Authentication

Learn how to generate an authentication token to access user data

This guide explains how to authenticate users in your application to obtain an auth_token, and make API requests to Verida’s services.

Overview

To access user data via Verida APIs, you must include a valid auth_token in every request. This token can be generated using Verida's authorization endpoints and stored securely by your application for future requests.

Quick Start Examples

1. Run the Verida App Connect Example:

   • You can clone and run the Verida App Connect Example locally to test the authentication flow.

   • Inspect the source code to understand how authorization is integrated and how the auth_token is handled.

2. Generate an Auth Token from the Developer Console:

   • Sign in to the Verida AI Developer Console and open the Sandbox.

   • Generate an Auth Token in the Sandbox for quick testing and to explore scopes.

---

Connection Flow

Below is a typical flow when integrating your application with Verida AI:

1. Generate an authentication request URL

   • Include the scopes you require as well as the redirectUrl for successful authentication.

2. Redirect the user to the authentication request URL

   • The user is prompted to grant or deny your application access.

3. User grants access and is redirected back

   • If the user grants access, they are redirected to your specified redirectUrl with an auth_token in the query parameters.

4. Store the auth_token

   • Your application should save the token securely, either linked to the user’s account in your database or in the user’s local browser storage.

5. Make requests to Verida APIs

   • Include the token in the Authorization header for all subsequent calls to Verida’s APIs.

---

Generate an Authentication Request URL

To start the authentication process, build a URL that directs users to Verida’s authentication endpoint. This URL must include several query parameters:

• redirectUrl: The URL in your application that handles a successful user authentication.

• scopes: An array of scopes that your application requires. The latest valid scopes can be listed via the Scopes API.

• payer: Specifies who will pay for the API requests made with this auth token. Set this to either user or app.

Below is an example authentication request URL (URL-encoded) that includes three scopes:

https://api.verida.ai/api/rest/v1/auth/auth?scopes=api%3Ads-query&scopes=api%3Allm-agent-prompt&scopes=api%3Allm-profile-prompt&redirectUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%3A8080%2F

TypeScript Example

// Build authentication URL
const AUTH_ENDPOINT = "https://api.verida.ai/api/rest/v1/auth/auth";
const authLink = new URL(AUTH_ENDPOINT);

// Add scopes
authLink.searchParams.append("scopes", "api:ds-query");
authLink.searchParams.append("scopes", "api:llm-agent-prompt");

// Add your application URL
authLink.searchParams.append("redirectUrl", "https://yourapplication.com/auth-success");

// Application will pay for API requests
authLink.searchParams.append("payer", "app");

// Redirect user to start the authorization process
window.location.href = authLink.toString();

---

Display the Verida Connect Button

Instead of automatically redirecting, you can provide a Connect button in your UI. When clicked, it sends users to the Verida authentication flow.

<a href="${authLink}" id="connectButton" class="verida-connect">
  <img src="https://assets.verida.io/auth/Connect-Verida.png" />
</a>

Replace ${authLink} with the URL generated in the previous step.

---

Handle an Authentication Response

Once the user grants your application access, they will be redirected to the redirectUrl you specified with an auth_token query parameter.

Example of how to capture the auth_token in TypeScript:

const currentUrl = new URL(window.location.href);
const authToken = currentUrl.searchParams.get("auth_token");

if (authToken) {
    // Save the token, e.g. in localStorage or your application database
    localStorage.setItem("veridaAuthToken", authToken);
    
    // You can now use this token to make requests to Verida APIs
}

---

---

Next Steps

• Explore Additional Scopes: Visit Verida’s Scopes API for a comprehensive list of available scopes.

• Advanced Use Cases: Consider reading more about Verida’s data storage, encryption, and decentralized identity solutions to fully leverage the ecosystem.

• Production Deployment: If you’re planning a production rollout, ensure you use secure storage for the auth_token.