Auth0 API Essential Guide

Aug 8, 2024 • 6 minute read

What type of API does Auth0 provide?

Based on the search results, Auth0 primarily offers a REST API. Here are the key points:

Auth0 provides a RESTful API for authentication and identity management.
JWT (JSON Web Token) authentication is a core feature of Auth0's API.
Auth0 supports both REST and SOAP authentication methods, but REST is more commonly used.
While Auth0 can work with GraphQL APIs, it does not natively offer a GraphQL API itself. Instead, it provides authentication and authorization services that can be integrated with GraphQL APIs.
Auth0 can act as both a Service Provider and an Identity Provider in SAML-based federations, which is relevant for SOAP APIs.

Key Considerations

REST APIs are widely used and well-suited for many modern applications, including single-page apps and mobile applications.
Auth0's REST API is designed to be easy to understand and develop for, making it a good choice for startups and developers building modern applications.
While Auth0 can be used to secure GraphQL APIs, it does not offer a native GraphQL API for its own services.

Best Practices

When using Auth0 with a REST API, implement JWT authentication for secure token-based access.
For applications that require SOAP authentication, consider using Auth0's SAML capabilities.
When integrating Auth0 with a GraphQL API, use Auth0's REST API for authentication and authorization, then apply those security measures to your GraphQL endpoint.

In summary, Auth0 primarily offers a REST API, but it can be used to secure various types of APIs, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL. The choice of API type often depends on the specific requirements of your application, with REST being the most common and well-supported option in Auth0's ecosystem.

Does the Auth0 API have webhooks?

Yes, the official Auth0 API does have webhooks. Here are the key points about Auth0 webhooks:

Webhook Support

Auth0 provides webhook functionality through extensions, specifically the "Auth0 Authentication API Webhooks" extension.

Types of Events

You can subscribe to various types of events using the Auth0 Authentication API Webhooks extension. Some of the configurable options include:

Log_Level: The minimal log level of events you want to receive
Log_Types: The specific events for which logs should be exported

Configuration

To set up webhooks, you need to configure the extension with details like:

Webhook_URL: The URL of your webhook endpoint
Authorization: String to be added as Authorization header
Send_as_Batch: Option to send logs in batches or one-by-one
Webhook_Concurrent_Calls: Maximum number of concurrent calls to your webhook

Payload

The extension will send webhook payloads containing log events based on your configuration.

Best Practices

Use the Dashboard or Management API to manage your webhook configurations
Consider using Actions instead of Hooks for newer implementations, as Auth0 plans to deprecate Hooks in the future

It's important to note that Auth0 is moving towards using Actions for extensibility instead of Hooks and Rules. While webhooks are still supported through extensions, consider exploring Actions for future implementations as they offer more features and better integration with Auth0.

Rate Limits and other limitations

Based on the search results provided, here are the key points about the API rate limits for Auth0:

General Rate Limit Approach

Auth0 uses a token bucket algorithm for rate limiting [2].
There are two main components to the rate limits:
1. Burst limit: The maximum number of requests allowed in a short time period
2. Sustained rate limit: The maximum number of requests allowed over a longer period (usually per second or per minute)

Management API Rate Limits

For paid tenants [3]:

15 requests per second sustained rate
Bursts up to 50 requests allowed

Rate Limit Variations

Rate limits can vary based on [2]:
- API and endpoint
- Tenant type (e.g. free vs paid)
- In some cases, source IP or target user ID

Rate Limit Headers

Auth0 provides rate limit information in HTTP response headers [1]:

x-ratelimit-limit: Maximum number of requests allowed
x-ratelimit-remaining: Number of requests remaining
x-ratelimit-reset: Timestamp when the limit will reset

Additional Considerations

Rate limits are evaluated at both the global API level and the specific endpoint level [2].
There are separate limits for database login attempts to protect against brute force attacks [2].
Extensibility products have concurrent request limits that vary by subscription tier [2].

