@bsv/wallet-helper

Fluent transaction builder and wallet-compatible script templates for BSV — construct multi-output transactions (P2PKH, ordinals, custom) with method chaining, BRC-29 key derivation, and no private key exposure.

@bsv/wallet-helper is a good starting point for developers coming from other blockchain ecosystems who expect to build transactions explicitly. It gives you a transaction-builder shape for outputs, scripts, ordinals, metadata, inputs, and explicit change destinations, while still delegating keys and signing to a BRC-100 wallet.

Use it when @bsv/simple feels too task-oriented, but raw @bsv/sdk WalletClient.createAction / signAction calls are more protocol surface than you want to handle directly.

Install

npm install @bsv/wallet-helper

Quick start

import { TransactionBuilder } from '@bsv/wallet-helper'

const recipientAddress = '1EvmsbpAY7nESLkN4ajLTMbvsaQ1HpJPGX'

const result = await new TransactionBuilder(wallet, "Payment with metadata")
  .addP2PKHOutput({
    address: recipientAddress,
    satoshis: 5000,
    description: "Payment to Bob"
  })
    // Appends data to this output's locking script; it is not a separate output.
    .addOpReturn(['APP_ID', JSON.stringify({ memo: 'Thanks!' })])
  .build()

console.log(`Sent: ${result.txid}`)

What it provides

• TransactionBuilder — Fluent API for multi-output transactions
• P2PKH outputs — Pay-to-pubkey-hash with addresses, public keys, or wallet derivation
• Ordinal outputs — 1-sat ordinals with inscription and MAP metadata
• OP_RETURN data — Attach data to the current output's locking script
• Custom scripts — Add arbitrary locking scripts
• Explicit change destinations — Override where wallet change is sent when you need that control
• Input spending — Consume P2PKH, ordinal, and custom UTXOs
• BRC-29 derivation — Self-controlled wallet derivation for outputs this wallet will later unlock
• Script validation — Identify and classify script types

Common patterns

Multi-output payment with wallet-managed change

const aliceAddress = '1EvmsbpAY7nESLkN4ajLTMbvsaQ1HpJPGX'
const bobAddress = '1BoatSLRHtKNngkdXEeobR76b53LETtpyT'

await new TransactionBuilder(wallet, "Multi-output payment")
  .addP2PKHOutput({ address: aliceAddress, satoshis: 1000 })
  .addP2PKHOutput({ address: bobAddress, satoshis: 2000 })
  .build()

The wallet still calculates funding and normal change through createAction / signAction. Use addChangeOutput only when you need to specify the change locking script yourself.

Self-controlled output with BRC-29 automatic derivation

Omitting address, publicKey, and walletParams derives with counterparty self. Use this for outputs the same wallet should unlock later, not for sending to another user.

await new TransactionBuilder(wallet, "Self-controlled output")
  .addP2PKHOutput({ satoshis: 1000, description: "Output for this wallet" })
    .basket("my-basket")
    .customInstructions("app-data")
  .build()

Spend UTXOs and send to recipient

const recipientAddress = '1EvmsbpAY7nESLkN4ajLTMbvsaQ1HpJPGX'

await new TransactionBuilder(wallet, "Spend UTXO")
  .addP2PKHInput({ sourceTransaction, sourceOutputIndex: 0, description: "UTXO" })
  .addP2PKHOutput({ address: recipientAddress, satoshis: 500 })
  .build()

Create 1-sat ordinal with inscription and metadata

const ordResult = await new TransactionBuilder(wallet, "Mint ordinal")
  .addOrdinalP2PKHOutput({
    walletParams: { protocolID: [2, 'p2pkh'], keyID: '0', counterparty: 'self' },
    satoshis: 1,
    inscription: {
      dataB64: Buffer.from('Hello ordinals').toString('base64'),
      contentType: 'text/plain'
    },
    metadata: { app: 'gallery', type: 'greeting', author: 'Alice' }
  })
  .build()

Key concepts

• Fluent API — Method chaining for readable transaction construction
• BRC-29 Derivation — Automatic self-derivation; omit address, publicKey, and walletParams only for outputs this wallet should control
• Wallet-Compatible — Never exposes private keys; uses wallet's createAction / signAction
• Basket — Logical grouping of outputs for wallet organization
• CustomInstructions — JSON metadata per output; wallet-derived outputs can include derivation info
• BEEF — Broadcast-Everything-BEEF transaction format for secure input proofs
• MAP Metadata — Magic Attribute Protocol for ordinal inscriptions
• Output randomization — Improves privacy; disable with options({ randomizeOutputs: false })

When to use this

• You are coming from another blockchain stack and want an explicit transaction-building workflow
• Building transactions with method chaining
• Creating complex multi-output transactions readably
• Working with ordinals and inscriptions
• Leveraging wallet derivation without exposing keys
• Reducing boilerplate in transaction construction

When NOT to use this

• For ultra-simple single payments — use @bsv/simple
• When you need full low-level control — use @bsv/sdk
• For completely custom script logic — use @bsv/templates directly

Spec conformance

• BRC-29 — Hierarchical key derivation
• BRC-42 — Public key derivation
• BRC-100 — Wallet interface
• BRC-95 — PushDrop tokens
• MAP — Magic Attribute Protocol for ordinal metadata
• 1-sat Ordinals — Inscription format

Common pitfalls

• Lock/Unlock key mismatch — If you lock with walletParams but try to unlock with publicKey, it fails
• Recipient identity keys — Use a payment address or payment public key for recipient outputs; auto-derivation uses counterparty self
• OP_RETURN is not its own output — addOpReturn appends OP_RETURN data to the output returned by the previous add...Output call
• Explicit change outputs — addChangeOutput is for controlling where change goes; normal wallet-managed change is handled by createAction / signAction
• Omitting satoshis on P2PKH — Non-change P2PKH outputs need a satoshi amount
• UTXO input without outputs — If you add inputs, you must add outputs; builder doesn't auto-create them
• publicKey vs walletParams — Choose one per output; don't mix lock types unless you know how that output will be unlocked
• MAP metadata encoding — Fields must be key-value strings; nested objects are not standard

Related packages

• @bsv/simple — High-level wallet operations
• @bsv/templates — Low-level script templates
• @bsv/sdk — Core primitives, raw transactions, and the BRC-100 WalletClient

Reference

• API reference (TypeDoc)
• Source on GitHub
• npm