Unlocking the Power of Single Sign-On in Strapi Community Edition: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you tired of juggling multiple login credentials for your Strapi-based application? Do you want to provide a seamless user experience for your customers? Look no further! In this article, we’ll demystify the implementation of single sign-on (SSO) in the community edition of Strapi, empowering you to create a streamlined and secure authentication process.

What is Single Sign-On (SSO) and Why Do I Need It?

Single sign-on is an authentication mechanism that allows users to access multiple applications or systems with a single set of login credentials. This approach eliminates the need for users to remember multiple usernames and passwords, reducing the risk of password-related security breaches.

In Strapi, implementing SSO can bring numerous benefits, including:

• Improved user experience: Users can access your application with a single login, eliminating the need for multiple authentication steps.
• Enhanced security: With SSO, users are less likely to use weak or duplicate passwords, reducing the risk of security breaches.
• Centralized identity management: You can manage user identities and access control from a single platform.

Is it Possible to Implement SSO in Strapi Community Edition?

The short answer is yes! While Strapi’s community edition doesn’t offer built-in SSO support, we can leverage its extensibility and customization features to implement SSO using third-party services or custom solutions.

Approaches to Implementing SSO in Strapi Community Edition

We’ll explore two approaches to implementing SSO in Strapi community edition:

1. Using OAuth 2.0 with an External Identity Provider

In this approach, we’ll utilize an external identity provider (such as Google, Facebook, or GitHub) to handle authentication and authorization. Strapi will then use the obtained access token to authenticate users.

Here’s a high-level overview of the process:

• User requests access to your Strapi application.
• Your application redirects the user to the external identity provider (e.g., Google).
• The user authenticates with the identity provider and grants access to your application.
• The identity provider redirects the user back to your application with an authorization code.
• Your application exchanges the authorization code for an access token.
• Your application uses the access token to authenticate the user and grant access.

2. Custom SSO Solution using Strapi’s Authentication Plugin

In this approach, we’ll create a custom SSO solution using Strapi’s authentication plugin. This involves developing a custom authentication strategy that interacts with an external authentication service or database.

This approach requires a deeper understanding of Strapi’s architecture and authentication mechanisms. We’ll cover the implementation details in the following sections.

Implementing SSO using OAuth 2.0 with an External Identity Provider

In this section, we’ll guide you through the process of implementing SSO using OAuth 2.0 with an external identity provider (e.g., Google).

Step 1: Register Your Application with the Identity Provider

Register your Strapi application with the external identity provider (e.g., Google) to obtain a client ID and client secret. These credentials will be used to authenticate your application.

// Google OAuth 2.0 Registration
 Client ID: 1234567890.apps.googleusercontent.com
 Client Secret: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv
 Redirect URI: http://localhost:1337/api/auth/google/callback

Step 2: Install and Configure the `strapi-plugin-auth-google` Plugin

Install the `strapi-plugin-auth-google` plugin using npm or yarn:

npm install strapi-plugin-auth-google

Configure the plugin by adding the following code to your `strapi.config.js` file:

module.exports = {
  // ...
  plugins: {
    auth: {
      enabled: true,
      google: {
        enabled: true,
        clientId: '1234567890.apps.googleusercontent.com',
        clientSecret: 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv',
        callbackUrl: '/api/auth/google/callback'
      }
    }
  }
};

Step 3: Define the Authentication Strategy

Create a new file in the `api/auth` directory, e.g., `google.js`, with the following code:

// api/auth/google.js
import { strategy as googleStrategy } from 'strapi-plugin-auth-google';

export default {
  async authenticate(ctx, next) {
    return googleStrategy.authenticate(ctx, next);
  }
};

Step 4: Add the Authentication Route

Update your `api/auth/routes.json` file to include the new authentication route:

// api/auth/routes.json
{
  // ...
  {
    "method": "GET",
    "path": "/google",
    "handler": "google.authenticate"
  }
}

Step 5: Implement the Callback Function

Create a new file in the `api/auth` directory, e.g., `google.callback.js`, with the following code:

// api/auth/google.callback.js
import { strategy as googleStrategy } from 'strapi-plugin-auth-google';

export default async (ctx) => {
  const { token } = ctx.request.query;

  if (!token) {
    return ctx.badRequest(null, 'Authentication failed');
  }

  try {
    const user = await googleStrategy.callback(token);
    ctx.login(user);
    ctx.redirect('/');
  } catch (error) {
    ctx.badRequest(null, 'Authentication failed');
  }
};

Step 6: Test the SSO Implementation

Start your Strapi application and navigate to `http://localhost:1337/api/auth/google` in your browser. You should be redirected to the Google authentication page. After authentication, you’ll be redirected back to your Strapi application, where you’ll be logged in automatically.

Implementing Custom SSO Solution using Strapi’s Authentication Plugin

In this section, we’ll guide you through the process of implementing a custom SSO solution using Strapi’s authentication plugin.

Step 1: Create a Custom Authentication Strategy

create a new file in the `api/auth` directory, e.g., `custom-sso.js`, with the following code:

// api/auth/custom-sso.js
import { Strategy as CustomSsoStrategy } from './custom-sso.strategy';

export default {
  async authenticate(ctx, next) {
    return CustomSsoStrategy.authenticate(ctx, next);
  }
};

Step 2: Implement the Custom SSO Strategy

Create a new file in the `api/auth` directory, e.g., `custom-sso.strategy.js`, with the following code:

// api/auth/custom-sso.strategy.js
import { ServiceProvider } from '@strapi/strapi';
import axios from 'axios';

class CustomSsoStrategy extends ServiceProvider {
  async authenticate(ctx) {
    const { username, password } = ctx.request.body;

    try {
      const response = await axios.post('https://your-external-auth-service.com/authenticate', {
        username,
        password
      });

      const user = response.data;

      if (user) {
        ctx.login(user);
        ctx.redirect('/');
      } else {
        ctx.badRequest(null, 'Authentication failed');
      }
    } catch (error) {
      ctx.badRequest(null, 'Authentication failed');
    }
  }
}

export { CustomSsoStrategy as Strategy };

Step 3: Add the Custom SSO Route

Update your `api/auth/routes.json` file to include the new custom SSO route:

// api/auth/routes.json
{
  // ...
  {
    "method": "POST",
    "path": "/custom-sso",
    "handler": "custom-sso.authenticate"
  }
}

Step 4: Implement the Custom SSO Logic

In your `custom-sso.strategy.js` file, implement the custom SSO logic to interact with your external authentication service or database.

// api/auth/custom-sso.strategy.js
import { ServiceProvider } from '@strapi/strapi';
import axios from 'axios';

class CustomSsoStrategy extends ServiceProvider {
  async authenticate(ctx) {
    const { username, password } = ctx.request.body;

    try {
      // Implement custom SSO logic here
      const user = await axios.post('https://your-external-auth-service.com/authenticate', {
        username,
        password
      });

      if (user) {
        ctx.login(user);
        ctx.redirect('/');
      } else {
        ctx.badRequest(null, 'Authentication failed');
      }
    } catch (error) {
      ctx.badRequest(null, 'Authentication failed');
    }
  }
}

export { CustomSsoStrategy as Strategy };

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve demonstrated two approaches to implementing single sign-on (SSO) in Strapi community editionHere are 5 Questions and Answers about implementing single sign-on feature in the community edition of Strapi:

Frequently Asked Question

Got questions about single sign-on in Strapi’s community edition? We’ve got answers!