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

# Glossary

> Key terms and definitions used across the Crossmint documentation.

A reference of key terms used throughout the Crossmint documentation. If you encounter an unfamiliar term in any guide or concept page, check here first.

| Term                                    | Definition                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| --------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Smart contract wallet**               | A wallet deployed as a smart contract on a public blockchain. It lives onchain — not inside Crossmint's servers — and its behavior is governed by auditable code. On EVM chains, Crossmint wallets implement [ERC-4337](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-4337) with [ERC-7579](https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7579) modular extensions. See [Architecture](/wallets/architecture). |
| **Signer**                              | A cryptographic identity authorized to approve actions on a wallet. Signers are separate from the wallet itself and can be added, removed, or rotated without changing the wallet's address. See [Signers](/wallets/concepts/signers).                                                                                                                                                   |
| **Operational signer**                  | A signer added to a wallet for day-to-day transaction authorization. Operational signers are registered by the recovery signer and can be scoped with specific permissions. Examples: a device key for user wallets, a server key for company wallets. See [Signers](/wallets/concepts/signers).                                                                                         |
| **Delegated signer**                    | The previous term for **operational signer**. Still used in current SDK method names (`addDelegatedSigner`, `delegatedSigners`) but being renamed in the next breaking release.                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| **Recovery signer**                     | A signer used to regain access to a wallet when the operational signer is lost — for example, when a user gets a new phone. Recovery signers authorize the enrollment of a new operational signer without changing the wallet address. See [Signers](/wallets/concepts/signers).                                                                                                         |
| **Admin signer**                        | The previous term for **recovery signer**. You may still encounter this term in older SDK versions and API responses.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| **Custody**                             | An entity has custody of a wallet if it can **unilaterally execute transactions** on the wallet or **unilaterally block transactions** on the wallet. See [Custody Models](/wallets/concepts/custody-models) for full details.                                                                                                                                                           |
| **Non-custodial**                       | A wallet configuration where your company cannot unilaterally move or block funds. Users control their own signers. See [Custody Models](/wallets/concepts/custody-models).                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| **Wallet locator**                      | A human-readable identifier for a wallet, following the format `email:user@example.com:evm` or `userId:abc123:solana`. Used in API calls instead of raw wallet addresses.                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Signer locator**                      | A human-readable identifier for a signer, such as `external-wallet:0x1234...` or `email:user@example.com`. Used when registering or referencing signers in API calls.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| **Secure enclave**                      | The secure storage built into a user's phone, computer, or browser — such as the iOS Secure Enclave, Android Keystore, or the browser's built-in credential store. Cryptographic keys generated inside a secure enclave are non-extractable and never leave the device. Crossmint uses device secure enclaves to back [device key signers](/wallets/guides/signers/device-signer).       |
| **TEE (Trusted Execution Environment)** | A hardware-attested secure enclave (e.g., Intel TDX) where sensitive cryptographic operations occur. Crossmint uses TEEs for email and SMS recovery signers — master secrets are derived inside the TEE and never exposed to Crossmint or the host application.                                                                                                                          |
| **Onchain**                             | Deployed to or enforced by the blockchain. In Crossmint wallets, signer permissions and wallet logic are onchain and publicly auditable.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |