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RainbowKit

React library for easily integrating Web3 wallets with a modern, customizable user interface into decentralized applications.

Updated on January 17, 2026

RainbowKit is an open-source library developed by Rainbow that simplifies the integration of blockchain wallets into React applications. It provides a smooth user experience for connecting Ethereum wallets like MetaMask, WalletConnect, Coinbase Wallet, and many others, while offering pre-built, customizable UI components. RainbowKit integrates seamlessly with Wagmi and facilitates Web3 adoption by significantly reducing development time.

Fundamentals

  • Modular and accessible React components for multi-chain wallet connection
  • Native support for 100+ wallets with automatic detection of installed extensions
  • Architecture based on Wagmi for blockchain interactions and RainbowKit for UI
  • Complete theming with light/dark modes and advanced CSS customization

Benefits

  • Installation and configuration in under 5 minutes with an intuitive API
  • Responsive and modern user interface that enhances dApp UX
  • Automatic handling of connection states, errors, and network changes
  • Compatible with latest React and Next.js versions (App Router and Pages Router)
  • Comprehensive documentation and active community with regular updates
  • Optimized performance with automatic tree-shaking and bundle splitting

Practical Example

app/providers.tsx
import '@rainbow-me/rainbowkit/styles.css';
import { RainbowKitProvider, getDefaultWallets, connectorsForWallets } from '@rainbow-me/rainbowkit';
import { configureChains, createConfig, WagmiConfig } from 'wagmi';
import { mainnet, polygon, arbitrum } from 'wagmi/chains';
import { publicProvider } from 'wagmi/providers/public';

const { chains, publicClient } = configureChains(
  [mainnet, polygon, arbitrum],
  [publicProvider()]
);

const { connectors } = getDefaultWallets({
  appName: 'My Web3 Application',
  projectId: 'YOUR_WALLETCONNECT_PROJECT_ID',
  chains
});

const wagmiConfig = createConfig({
  autoConnect: true,
  connectors,
  publicClient
});

export function Providers({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
  return (
    <WagmiConfig config={wagmiConfig}>
      <RainbowKitProvider chains={chains} modalSize="compact">
        {children}
      </RainbowKitProvider>
    </WagmiConfig>
  );
}
components/ConnectButton.tsx
import { ConnectButton } from '@rainbow-me/rainbowkit';

export default function CustomConnectButton() {
  return (
    <ConnectButton.Custom>
      {({
        account,
        chain,
        openAccountModal,
        openChainModal,
        openConnectModal,
        mounted,
      }) => {
        const ready = mounted;
        const connected = ready && account && chain;

        return (
          <div {...(!ready && { 'aria-hidden': true })}>
            {(() => {
              if (!connected) {
                return (
                  <button onClick={openConnectModal} className="btn-primary">
                    Connect Wallet
                  </button>
                );
              }

              if (chain.unsupported) {
                return (
                  <button onClick={openChainModal} className="btn-warning">
                    Unsupported Network
                  </button>
                );
              }

              return (
                <div className="flex gap-2">
                  <button onClick={openChainModal} className="btn-secondary">
                    {chain.hasIcon && chain.iconUrl && (
                      <img src={chain.iconUrl} alt={chain.name} width={24} />
                    )}
                    {chain.name}
                  </button>
                  <button onClick={openAccountModal} className="btn-secondary">
                    {account.displayName}
                    {account.displayBalance && ` (${account.displayBalance})`}
                  </button>
                </div>
              );
            })()}
          </div>
        );
      }}
    </ConnectButton.Custom>
  );
}

Implementation

  1. Install dependencies: npm install @rainbow-me/rainbowkit wagmi viem@2.x
  2. Get a free Project ID from WalletConnect Cloud (walletconnect.com)
  3. Configure blockchain chains and providers in your application
  4. Wrap your application with WagmiConfig and RainbowKitProvider
  5. Import RainbowKit CSS and add ConnectButton to your UI
  6. Customize theme, displayed wallets, and connection options according to your needs
  7. Test connection with different wallets and networks in development
  8. Implement business logic with Wagmi hooks (useAccount, useContract, etc.)

Pro tip

Use the ConnectButton Custom mode to create a fully branded experience matching your visual identity. Combine RainbowKit with solutions like Dynamic or Privy to add Web2 authentication (email, socials) and create a hybrid onboarding experience that reduces friction for non-crypto users.

  • Wagmi - React hooks for Ethereum interactions
  • Viem - TypeScript alternative to ethers.js and web3.js
  • WalletConnect - Cross-platform wallet connection protocol
  • Ethers.js - JavaScript library for Ethereum
  • Hardhat / Foundry - Smart contract development frameworks
  • The Graph - Blockchain data indexing and querying
  • IPFS - Decentralized storage for dApps

RainbowKit dramatically reduces the technical complexity of Web3 integration, allowing teams to focus on business value rather than blockchain plumbing. By providing a user experience comparable to Web2 applications, it contributes to the mass adoption of decentralized applications. Its modular architecture and active maintenance by Rainbow make it a strategic choice for any serious Web3 project requiring professional and scalable wallet connection.

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