In the previous post, we explored how to run our local Namada Blockchain and interact with it using the CLI. The self-hosted repository includes Namada-interface and the Namada Official extension.

In this post, we'll focus on installing the extension and connecting it to the interface. Take a look at the docker-compose.yml file. Alongside the three Namada-X services, there's also a service named 'interface.' After the local chain is initialized and the chain ID is determined, this service begins building (note that this process can take a considerable amount of time). Once completed, the extension's source file will be available to install, and the interface will be served locally

Installing Wallet Extension

Before starting the interface service, set your desired extension target in the .env file by specifying EXTENSION_TARGET as either 'firefox' or 'chrome'. Once the build process inside the interface container is complete, the source code will be accessible in the extensions directory. For this guide, we'll choose 'chrome' as our target.

As a security practice, it's recommended to create a new Chrome profile to install the extension. Avoid installing extensions on your main browser profile unless you are certain it has been thoroughly audited and is secure.

Next, copy and paste chrome://extensions/ into your address bar to open the extensions tab. Enable Developer Mode in the top right corner of the page. Three new buttons will appear. Click on 'Load unpacked' and navigate to the chrome directory inside namada-selfhost/extensions to install the extension.

Now that you can see the Namada extension alongside your other extensions, open it. Create a new mnemonic and set a password for added security. Use the CLI to transfer funds to the address generated by the extension.

Serve the Interface

If the interface container is up, you should be able to access the interface at http://localhost:3000. By connecting it to the wallet extension, you can view your account balance and initiate transactions.

Important: Be aware that every time your chain ID changes, you must rebuild the interface and wallet. The best practice is to ensure this by tearing down everything with docker compose down -v whenever you make changes to the blockchain, such as modifying genesis files. Afterward, you can start over.

Conclusion

In this series, we explored running our local Namada stack. As Namada is in active development and evolves swiftly, these posts will be regularly updated. Check back frequently, and I'll try to add additional features and guides, including a faucet and block explorer. Thank you for joining the journey!