> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cosmos-docs-cosmjs-docs.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Signing Clients

> Building, signing, and broadcasting transactions with SigningStargateClient and SigningCosmWasmClient

Signing clients extend their read-only counterparts with the ability to build,
sign, and broadcast transactions. They require a **signer** (wallet) and are
created via static factory methods.

## Signers

A signer is any object that holds keys and can produce signatures. CosmJS
supports two signing modes:

| Interface             | Signing Mode                     | Wallet Implementation                              |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| `OfflineDirectSigner` | Protobuf (Direct) — recommended  | `DirectSecp256k1HdWallet`, `DirectSecp256k1Wallet` |
| `OfflineAminoSigner`  | Amino JSON — required for Ledger | `Secp256k1HdWallet`, Ledger signers                |

Both implement `getAccounts()` to list available accounts. The signing client
auto-detects which mode to use based on whether the signer has a `signDirect`
method.

```typescript theme={"system"}
import { DirectSecp256k1HdWallet } from "@cosmjs/proto-signing";

const wallet = await DirectSecp256k1HdWallet.fromMnemonic("your mnemonic ...", {
  prefix: "cosmos",
});
```

## SigningStargateClient

```typescript theme={"system"}
import { SigningStargateClient, GasPrice } from "@cosmjs/stargate";

const client = await SigningStargateClient.connectWithSigner(
  "https://rpc.my-chain.network",
  wallet,
  { gasPrice: GasPrice.fromString("0.025uatom") },
);
```

### Factory Methods

| Method                                            | Description                              |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| `connectWithSigner(endpoint, signer, options?)`   | Connect to RPC and create signing client |
| `createWithSigner(cometClient, signer, options?)` | Create from existing CometBFT client     |
| `offline(signer, options?)`                       | Offline client (sign without RPC)        |

### Transaction Methods

| Method                                                                | Description                                                                                                  |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `signAndBroadcast(address, messages, fee, memo?, timeoutHeight?)`     | Sign, broadcast, and wait for inclusion                                                                      |
| `signAndBroadcastSync(address, messages, fee, memo?, timeoutHeight?)` | Sign and broadcast, return tx hash immediately                                                               |
| `sign(address, messages, fee, memo, signerData?, timeoutHeight?)`     | Sign without broadcasting (returns `TxRaw`). `memo` is required — pass `""` to omit.                         |
| `simulate(address, messages, memo)`                                   | Estimate gas for a transaction (`memo` is `string \| undefined`, not optional — pass `undefined` explicitly) |

### Convenience Methods

| Method                                                       | Message Type                 |
| ------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------- |
| `sendTokens(sender, recipient, amount, fee, memo?)`          | `MsgSend`                    |
| `delegateTokens(delegator, validator, amount, fee, memo?)`   | `MsgDelegate`                |
| `undelegateTokens(delegator, validator, amount, fee, memo?)` | `MsgUndelegate`              |
| `withdrawRewards(delegator, validator, fee, memo?)`          | `MsgWithdrawDelegatorReward` |

### Fees

The `fee` parameter accepts three forms:

```typescript theme={"system"}
// Explicit fee
const fee: StdFee = { amount: [{ denom: "uatom", amount: "5000" }], gas: "200000" };
await client.signAndBroadcast(address, messages, fee);

// Auto-calculate from simulation (requires gasPrice in options)
await client.signAndBroadcast(address, messages, "auto");

// Auto with gas multiplier (1.4 = 40% buffer over simulated gas)
await client.signAndBroadcast(address, messages, 1.4);
```

### Options

```typescript theme={"system"}
interface SigningStargateClientOptions extends StargateClientOptions {
  readonly registry?: Registry;
  readonly aminoTypes?: AminoTypes;
  readonly broadcastTimeoutMs?: number;
  readonly broadcastPollIntervalMs?: number;
  readonly gasPrice?: GasPrice | DynamicGasPriceConfig;
}
```

* **registry** — protobuf type registry for encoding messages (defaults cover
  all standard Cosmos SDK message types)
* **aminoTypes** — converters between protobuf and Amino for Amino signers
* **gasPrice** — required when using `"auto"` fees; supports static pricing or
  dynamic fee market pricing via `DynamicGasPriceConfig`

## SigningCosmWasmClient

Extends `CosmWasmClient` with signing and smart contract transaction methods.

```typescript theme={"system"}
import { SigningCosmWasmClient } from "@cosmjs/cosmwasm";

const client = await SigningCosmWasmClient.connectWithSigner(
  "https://rpc.my-chain.network",
  wallet,
  { gasPrice: GasPrice.fromString("0.025uosmo") },
);
```

### CosmWasm-Specific Transaction Methods

| Method                                                          | Description                                  |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `upload(sender, wasmCode, fee, memo?, instantiatePermission?)`  | Upload wasm bytecode                         |
| `instantiate(sender, codeId, msg, label, fee, options?)`        | Instantiate a contract                       |
| `instantiate2(sender, codeId, salt, msg, label, fee, options?)` | Instantiate with predictable address         |
| `execute(sender, contract, msg, fee, memo?, funds?)`            | Execute a contract message                   |
| `executeMultiple(sender, instructions, fee, memo?)`             | Execute multiple contract messages in one tx |
| `migrate(sender, contract, codeId, msg, fee, memo?)`            | Migrate a contract to new code               |
| `updateAdmin(sender, contract, newAdmin, fee, memo?)`           | Change contract admin                        |
| `clearAdmin(sender, contract, fee, memo?)`                      | Remove contract admin                        |

`SigningCosmWasmClient` also includes all the convenience methods from
`SigningStargateClient` (`sendTokens`, `delegateTokens`, etc.) as well as
`signAndBroadcast`, `sign`, and `simulate`.

```typescript theme={"system"}
const uploadResult = await client.upload(address, wasmBytecode, "auto");

const { contractAddress } = await client.instantiate(
  address,
  uploadResult.codeId,
  { count: 0 },
  "my-counter",
  "auto",
);

const execResult = await client.execute(
  address,
  contractAddress,
  { increment: {} },
  "auto",
);
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Send Transactions" icon="arrow-right" href="/cosmjs/v0.38.x/guides/transactions/send-transactions">
    Step-by-step guide to sending transactions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fees and Gas" icon="arrow-right" href="/cosmjs/v0.38.x/concepts/fees-gas/gas-and-fees">
    Understand gas limits and fee calculation.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>