@descope/node-sdk

Descope SDK for Node.js

The Descope SDK for Node.js provides convenient access to the Descope user management and authentication API for a backend written in Node.js. You can read more on the Descope Website.

Requirements

The SDK supports Node version 14 and above.

Installing the SDK

Install the package with:

npm i --save @descope/node-sdk

Setup

A Descope Project ID is required to initialize the SDK. Find it on the project page in the Descope Console.

import DescopeClient from '@descope/node-sdk';

const descopeClient = DescopeClient({ projectId: 'my-project-ID' });

Usage

Here are some examples how to manage and authenticate users:

OTP Authentication

Send a user a one-time password (OTP) using your preferred delivery method (email / SMS). An email address or phone number must be provided accordingly.

The user can either sign up, sign in or sign up or in

// Every user must have a login ID. All other user information is optional
const loginId = '[e-mail]';
const user = {
  name: 'Desmond Copland',
  phone: '212-555-1234',
  email: loginId,
};
await descopeClient.otp.signUp['email'](loginId, user);

The user will receive a code using the selected delivery method. Verify that code using:

const jwtResponse = await descopeClient.otp.verify['email'](loginId, 'code');
// jwtResponse.data.sessionJwt
// jwtResponse.data.refreshJwt

The session and refresh JWTs should be returned to the caller, and passed with every request in the session. Read more on session validation

Magic Link

Send a user a Magic Link using your preferred delivery method (email / SMS). The Magic Link will redirect the user to page where the its token needs to be verified. This redirection can be configured in code, or globally in the Descope Console

The user can either sign up, sign in or sign up or in

// If configured globally, the redirect URI is optional. If provided however, it will be used
// instead of any global configuration
const URI = 'http://myapp.com/verify-magic-link';
await descopeClient.magicLink.signUpOrIn['email']('[e-mail]', URI);

To verify a magic link, your redirect page must call the validation function on the token (t) parameter (https://your-redirect-address.com/verify?t=<token>):

const jwtResponse = await descopeClient.magicLink.verify('token');
// jwtResponse.data.sessionJwt;
// jwtResponse.data.refreshJwt;

The session and refresh JWTs should be returned to the caller, and passed with every request in the session. Read more on session validation

Enchanted Link

Using the Enchanted Link APIs enables users to sign in by clicking a link delivered to their email address. The email will include 3 different links, and the user will have to click the right one, based on the 2-digit number that is displayed when initiating the authentication process.

This method is similar to Magic Link but differs in two major ways:

• The user must choose the correct link out of the three, instead of having just one single link.
• This supports cross-device clicking, meaning the user can try to log in on one device, like a computer, while clicking the link on another device, for instance a mobile phone.

The Enchanted Link will redirect the user to page where the its token needs to be verified. This redirection can be configured in code per request, or set globally in the Descope Console.

The user can either sign up, sign in or sign up or in

// If configured globally, the redirect URI is optional. If provided however, it will be used
// instead of any global configuration.
const URI = 'http://myapp.com/verify-enchanted-link';
const enchantedLinkRes = await descopeClient.enchantedLink.signIn('[e-mail]', URI);
enchantedLinkRes.data.linkId; // Should be displayed to the user so they can click the corresponding link in the email
enchantedLinkRes.data.pendingRef; // Used to poll for a valid session

After sending the link, you must poll to receive a valid session using the pendingRef from the previous step. A valid session will be returned only after the user clicks the right link.

// Poll for a certain number of tries / time frame. You can control the polling interval and time frame
// with the optional WaitForSessionConfig
const jwtResponse = await descopeClient.enchantedLink.waitForSession(
  enchantedLinkRes.data.pendingRef,
);
// jwtResponse.data.sessionJwt;
// jwtResponse.data.refreshJwt;

To verify an enchanted link, your redirect page must call the validation function on the token (t) parameter (https://your-redirect-address.com/verify?t=<token>). Once the token is verified, the session polling will receive a valid response.

try {
  await descopeClient.enchantedLink.verify('token');
  // token is invalid
} catch (error) {
  // token is valid
}

The session and refresh JWTs should be returned to the caller, and passed with every request in the session. Read more on session validation

OAuth

Users can authenticate using their social logins, via the OAuth protocol. Configure your OAuth settings on the Descope console. To start an OAuth flow call:

// Choose an oauth provider out of the supported providers
// If configured globally, the return URL is optional. If provided however, it will be used
// instead of any global configuration.

const urlRes = await descopeClient.oauth.start['google'](redirectUrl);
urlRes.data.url; // Redirect the user to the returned URL to start the OAuth redirect chain

