on their local machines.

By utilizing the infrastructure provided by Infura, MetaMask allows users to engage with the blockchain seamlessly without the requirement of hosting a local node.

Clients Vs. Wallets

The primary distinction between clients and wallets lies in their functionalities. Clients serve as comprehensive implementations of the Ethereum protocol, encompassing mining capabilities, account management, and wallet features.

On the other hand, wallets are limited to storing public and private keys, facilitating basic account management, and primarily engaging with the blockchain for payment transactions.