> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://shinkalabs.gitbook.io/hub/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://shinkalabs.gitbook.io/hub/andromeda/guides/discovery.md).

# Discovery

Discovery proves that a user controls an external wallet, so it can be linked to an identity or added as a recovery owner. The user signs a challenge with that wallet using the wallet ecosystem's own message-signing convention; Andromeda checks the signature and resolves the wallet.

{% hint style="info" %}
Exact request and response bodies are in the [OpenAPI spec](https://api.andromedainfra.pro/openapi.json).
{% endhint %}

## The flow

1. `POST /v1/recovery/challenge` with the wallet you are proving and an `appId` (required). Returns a challenge appropriate for the wallet's signing scheme.
2. The user signs the challenge in their wallet, using that wallet's standard message-signing flow.
3. `POST /v1/recovery/resolve` with the signature. Andromeda verifies it and returns the resolved wallet identity.

The `appId` scopes the proof, so a signature gathered for one application cannot be reused by another.

## Supported schemes

Seven off-chain signing conventions are covered:

| Scheme              | Ecosystem | Convention                     |
| ------------------- | --------- | ------------------------------ |
| `ed25519-raw`       | Solana    | raw ed25519 over the challenge |
| `ed25519-near`      | NEAR      | NEP-413 signed message         |
| `ed25519-aptos`     | Aptos     | AIP-62 signed message          |
| `secp256k1-eip191`  | EVM       | `personal_sign` / EIP-191      |
| `secp256k1-adr036`  | Cosmos    | ADR-036 signed message         |
| `secp256k1-bitcoin` | Bitcoin   | BIP-137 message signature      |
| `sr25519-substrate` | Substrate | sr25519 signed message         |

See [Recovery schemes](/hub/andromeda/reference/recovery-schemes.md) for how these map to what is validated on-chain when the wallet is later used.

## Discovery vs on-chain validation

Discovery is the **off-chain** proof of ownership. When the wallet is actually used (as a recovery owner signing a recovery, say), the signature is validated **on-chain** by a Solana runtime precompile, and only four schemes exist there: Ed25519, Secp256k1 (by Ethereum-style address), Secp256r1, and full WebAuthn (quorum members only). So a Substrate user who proves ownership with `sr25519-substrate` for discovery enrolls their on-chain recovery owner using Ed25519 or Secp256k1, both of which Substrate supports natively. This is deliberate: no on-chain attestor. See [Zero attestor](/hub/andromeda/concepts/zero-attestor.md).

## Where it leads

* Add the proven wallet to a recovery roster: [Configure recovery](/hub/andromeda/guides/configure-recovery.md).
* Link the proven wallet to an identity: [Identity](/hub/andromeda/concepts/identity.md).


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