The user will authenticate with the authentication provider, and will be redirected back to the redirect URL, with an appended code HTTP URL parameter. Exchange it to validate the user:

const jwtResponse = await descopeClient.oauth.exchange('token');
// jwtResponse.data.sessionJwt;
// jwtResponse.data.refreshJwt;

The session and refresh JWTs should be returned to the caller, and passed with every request in the session. Read more on session validation

SSO/SAML

Users can authenticate to a specific tenant using SAML or Single Sign On. Configure your SSO/SAML settings on the Descope console. To start a flow call:

// If configured globally, the return URL is optional. If provided however, it will be used
// instead of any global configuration.
const redirectUrl = 'https://my-app.com/handle-saml';
const urlRes = await descopeClient.saml.start('tenant'); // Choose which tenant to log into. An email can also be provided here and the domain will be extracted from it
urlRes.data.url; // Redirect the user to the given returned URL to start the SSO/SAML redirect chain

The user will authenticate with the authentication provider configured for that tenant, and will be redirected back to the redirect URL, with an appended code HTTP URL parameter. Exchange it to validate the user:

const jwtResponse = await descopeClient.saml.exchange('token');
// jwtResponse.data.sessionJwt;
// jwtResponse.data.refreshJwt;

The session and refresh JWTs should be returned to the caller, and passed with every request in the session. Read more on session validation

TOTP Authentication

The user can authenticate using an authenticator app, such as Google Authenticator. Sign up like you would using any other authentication method. The sign up response will then contain a QR code image that can be displayed to the user to scan using their mobile device camera app, or the user can enter the key manually or click on the link provided by the provisioningURL.

Existing users can add TOTP using the update function.

// Every user must have a login ID. All other user information is optional
const loginId = '[e-mail]';
const user = {
  name: 'Desmond Copland',
  phone: '212-555-1234',
  email: loginId,
};
const totpRes = await descopeClient.totp.signUp(loginId, user);
// Use one of the provided options to have the user add their credentials to the authenticator
totpRes.data.provisioningURL;
totpRes.data.image;
totpRes.data.key;

There are 3 different ways to allow the user to save their credentials in their authenticator app - either by clicking the provisioning URL, scanning the QR image or inserting the key manually. After that, signing in is done using the code the app produces.

const jwtResponse = await descopeClient.totp.verify(loginId, 'code');
// jwtResponse.data.sessionJwt;
// jwtResponse.data.refreshJwt;

The session and refresh JWTs should be returned to the caller, and passed with every request in the session. Read more on session validation

Session Validation

Every secure request performed between your client and server needs to be validated. The client sends the session and refresh tokens with every request, and they are validated using one of the following:

// Validate the session. Will throw if expired
const authInfo = await descopeClient.validateSession('sessionToken');

// If validateSession throws an exception, you will need to refresh the session using
const authInfo = await descopeClient.refreshSession('refreshToken');

// Alternatively, you could combine the two and
// have the session validated and automatically refreshed when expired
const authInfo = await descopeClient.validateAndRefreshSession('sessionToken', 'refreshToken');

Choose the right session validation and refresh combination that suits your needs. Refreshed sessions return the same response as is returned when users first sign up / log in, containing the session and refresh tokens, as well as all of the JWT claims. Make sure to return the session token from the response to the client if tokens are validated directly.

Usually, the tokens can be passed in and out via HTTP headers or via a cookie. The implementation can defer according to your implementation. See our examples for a few examples.

If Roles & Permissions are used, validate them immediately after validating the session. See the next section for more information.

Session Validation Using Middleware

Alternatively, you can create a simple middleware function that internally uses the validateSession function. This middleware will automatically parse the cookies from the request. On failure, it will respond with 401 Unauthorized.

const authMiddleware = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
  try {
    const cookies = parseCookies(req);
    const out = await clientAuth.auth.validateSession(
      cookies[DescopeClient.SessionTokenCookieName],
      cookies[DescopeClient.RefreshTokenCookieName],
    );
    if (out?.cookies) {
      res.set('Set-Cookie', out.cookies);
    }
    next();
  } catch (e) {
    res.status(401).json({
      error: new Error('Unauthorized!'),
    });
  }
};

Roles & Permission Validation

When using Roles & Permission, it's important to validate the user has the required authorization immediately after making sure the session is valid. Taking the AuthenticationInfo received by the session validation, call the following functions:

For multi-tenant uses:

// You can validate specific permissions
const validTenantPermissions = await descopeClient.validateTenantPermissions(
  authInfo,
  'my-tenant-ID',
  ['Permission to validate'],
);
if (!validTenantPermissions) {
  // Deny access
}

// Or validate roles directly
const validTenantRoles = await descopeClient.validateTenantRoles(authInfo, 'my-tenant-ID', [
  'Role to validate',
]);
if (!validTenantRoles) {
  // Deny access
}

