End User Wallet Guide

⚠️ IMPLEMENTATION STATUS
The Credence Desktop Wallet application exists and is functional. However, the download links, installers (.dmg, .msi, .AppImage), auto-updater, and release infrastructure described here are not yet implemented. The core wallet functionality works in development mode.

Overview

For most users, all you need is the Credence Desktop Wallet - a simple download with no technical setup required.

Installation

Download & Install

# macOS
curl -L https://github.com/ParichayaHQ/credence/releases/latest/download/Credence-mac.dmg -o Credence.dmg
open Credence.dmg

# Windows
curl -L https://github.com/ParichayaHQ/credence/releases/latest/download/Credence-win.msi -o Credence.msi
start Credence.msi

# Linux
curl -L https://github.com/ParichayaHQ/credence/releases/latest/download/Credence-linux.AppImage -o Credence.AppImage
chmod +x Credence.AppImage
./Credence.AppImage

What You Get

Built-in Services

The wallet includes everything needed for basic operations:

Local wallet service (walletd) - Key management and credential storage
P2P discovery - Automatically finds network nodes
Network client - Queries remote services for data

No Server Setup Required

No Docker containers to run
No command line tools needed
No technical configuration
Automatic updates via built-in updater

First Launch

Onboarding Wizard

Welcome - Overview of Credence features
Security Setup - Configure app lock and backup preferences
Key Generation - Create your first cryptographic key pair
DID Creation - Generate your decentralized identity
Complete - Ready to use!

Network Connection

The wallet automatically:

Discovers available network nodes via P2P gossip
Connects to multiple nodes for redundancy
Handles network failures gracefully
Updates to new nodes as they join/leave

Core Features

Identity Management

DID Creation - Generate did:key identities
Key Management - Secure local key storage
Backup & Recovery - Export/import wallet data

Credential Operations

Receive Credentials - Accept verifiable credentials from issuers
Create Presentations - Bundle credentials for verification
Revocation Checking - Verify credential status automatically

Trust Network

Vouch for Others - Build trust relationships
Check Trust Scores - View computed trust ratings
Network Analytics - Explore trust relationships

Privacy & Security

Encrypted Storage - All data encrypted at rest
App Lock - PIN/password protection
Selective Disclosure - Choose what data to share
Zero Knowledge - Verify without revealing details

Network Participation

As a User Only

No infrastructure required - Just use your wallet
Query existing nodes - Network provides all services
Pay small fees - Micropayments for queries/transactions

Becoming a Node Operator (Optional)

If you want to contribute to network infrastructure:

See Light Node Guide for basic participation
See Full Node Guide for complete services
Earn rewards for providing network services

Support

Help & Documentation

In-app help - Built-in guides and tutorials
Community forum - credence.network/community
Developer docs - docs.credence.network

Troubleshooting

Connection issues - Wallet will retry with different nodes
Sync problems - Clear cache via Settings > Advanced
Lost keys - Restore from backup phrase
App crashes - Check logs in Settings > Diagnostics

Privacy & Data

Local Data Only

Keys never leave device - All cryptographic operations local
Encrypted storage - SQLite database with AES encryption
No tracking - No analytics or telemetry sent

Network Queries

Pseudonymous - Queries use temporary identifiers
Distributed - Data fetched from multiple nodes
Cached locally - Reduce network requests

Updates

Automatic Updates

Background downloads - New versions downloaded automatically
User consent - You choose when to install updates
Rollback support - Revert to previous version if needed
Security patches - Critical updates applied immediately

The Credence wallet is designed to be simple, secure, and private - just download and start building your decentralized identity!