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Cardano supports the following signature kinds:
  • Transaction, unsigned transaction.
  • Cip-8, arbitrary message signing using CIP-8.

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Transaction

The following payload can be used with the Sign and Sign and Broadcast endpoints.
FieldDescriptionType - Optional
blockchainKindCardanoString
kindTransactionString
transactionThe unsigned hex encoded transaction as shown below.String
{
  "kind": "Transaction",
  "transaction": "0x84a3008182582082544414292ededfa716ae42af007ecff823c58796cb9ba60330699fb4d55d7901018282581d60112f2721059581f2a8f9986638359b83c567a61d5486ed0e16c818621a000cf4ae82581d60112f2721059581f2a8f9986638359b83c567a61d5486ed0e16c818621b0000000253db20cd021a00028785a0f5f6"
}

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Typescript Example with MeshJS SDK

First install the MeshJS SDK. You can find the full documentation here: https://docs.meshjs.dev/ You also need a service that tracks the account’s UTXO, for example Blockfrost. The Dfns TypeScript SDK has an example demonstrating how to write a custom Blockfrost initiator plugin for MeshJS. Here a code sample to generate a signature via the Dfns TypeScript SDK: 
import { BlockfrostProvider, Transaction } from '@meshsdk/core'

const walletId = 'wa-6lbfv-9esgj-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
const wallet = await dfnsClient.wallets.getWallet({ walletId })

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider(process.env.BLOCKFROST_PROJECT_ID!)
const initiator = new CustomInitiator(wallet.address, provider)

const transaction = await new Transaction({ initiator })
  .sendLovelace('addr_test1vq5eele9enryyqkg4wrjyp7x4gpshvkr6rylkwtyau56g3qgrcks9', '1000000')
  .build()

const res = await dfnsClient.wallets.generateSignature({
  walletId,
  body: {
    kind: 'Transaction',
    transaction: `0x${transaction}`,
  },
})

​
CIP-8

Signs an arbitrary message using CIP-8. Note: signing address depends on the targeted blockchain. Therefore it’s tied to a specific network rather than the blockchain kind.
FieldDescriptionType - Optional
networkA supported Cardano network.String
kindCip8String
contextSignature1String
payloadThe generic message hex encoded.String
{
  "network": "Cardano",
  "kind": "Cip8",
  "context": "Signature1",
  "payload": "0x49206c6f76652044666e73"
}
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