How to set up GitHub OAuth authentication for web applications

Key takeaways:

• Sign in to GitHub and visit the “Application Registration” page to start the OAuth process.

• Fill out the registration form with necessary details and click “Register application.”

• After registration, you will be redirected to your application’s settings page to find your “Client ID.”

• Click “Generate a new client secret” to get the client secret for your app.

• Copy both the “Client ID” and “Client Secret” and save them in your project’s .env file for secure authentication integration.

User authentication is a crucial aspect of modern web applications, providing secure access to users and protecting sensitive data. One of the easiest and most effective ways to handle authentication is by using OAuth providers like GitHub. By integrating GitHub’s OAuth authentication, users can log into your app using their GitHub credentials, making the sign-in process smoother and faster.

In this Answer, we will walk through how to set up user authentication using GitHub as the OAuth provider. We’ll cover the essential steps of registering your app, obtaining your OAuth keys, and configuring the authentication flow.

Why use GitHub for authentication?

GitHub is one of the most popular platforms for developers, making it a perfect choice for web applications aimed at developers or those integrating development tools. By using GitHub for authentication, you provide your users with a familiar and secure way to sign in to your app. Additionally, GitHub handles the security aspect, such as password management, so you can focus on building your app’s features.

Steps to setting up GitHub authentication

The following is the step-by-step guide to setting up GitHub authentication:

Step 1: Register your application

Sign in to your GitHub account. Next, go to GitHub’s application registration page:

• Visit GitHub Developer Settings.

• Click “New OAuth App” to begin the registration process.

You’ll be directed to a form where you will need to provide basic information about your application. Fill out the required fields:

• Application Name: Choose a name for your application.

• Homepage URL: Provide the URL of your app.

• Authorization Callback URL: This is the URL GitHub will redirect users to after they authorize the app. Make sure this is the correct URL in your application to handle the OAuth callback.

Once the form is complete, click the “Register application” button.

Step 3: Retrieve your client ID

After registering your application, you will be directed to your application’s settings page. Here, you’ll find your client ID. This ID is essential for authenticating your app with GitHub.

Step 4: Generate your client secret

Next, click “Generate a new client secret” to create a secret key for your application. The client secret will be used alongside the client ID to authenticate your application.

Make sure to copy the client secret, as you will need it later. For security reasons, GitHub will not show it again.

Step 5: Securely store your keys

It’s essential to keep your client ID and client secret secure. The best practice is to store them in your application’s .env file, which can be easily ignored in version control systems like Git. This prevents accidental exposure of your sensitive credentials.

Copy the client ID and client secret into your project’s .env file to connect your application with GitHub.

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, you can easily set up user authentication for your app using GitHub’s OAuth provider. Registering your application, obtaining the client ID and client secret, and securely storing them in your project’s .env file ensures seamless integration with GitHub’s authentication system. This provides users with a convenient and secure way to log into your application using their GitHub credentials.