AppKit v3.0: Designed to onboard crypto’s first billion users
A few days ago, we released AppKit v3.0 beta, the latest version of our wallet login SDK that transformed web3 when we released it in 2020. AppKit v1.0 was the first SDK to unify wallet connection methods for Ethereum, and it was instrumental in kickstarting the industry flywheel by enabling anyone, anywhere to connect — any wallet, any app (IYKYK!).
The ecosystem has evolved significantly since then — and, along with it, AppKit. Last year, we launched AppKit v2.0 to expand wallet support, going beyond mobile and desktop to cover browser wallets. In addition to redesigning the user interface, we also added guidance to help onboard new users to the world of wallets.
But the wallet ecosystem is constantly expanding, as is the range of users onboarding to web3. Today, we can expect users landing on crypto apps to have multiple wallets across devices — and also none at all.
Ensuring a smooth, intuitive experience for all users was therefore an important consideration of ours. As we dissected user journeys, we also reached out to wallets and apps, conducting extensive research to understand their needs. The rich feedback helped inform the redesign you see today, so let’s break down the changes.
AppKit v3.0: Unpacking our new design approach
Our end goal was clear — to create a wallet login experience that is simple and intuitive. To do so, we had to reduce confusion and complexity where possible, and also find ways to make the SDK faster and more lightweight. We therefore set out to achieve the following.
1. Simplify the UI
Besides a new wallet selection interface, we also gave AppKit v3.0 a minimalist makeover. Both apps and users told us that a simpler design would help ensure fast and friendly UX, and also blend better with an app’s intended experience.
As a result, we stripped AppKit v3.0 down to the essentials and applied principles of universal design. This simplification process went hand-in-hand with the desire to give wallets equal importance, as it made the QR code less dominant and presented wallet login methods more clearly. Sometimes less is more; you told us, and we heard you.
This doesn’t mean that AppKit v3.0 doesn’t have any personality, though! Besides tweaking our color options to be friendlier to the eye, we are launching AppKit v3.0 beta with several custom themes. These themes range from light customization (e.g. choice of modal shape and spacing) to more playful options, like my personal favorite — “Retro”!
In future releases, we’ll also launch font customization, so that apps can tailor the experience to their brand identity.
2. Give equal importance to wallets
Mobile, extension, desktop, and web app — today, not only are there different types of wallets, but wallets themselves have versions that span devices and platforms. The ideal wallet login experience should account for them all, and make it so that users can easily find theirs and proceed with confidence.
To accomplish this, we implemented a wallet selection interface that automatically detects mobile, extension, desktop, and web app wallets, presenting all available options together. The famous Reown QR code has been moved behind the “Reown” option, while the “All Wallets” view allows users to search for every single Reown-supported wallet, irrespective of platform. This is a change from AppKit v2.0, which tied the wallet options that users saw to the platform they were attempting to connect from. With AppKit v3.0, users can find desktop wallet options while connecting on mobile apps, and vice versa.
To further expand user choice, all available log in methods are now listed for each wallet within the “All Wallets” view. Take Zerion, for example, which has four types of wallets. When a user clicks on Zerion, they can toggle between mobile, extension, desktop, and web app wallet login options. As a result, it’s more important than ever for wallets to keep your Reown Explorer listing updated so that AppKit v3.0 can deliver the best experience to your users!
The wallet selection interface will receive another boost when EIP-6963 is implemented in the following months. This will improve injected wallet support, making it easier for users with multiple or non-MetaMask injected wallets to log in with ease. With AppKit v3.0, users can truly choose their own journey.
3. Ensure a unified experience
Historically, most apps have been desktop apps — but the tide is now turning. More and more developers are turning their attention to mobile, the world’s preferred method of going online.
For Reown to provide your app’s users with the best experience possible, we need to help you make it consistently seamless across all platforms. We did so by thinking mobile-first and designing the overall AppKit v3.0 experience so as to align it across devices and preserve user habits with a unified layout. Regardless of whether you are logging in on desktop, iOS, or Android, the AppKit v3.0 experience remains the same — familiar and frictionless.
For the beta release, AppKit v3.0 is launching for web only but mobile support is not far behind! React Native, Swift, Kotlin, and Flutter SDKs are currently in development for iOS and Android, so that you can bring simple, intuitive wallet login to your users, wherever they are.
