How to build a public Confluence integration: Building the Auth Flow

Hey there, fellow JavaScript enthusiast! Ready to dive into the world of Confluence integrations? Let's focus on the most crucial part: building a rock-solid auth flow. Buckle up, because we're about to make your integration secure and user-friendly in no time.

Why Auth Matters

Before we jump in, let's quickly touch on why this is so important. A robust auth flow is your integration's bouncer – it keeps the bad guys out and lets the right users in. Plus, it's the key to accessing all those juicy Confluence APIs. Trust me, you want to get this right.

Prerequisites

Alright, let's make sure you're set up for success:

• An Atlassian Developer account (if you don't have one, go grab it – it's free!)
• A solid grasp on OAuth 2.0 (don't worry, we'll refresh your memory)
• Node.js and Express.js ready to roll on your machine

Got all that? Great! Let's get our hands dirty.

Setting up your Atlassian App

First things first, we need to create our app in the Atlassian Developer console. Here's the quick rundown:

1. Head to the Atlassian Developer console
2. Click "Create new app"
3. Give it a snazzy name
4. Under OAuth 2.0, set up your redirect URI (usually something like http://localhost:3000/callback for development)
5. Save those changes and grab your client ID and client secret – you'll need these soon!

Implementing the Authorization Flow

Now for the main event! Let's break this down into bite-sized pieces.

Initiating the auth request

We'll start by constructing our authorization URL:

const authUrl = `https://auth.atlassian.com/authorize?audience=api.atlassian.com&client_id=${clientId}&scope=${encodeURIComponent(scopes)}&redirect_uri=${encodeURIComponent(redirectUri)}&state=${state}&response_type=code&prompt=consent`;

When a user hits your "Connect to Confluence" button, redirect them to this URL. They'll log in to Atlassian, and then be sent back to your app.

Handling the callback

Once the user's back, you'll receive an authorization code. Time to exchange it for the good stuff – access and refresh tokens:

app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => {
  const { code, state } = req.query;
  
  // Verify state to prevent CSRF attacks
  
  const response = await axios.post('https://auth.atlassian.com/oauth/token', {
    grant_type: 'authorization_code',
    client_id: clientId,
    client_secret: clientSecret,
    code,
    redirect_uri: redirectUri
  });

  const { access_token, refresh_token } = response.data;
  
  // Store these tokens securely!
});

Token Management

Got those tokens? Awesome! But remember, access tokens expire. Here's how to refresh them:

async function refreshAccessToken(refreshToken) {
  const response = await axios.post('https://auth.atlassian.com/oauth/token', {
    grant_type: 'refresh_token',
    client_id: clientId,
    client_secret: clientSecret,
    refresh_token: refreshToken
  });

  return response.data.access_token;
}

Making Authenticated Requests

Now you're ready to rock! Use your access token to make API calls:

const response = await axios.get('https://api.atlassian.com/ex/confluence/your-cloud-id/rest/api/content', {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
    'Accept': 'application/json'
  }
});

Security Considerations

Security isn't just a feature, it's a lifestyle. Here are some quick tips:

• Use CSRF tokens to prevent attacks
• Store tokens securely (consider encryption at rest)
• Always use HTTPS in production

Testing the Auth Flow

Before you pop the champagne, make sure to test thoroughly:

1. Try the happy path (everything works)
2. Test with expired tokens
3. Attempt to use invalid tokens

Consider setting up some automated tests to keep things running smoothly as you develop.

Wrapping Up

And there you have it! You've just built a secure, user-friendly auth flow for your Confluence integration. Pat yourself on the back – you've earned it.

Remember, this is just the beginning. With this solid foundation, you can now expand your integration to do all sorts of cool stuff with Confluence. The sky's the limit!

Want to Learn More?

Check out these resources to level up your Confluence integration game:

• Atlassian API documentation
• OAuth 2.0 best practices

Now go forth and build something awesome! And hey, if you run into any snags, remember – the developer community's got your back. Happy coding!