When not using tenants use:

// You can validate specific permissions
const validPermissions = await descopeClient.validatePermissions(authInfo, [
  'Permission to validate',
]);
if (!validPermissions) {
  // Deny access
}

// Or validate roles directly
const validRoles = await descopeClient.validateRoles(authInfo, ['Role to validate']);
if (!validRoles) {
  // Deny access
}

Logging Out

You can log out a user from an active session by providing their refreshToken for that session. After calling this function, you must invalidate or remove any cookies you have created.

await descopeClient.logout(refreshToken);

It is also possible to sign the user out of all the devices they are currently signed-in with. Calling logoutAll will invalidate all user's refresh tokens. After calling this function, you must invalidate or remove any cookies you have created.

await descopeClient.logoutAll(refreshToken);

Management API

It is very common for some form of management or automation to be required. These can be performed using the management API. Please note that these actions are more sensitive as they are administrative in nature. Please use responsibly.

Setup

To use the management API you'll need a Management Key along with your Project ID. Create one in the Descope Console.

import DescopeClient from '@descope/node-sdk';

const descopeClient = DescopeClient({
  projectId: 'my-project-ID',
  managementKey: 'management-key',
});

Manage Tenants

You can create, update, delete or load tenants:

// The self provisioning domains or optional. If given they'll be used to associate
// Users logging in to this tenant
await descopeClient.management.tenant.create('My Tenant', ['domain.com']);

// You can optionally set your own ID when creating a tenant
await descopeClient.management.tenant.createWithId('my-custom-id', 'My Tenant', ['domain.com']);

// Update will override all fields as is. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.tenant.update('my-custom-id', 'My Tenant', [
  'domain.com',
  'another-domain.com',
]);

// Tenant deletion cannot be undone. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.tenant.delete('my-custom-id');

// Load all tenants
const tenantsRes = await descopeClient.management.tenant.loadAll();
tenantsRes.data.forEach((tenant) => {
  // do something
});

Manage Users

You can create, update, delete or load users, as well as search according to filters:

// A user must have a login ID, other fields are optional.
// Roles should be set directly if no tenants exist, otherwise set
// on a per-tenant basis.
await descopeClient.management.user.create(
  '[e-mail]',
  '[e-mail]',
  null,
  'Desmond Copeland',
  null,
  [{ tenantId: 'tenant-ID1', roleNames: ['role-name1'] }],
);

// Alternatively, a user can be created and invited via an email message.
// Make sure to configure the invite URL in the Descope console prior to using this function,
// and that an email address is provided in the information.
await descopeClient.management.user.invite(
  '[e-mail]',
  '[e-mail]',
  null,
  'Desmond Copeland',
  null,
  [{ tenantId: 'tenant-ID1', roleNames: ['role-name1'] }],
);

// Update will override all fields as is. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.user.update(
  '[e-mail]',
  '[e-mail]',
  null,
  'Desmond Copeland',
  null,
  [{ tenantId: 'tenant-ID1', roleNames: ['role-name1', 'role-name2'] }],
);

// Update explicit data for a user rather than overriding all fields
await descopeClient.management.user.updatePhone('[e-mail]', '[phone]', true);
await descopeClient.management.user.removeTenantRoles(
  '[e-mail]',
  'tenant-ID1',
  'role-name2',
);

// User deletion cannot be undone. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.user.delete('[e-mail]');

// Load specific user
const userRes = await descopeClient.management.user.load('[e-mail]');

// If needed, users can be loaded using the user ID as well
const userRes = await descopeClient.management.user.loadByUserId('<user-ID>');

// Search all users, optionally according to tenant and/or role filter
// Results can be paginated using the limit and page parameters
const usersRes = await descopeClient.management.user.searchAll(['tenant-ID']);
usersRes.data.forEach((user) => {
  // do something
});

Manage Access Keys

You can create, update, delete or load access keys, as well as search according to filters:

// An access key must have a name and expiration, other fields are optional.
// Roles should be set directly if no tenants exist, otherwise set
// on a per-tenant basis.
await descopeClient.management.accessKey.create(
  'key-name',
  123456789, // expiration time
  null,
  [{ tenantId: 'tenant-ID1', roleNames: ['role-name1'] }],
);

// Load specific user
const accessKeyRes = await descopeClient.management.accessKey.load('key-id');

// Search all users, optionally according to tenant and/or role filter
const accessKeysRes = await descopeClient.management.accessKey.searchAll(['tenant-ID']);
accessKeysRes.data.forEach((accessKey) => {
  // do something
});

// Update will override all fields as is. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.accessKey.update('key-id', 'new-key-name');

// Access keys can be deactivated to prevent usage. This can be undone using "activate".
await descopeClient.management.accessKey.deactivate('key-id');

// Disabled access keys can be activated once again.
await descopeClient.management.accessKey.activate('key-id');

// Access key deletion cannot be undone. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.accessKey.delete('key-id');

Manage SSO Setting

You can manage SSO settings and map SSO group roles and user attributes.

