Who Should NOT Use VLS
We believe in transparency. VLS is a powerful tool, but it’s not for everyone.
This guide will help you decide if VLS fits your project, or if something else might serve you better.
❌ You’re Looking for a Wallet, Not a Library
VLS is a library and reference implementation.
It’s designed for infrastructure, not as a ready-made wallet.
If you need:
- A mobile app you can launch today
- A complete wallet backend + frontend
- A user-facing experience out of the box
→ You likely want a full Lightning wallet stack, not VLS.
❌ You’re Comfortable Accepting High Risk or Regulatory Burden
VLS is built to reduce risk and avoid custodial headaches. If you're okay with taking on either, you may not need it.
If you’re:
- Running a monolithic node with hot keys → risk of total loss on compromise
- Using a blind signer → adds a second attack vector without validation
- Holding user funds directly → creates compliance complexity and liability
→ VLS protects you from these risks. But if you're comfortable with them, it might be overkill for now.
❌ You Can’t Customize or Prioritize Infra Changes
VLS requires some control and flexibility in your stack.
You’ll need to:
- Modify your Lightning node configuration
- Choose a deployment model (HSM, enclave, container, etc.)
- Define and manage signing policies
If you're on a fixed platform or can't prioritize integration yet, VLS might not be a fit right now.
That’s okay. You can come back when security, scale, or compliance becomes more urgent.
✅ VLS Is for You If...
You’re building Lightning infrastructure and you care about:
- Regulatory efficiency: Offer Lightning services without taking custody of user funds
- Security as a differentiator: Avoid hacks, preserve trust, and pass audits
- Custom control: Enforce your own policies, limits, approvals, and alerts
You’re not just spinning up a node, you’re building for the long term.
VLS gives you the foundation to grow securely.
🧠 Bottom Line
VLS isn’t a wallet.
It’s not a plug-and-play service.
It’s a tool for builders who need secure, scalable, non-custodial Lightning infrastructure.
If that’s you: