Client-to-server API reference

This documentation covers requests made by a user's browser or mobile app directly to Userfront's server.

For requests made by your server to Userfront's server using your application's API key, see the API reference for server-to-server actions.

The Userfront API is organized around REST(opens new window). Our API has predictable resource-oriented URLs, accepts JSON-encoded(opens new window) request bodies, returns JSON-encoded responses, and uses standard HTTP response codes, authentication, and verbs.

You can use the Userfront API in test mode, which does not affect your live data. The request origin and JWT access token used to for the request determine whether the request is live mode or test mode.

Userfront uses conventional HTTP response codes to indicate the success or failure of an API request. In general: Codes in the 2xx range indicate success. Codes in the 4xx range indicate an error that failed given the information provided (e.g., a required parameter was omitted, a charge failed, etc.). Codes in the 5xx range indicate an error with Userfront's servers (these are rare).

Some 4xx errors that could be handled programmatically (e.g. a token is expired) include an error code that briefly explains the error reported.

Errors contain a statusCode, message, and error object.

The message describes what went wrong for the request, while the error object contains additional information about the error.

Logged in actions allow a logged in user to perform actions on their own user record.

Read detailed information about the logged in user.

The request must include the user's valid JWT access token in the Authorization header.

Authentication actions allow a user to sign up, log in, perform password resets, and carry out other useful interactions with your application.

Most of these actions are also implemented with helper functions in the Core JS library.

Register a new user with an email and password.

#Welcome / signup email

By default, Userfront sends new users a welcome email to confirm their account. The link in this email contains a uuid and token that allow login the same way as a login link.

You can disable this email with the options.noSignupEmail parameter above.

In test mode, Userfront does not send emails.

Register a new user with an email, and send them a login link email.

If the user already exists, sends them a login link email. See send login link email.

In test mode, Userfront does not send emails. Instead, the API response will contain a link attribute that can be followed directly to log in.

By default, Userfront sends new users a welcome email to confirm their account. The link in this email contains a uuid and token and works the same way as a login link.

You can disable this email with the options.noSignupEmail parameter above.

Log in with a password and email/username.

By default, Userfront sends a password reset link email to users when they try to log in with a password but have not yet set a password.

You can disable this email with the options.noResetEmail parameter.

When disabled, the request will return an error with the type "intended_error" for a user who does not yet have a password. This distinguishes the request from a user who has a password; their error would be "bad_request_error".

Update a user's password using their valid JWT access token and their existing password.

The request must include a valid JWT access token in the Authorization header.

#If no password exists

If the user does not have a password (for example, if they logged in via SSO), the existingPassword field is ignored, and Userfront sets the password based on the password field alone.

To update a user's own email address, send the new email address to the send account verification email endpoint.

This will generate a link the user can click to verify their new email address. They will retain their old email address until the link is clicked.

Generate and send a login link email.

In test mode, Userfront does not send emails. Instead, the API response will contain a link attribute that can be followed directly to log in.

#Generate link credentials without sending email

You can generate login link credentials to use in your own custom emails by using the generate link credentials endpoint.

Log in using the token and uuid from a login link.

Generate and send a 6-digit verification code by SMS or email.

In test mode, Userfront does not send SMS messages or emails. Instead, the API response will contain the verification code directly.

Log in using a 6-digit verification code.

The request must use the same channel and phoneNumber / email as were used to generate the verification code.

Read a user's TOTP information, including their QR code image and their remaining single-use backup codes.

The request must include a valid JWT access token in the Authorization header.

The qrCode attribute is a base-64 PNG image that can be displayed directly to the user.

Each user initially begins with 10 single-use backup codes for TOTP.

You should display these backup codes to the user so that they can store them in case they lose access to their authenticator device.

If all 10 single-use backup codes are used, the user will have to re-pair their authenticator device, at which time they will receive 10 new codes.

Log in using a code generated by a TOTP authenticator app, or with a single-use backup code.

In addition to either a totpCode or a backupCode, the request must contain one of the following to identify the user: userId, userUuid, emailOrUsername, email, username, or phoneNumber.

Login with a backupCode works the same way as login with a totpCode.

Each user initially begins with 10 single-use backup codes for TOTP.

If all 10 single-use backup codes are used, the user will have set up TOTP authenticator again, at which time they will receive 10 new codes.