// You can configure SSO settings manually by setting the required fields directly
const tenantId = 'tenant-id' // Which tenant this configuration is for
const idpURL = 'https://idp.com'
const entityID = 'my-idp-entity-id'
const idpCert = '<your-cert-here>'
const redirectURL = 'https://my-app.com/handle-saml' // Global redirect URL for SSO/SAML
const domain = 'tenant-users.com' // Users authentication with this domain will be logged in to this tenant
await descopeClient.management.sso.configureSettings(tenantID, idpURL, entityID, idpCert, redirectURL, domain)

// Alternatively, configure using an SSO metadata URL
await descopeClient.management.sso.configureMetadata(tenantID, 'https://idp.com/my-idp-metadata')

// Map IDP groups to Descope roles, or map user attributes.
// This function overrides any previous mapping (even when empty). Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.sso.configureMapping(
   tenantId,
   { groups: ['IDP_ADMIN'], role: 'Tenant Admin'}
   { name: 'IDP_NAME', phoneNumber: 'IDP_PHONE'},
)

Note: Certificates should have a similar structure to:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
Certifcate contents
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Manage Permissions

You can create, update, delete or load permissions:

// You can optionally set a description for a permission.
const name = 'My Permission';
let description = 'Optional description to briefly explain what this permission allows.';
await descopeClient.management.permission.create(name, description);

// Update will override all fields as is. Use carefully.
const newName = 'My Updated Permission';
description = 'A revised description';
await descopeClient.management.permission.update(name, newName, description);

// Permission deletion cannot be undone. Use carefully.
await descopeClient.management.permission.delete(newName);

// Load all permissions
const permissionsRes = await descopeClient.management.permission.loadAll();
permissionsRes.data.forEach((permission) => {
  // do something
});

Manage Roles

You can create, update, delete or load roles:

// You can optionally set a description and associated permission for a roles.
const name = 'My Role';
let description = 'Optional description to briefly explain what this role allows.';
const permissionNames = ['My Updated Permission'];
descopeClient.management.role.create(name, description, permissionNames);

// Update will override all fields as is. Use carefully.
const newName = 'My Updated Role';
description = 'A revised description';
permissionNames.push('Another Permission');
descopeClient.management.role.update(name, newName, description, permissionNames);

// Role deletion cannot be undone. Use carefully.
descopeClient.management.role.delete(newName);

// Load all roles
const rolesRes = await descopeClient.management.role.loadAll();
rolesRes.data.forEach((role) => {
  // do something
});

Query SSO Groups

You can query SSO groups:

// Load all groups for a given tenant id
const groupsRes = descopeClient.management.group.loadAllGroups('tenant-id');

// Load all groups for the given user IDs (can be found in the user's JWT)
const groupsRes = descopeClient.management.group.loadAllGroupsForMember('tenant-id', [
  'user-id-1',
  'user-id-2',
]);

// Load all groups for the given user login IDs (used for sign-in)
const groupsRes = descopeClient.management.group.loadAllGroupsForMember(
  'tenant-id',
  [],
  ['login-id-1', 'login-id-2'],
);

// Load all group's members by the given group id
const groupsRes = descopeClient.management.group.loadAllGroupMembers('tenant-id', 'group-id');

groupsRes.data.forEach((group) => {
  // do something
});

Manage JWTs

You can add custom claims to a valid JWT.

const updatedJWTRes = await descopeClient.management.jwt.update('original-jwt', {
  customKey1: 'custom-value1',
  customKey2: 'custom-value2',
});

Code Examples

You can find various usage examples in the examples folder.

Setup

To run the examples, set your Project ID by setting the DESCOPE_PROJECT_ID env var or directly in the sample code. Find your Project ID in the Descope console.

export DESCOPE_PROJECT_ID=<ProjectID>

Run an example

Run the following commands in the root of the project to build and run the examples with a local build of the SDK.

1. Run this to start the ES6 typescript module example

   npm i && \
   npm run build && \
   cd examples/es6 && \
   npm i && \
   npm run generateCerts && \
   npm start
   

2. Run this to start the commonjs example

   npm i && \
   npm run build && \
   cd examples/commonjs && \
   npm i && \
   npm run generateCerts && \
   npm start
   

Learn More

To learn more please see the Descope Documentation and API reference page.

Contact Us

If you need help you can email Descope Support

License

The Descope SDK for Node.js is licensed for use under the terms and conditions of the MIT license Agreement.