web3.eth.getAccounts() returns empty array when using Infura provider. Why?

Question

I was trying to use Infura api to make an Ethereum web app. First I compiled a solidity contract and then deployed it using infura api on rinkeby network. Here is my deploy script which seems to be running successfully.

const HDWalletProvider = require("truffle-hdwallet-provider");
const Web3 = require('Web3');
const compileFactory = require('./build/CampaignFactory.json');

const provider = new HDWalletProvider(
    "MY_SECRET_MNEMONIC",
    "https://rinkeby.infura.io/v3/363ea9633bcb40bc8a857d908ee27094"
);
const web3 = new Web3(provider);
console.log("provider info: " + provider);
const deploy = async () => {
    const accounts = await web3.eth.getAccounts();
    console.log("account used: " + accounts[0]);
    result = await new web3.eth.Contract(JSON.parse(compileFactory.interface))
        .deploy({data: "0x"+compileFactory.bytecode})
        .send({from: accounts[0]});
    console.log("deployed to address: " + result.options.address);
};
deploy();

Then I created another script web3.js which creates a web3 provider using Infura api:

import  Web3 from 'web3';

let web3;

if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && typeof window.web3!=='undefined') {
    // we are in the browser and metamask is running.
    web3 = new Web3(window.web3.currentProvider);
    console.log("using metamask");
}
else {
    // we are in server OR user without metamask.
    const provider = new Web3.providers.HttpProvider(
        "https://rinkeby.infura.io/v3/363ea9633bcb40bc8a857d908ee27094"
    );
    web3 = new Web3(provider);
    console.log("using infura");
}

export default web3;

but when I import this web3.js file somewhere and then try to use 'web3' object, it returns empty array of accounts. For example:

import web3 from '../../ethereum/web3';
...
const accounts = await web3.eth.getAccounts();
console.log("Account list: "+accounts); // returns empty array.

But ideally it should return the accounts list associated with my mnemonic. What is the problem?

Answer 1

A naive solution is to use the HDWalletProvider in your second script, instead of the HttpProvider .

What exactly do you want to do with the second script? I suspect that the second script is something that you want to deploy with a DApp, so including your mnemonic there is a good way to give away all your ether to the first user who knows how to "view source".

If so, in the first script, display the addresses associated with your mnemonic using: provider.getAddresses() and then hard-code those addresses into the second script, for later usage. Naturally, you won't be able to sign any transactions in the second script, but at least you can read data associated with those addresses.

Answer 2

Put await window.ethereum.enable() before web3.eth.getAccounts() ,
Or use requestAccounts() instead of getAccounts() :

await web3.eth.requestAccounts();