Log in using an SSO provider by visiting a link for that provider.

The SSO provider must already be configured.

#Provider

The :provider value should be the lowercased name of the SSO provider.

For example: google, github, linkedin, facebook, or azure.

#Query strings

Send a user's valid refresh token to obtain a new JWT access token.

The request must include a valid refresh token in the Authorization header.

Generate and send a password reset link email.

In test mode, Userfront does not send emails. Instead, the API response will contain a link attribute that can be followed directly to reset the user's password.

#Generate link credentials without sending email

You can generate password reset link credentials to use in your own custom emails by using the generate link credentials endpoint.

Reset a user's password using the token and uuid from a password reset link.

Upon success, returns a JWT access token so that the user can log in directly.

Generate and send an account verification link email.

After a user follows the account verification link, their user record is marked isConfirmed: true.

You can process the account verification link's token and uuid credentials the same way as login link credentials: with Log in with login link.

To add a new email address for a user, the request must include a valid JWT access token in the Authorization header.

If the user submits a new email address, their user record is updated after they follow the account verification link sent to the new email address.

In test mode, Userfront does not send emails. Instead, the API response will contain a link attribute that can be followed directly to log in.

To add a new phone number for a user, the request must include a valid JWT access token in the Authorization header.

After a user submits the verification code to the verification code endpoint, their phone number is verified and can be used in login and MFA flows.

In test mode, Userfront does not send SMS messages. Instead, the API response will contain the verification code directly.

Log a user out and invalidate their current session.

In order to invalidate the user's current session, the request must include a valid JWT access token or refresh token in the Authorization header. This token can be expired.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires the user to use 2 separate factors when logging in. It is sometimes also called two-factor authentication (2FA)

On Userfront, any factor can be a first factor or a second factor.

A "factor" is considered a strategy and its channel.

#Enable MFA

MFA is enabled by default. To configure MFA options, visit the Auth flows page and configure the factors you want to use.

You can require MFA for individual users or for all users.

#Require MFA for individuals

To require MFA for an individual user, set their isMfaRequired attribute to true using either the user.update() method from the client, or the Update user endpoint from your server.

#Require MFA for all users

To require MFA for all users, visit the Auth flows page and configure the factors you want to use, then select the toggle labeled "Require MFA".

#"MFA required" response

When MFA is required, a user's initial login request returns the "MFA required" response.

This response contains the following:

• firstFactorToken, which can be sent in the header of the second request in order to log in and obtain a JWT access token. See Using firstFactorToken.
• An authentication object, which contains the firstFactor that was used and an array of secondFactors that are valid for the user.

#Using firstFactorToken

You should include firstFactorToken in the authorization header, and from there you can use the second factor endpoint(s) as you normally would.

#Example: read TOTP authenticator information

To set up TOTP authenticator during the MFA login flow, include the firstFactorToken in the authorization header, and make a request to the Set up TOTP authenticator endpoint.

For users who have not yet set up TOTP, this will return their qrCode and backupCodes, which can be used for TOTP login.

#Example: log in with TOTP authenticator

To log in with TOTP authenticator during the MFA login flow, include the firstFactorToken in the authorization header, and make a request to the Log in with TOTP authenticator endpoint.

With the firstFactorToken included, the response will contain the user's JWT access token for login.

There are three endpoints to log users in and out using SAML.

View the SAML set up guide to set up your service provider in the Userfront dashboard. SAML is only available in live mode.

You will need to obtain a SAML token with a valid JWT access token in the Authorization header. You will then use the token to complete the SAML flow using either of the endpoints below to log a user in or out:

• GET /v0/auth/saml/idp/login
• GET /v0/auth/saml/idp/logout

Complete SAML login with token.

When a service provider requests your identity provider's Login URL, the Userfront API will redirect the client to your After-logout path(opens new window) where you will obtain a token using the user's JWT access token as specified in Generate SAML token.

The response is a self-submitting form containing the SAML response which sends a POST request to the service provider to complete the login process.

#Parameters

Complete SAML logout with token.

When a service provider requests your identity provider's Logout URL, the Userfront API will redirect the client to your After-logout path(opens new window) where you will obtain a token using the user's JWT access token as specified in Generate SAML token.

The response is a self-submitting form containing the SAML response which sends a POST request to the service provider to complete the logout process.

#Parameters