Summary

The exact rate limits can vary significantly based on the specific API, endpoint, and subscription type. For the Management API on paid plans, the general limit is 15 requests per second with bursts up to 50 requests allowed. However, it's important to check the documentation or contact Auth0 support for the most up-to-date and specific rate limit information for your particular use case and subscription.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, here are the key points regarding the most recent version of the Auth0 API:

Current API Versions

The most recent version of the Auth0 Management API is v2 [3].
For the Authentication API, there is no specific version number mentioned, but it is referred to as the "latest embedded login API" [2].

Key Points

Auth0 exposes multiple APIs for developers to use in their applications, including the Authentication API and Management API [1].
The Authentication API is used for identity functionality and supports protocols like OpenID Connect, OAuth, and SAML [1].
The Management API is meant for administrative tasks and can be used to perform actions that can be done through the Auth0 dashboard [3].

Recent Updates

Auth0 has implemented caching for common Authentication API requests to improve performance [2].
The company has released new versions of various SDKs, including auth0-java v2, auth0-angular v2, auth0-react v2, auth0-vue v2, and Auth0.swift v2 [2].
Auth0 has also launched new tools like the Auth0 CLI v1 and the Auth0 Marketplace [2].

Best Practices

It's recommended to use Auth0 SDKs or libraries like Auth0.js or Lock when working with the Authentication API, rather than calling it directly (unless building a custom authentication UI) [1].
For the Management API, developers should initialize their client with appropriate credentials (client ID, client secret, and domain) [3].

While there isn't a specific "most recent version" number for the entire Auth0 API, the company continually updates its APIs, SDKs, and tools. Developers should refer to the official Auth0 documentation for the most up-to-date information on specific API endpoints and versions.

How to get a Auth0 developer account and API Keys?

Here are the key steps to get a developer account for Auth0 and create an API integration:

Go to auth0.com and click "Sign Up" to create a free developer account.

Create a new tenant:

After signing up, you'll be prompted to create a new tenant, which is your Auth0 domain.

Go to the Auth0 Dashboard and navigate to "Applications" > "APIs".
Click "+ Create API"
Provide a name and identifier for your API
Select the signing algorithm (RS256 recommended)
Click "Create"

Configure API settings:

On the API settings page, you can configure scopes, permissions, and other options for your API.

Get credentials:

The API will have a Client ID and Client Secret that you can use to authenticate requests.

Implement authentication:

Use the Auth0 SDKs and documentation to implement authentication in your application.

What can you do with the Auth0 API?

Based on the provided search results, here's a list of data models you can interact with using the Auth0 API, along with what is possible for each:

Users

Manage user profiles programmatically [1]
Perform CRUD operations on user accounts [3]
Query user profiles [3]
Link user accounts [1]
Categorize users into organizations [3]
Assign roles to users [3]

Applications

Register applications with Auth0 [1]
Configure application settings (e.g., name, logo, callback URLs) [3]
Manage application credentials [2]

APIs

Register APIs with Auth0 [1][3]
Configure API settings [5]
Define access permissions (scopes) for APIs [5]

Connections

Set up authentication connections (e.g., social, enterprise, database) [1][3]

Tokens

Request and manage various types of tokens:
- Access Tokens [1][5]
- ID Tokens [3][5]
- Refresh Tokens [1][3]

Rules

Create and manage Rules for customizing authentication flows [5]
Add custom claims to tokens using Rules [5]

Roles and Permissions

Create and manage roles [3]
Define permissions for roles [3]
Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) [5]

Organizations

Create and manage Auth0 Organizations [3]

Tenants

Configure tenant settings [3]

Sessions

Manage session lifetime limits [3]

Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

Configure MFA settings [3]
Request MFA challenges [1]

Branding and Customization

Customize login experiences (Universal Login) [3]
Configure localization settings [3]

Logs and Monitoring

Access authentication and authorization logs (implied, not explicitly mentioned in the search results)

This list covers the main data models and interactions possible with the Auth0 API based on the provided search results. The Auth0 API allows for comprehensive management and configuration of various aspects of the identity and access management system.