--- title: XCM Tools description: Explore essential XCM tools across Polkadot, crafted to enhance cross-chain functionality and integration within the ecosystem. categories: - Tooling - Interoperability url: https://docs.polkadot.com/reference/tools/xcm-tools/ word_count: 830 token_estimate: 1303 version_hash: sha256:ca67b2d70beb2f434841525ad8055efb703d40ffd6904dc831de5ef1e9fd5a5e last_updated: '2026-03-16T21:10:48+00:00' --- # XCM Tools ## Introduction As described in the [Interoperability](/parachains/interoperability/get-started/) section, XCM (Cross-Consensus Messaging) is a protocol used in the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems to enable communication and interaction between chains. It facilitates cross-chain communication, allowing assets, data, and messages to flow seamlessly across the ecosystem. As XCM is central to enabling communication between blockchains, developers need robust tools to help interact with, build, and test XCM messages. Several XCM tools simplify working with the protocol by providing libraries, frameworks, and utilities that enhance the development process, ensuring that applications built within the Polkadot ecosystem can efficiently use cross-chain functionalities. ## Popular XCM Tools ### Moonsong Labs XCM Tools [Moonsong Labs XCM Tools](https://github.com/Moonsong-Labs/xcm-tools) provides a collection of scripts for managing and testing XCM operations between Polkadot SDK-based runtimes. These tools allow performing tasks like asset registration, channel setup, and XCM initialization. Key features include: - **Asset registration**: Registers assets, setting units per second (up-front fees), and configuring error (revert) codes. - **XCM initializer**: Initializes XCM, sets default XCM versions, and configures revert codes for XCM-related precompiles. - **HRMP manipulator**: Manages HRMP channel actions, including opening, accepting, or closing channels. - **XCM-Transactor-Info-Setter**: Configures transactor information, including extra weight and fee settings. - **Decode XCM**: Decodes XCM messages on the relay chain or parachains to help interpret cross-chain communication. To get started, clone the repository and install the required dependencies: ```bash git clone https://github.com/Moonsong-Labs/xcm-tools && cd xcm-tools && yarn install ``` For a full overview of each script, visit the [scripts](https://github.com/Moonsong-Labs/xcm-tools/tree/main/scripts) directory or refer to the [official documentation](https://github.com/Moonsong-Labs/xcm-tools/blob/main/README.md) on GitHub. ### ParaSpell [ParaSpell](/reference/tools/paraspell/) is a collection of open-source XCM tools that streamline cross-chain asset transfers and interactions across the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems. It provides developers with an intuitive interface to build, test, and deploy interoperable dApps, featuring message composition, decoding, and practical utilities for parachain interactions that simplify debugging and cross-chain communication optimization. ### Astar XCM Tools The [Astar parachain](https://github.com/AstarNetwork/Astar/tree/master) offers a crate with a set of utilities for interacting with the XCM protocol. The [xcm-tools](https://github.com/AstarNetwork/Astar/tree/master/bin/xcm-tools) crate provides a straightforward method for users to locate a sovereign account or calculate an XC20 asset ID. Some commands included by the xcm-tools crate allow users to perform the following tasks: - **Sovereign accounts**: Obtain the sovereign account address for any parachain, either on the Relay Chain or for sibling parachains, using a simple command. - **XC20 EVM addresses**: Generate XC20-compatible Ethereum addresses for assets by entering the asset ID, making it easy to integrate assets across Ethereum-compatible environments. - **Remote accounts**: Retrieve remote account addresses needed for multi-location compatibility, using flexible options to specify account types and parachain IDs. To start using these tools, clone the [Astar repository](https://github.com/AstarNetwork/Astar) and compile the xcm-tools package: ```bash git clone https://github.com/AstarNetwork/Astar && cd Astar && cargo build --release -p xcm-tools ``` After compiling, verify the setup with the following command: ```bash ./target/release/xcm-tools --help ``` For more details on using Astar xcm-tools, consult the [official documentation](https://docs.astar.network/docs/learn/interoperability/xcm/integration/tools/). ### Chopsticks The Chopsticks library provides XCM functionality for testing XCM messages across networks, enabling you to fork multiple parachains along with a relay chain. For further details, see the [Replay and Dry Run XCMs using Chopsticks](/chain-interactions/send-transactions/interoperability/debug-and-preview-xcms/) guide. ### Moonbeam XCM SDK The [Moonbeam XCM SDK](https://github.com/moonbeam-foundation/xcm-sdk) enables developers to easily transfer assets between chains, either between parachains or between a parachain and the relay chain, within the Polkadot/Kusama ecosystem. With the SDK, you don't need to worry about determining the [Multilocation](https://github.com/polkadot-fellows/xcm-format?tab=readme-ov-file#7-universal-consensus-location-identifiers) of the origin or destination assets or which extrinsics are used on which networks. The SDK consists of two main packages: - **[XCM SDK](https://github.com/moonbeam-foundation/xcm-sdk/tree/main/packages/sdk)**: Core SDK for executing XCM transfers between chains in the Polkadot/Kusama ecosystem. - **[MRL SDK](https://github.com/moonbeam-foundation/xcm-sdk/tree/main/packages/mrl)**: Extension of the XCM SDK for transferring liquidity into and across the Polkadot ecosystem from other ecosystems like Ethereum. Key features include: - **Simplified asset transfers**: Abstracts away complex multilocation determinations and extrinsic selection. - **Cross-ecosystem support**: Enables transfers between Polkadot/Kusama chains and external ecosystems. - **Developer-friendly API**: Provides intuitive interfaces for cross-chain functionality. - **Comprehensive documentation**: Includes usage guides and API references for both packages. For detailed usage examples and API documentation, visit the [official Moonbeam XCM SDK documentation](https://moonbeam-foundation.github.io/xcm-sdk/latest/).