Authentication
Swan uses OAuth 2.0 and Bearer authentication to authenticate both you and your users to the API.
OAuth 2.0
OAuth 2.0, an authorization protocol, grants limited access to user data on a web server for an API client. Major platforms like GitHub, Google, and Facebook use OAuth 2.0. The protocol relies on authentication scenarios, known as flows, allowing the resource owner to share protected content from the resource server without disclosing their credentials.
The OAuth 2.0 protocol is defined in RFC 6749.
Bearer authentication
Bearer authentication, also known as token authentication, functions as an HTTP authentication protocol using access tokens. In the context of Swan, access tokens are generated in response to OAuth 2.0 authorization requests. These tokens consist of a cryptic string, enabling you to access protected resources on behalf of the resource owner.
The Bearer authentication protocol, integral to OAuth 2.0, is defined in RFC 6750.
Overview of access tokens
You can generate two types of access tokens: user and project.
You then provide your token in an HTTP authorization header, such as Authorization: Bearer {access token}.
| Can call → ↓ Token type | Queries | Non-sensitive mutations | Sensitive mutations |
|---|---|---|---|
| User access token | ✓ Yes ∗ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Project access token | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ☒ No |
| Impersonate user with project access token | ✓ Yes ∗ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
∗ User access tokens, as well as project access tokens used to impersonate a user, can't be used to call transactions queries.
User access tokens
User access tokens allow you to act on behalf of an individual user in your project, often with the goal of executing sensitive operations. They must use the grant type authorization code.
User access tokens are valid for one hour (3600 seconds), after which you can refresh it or get a new token. When API calls are made with an expired token, the API returns an invalid grant or authentication failure (HTTP 401 Unauthorized).
Swan doesn't store your user access tokens. Consider storing them at the user level (not the project level) in your database.
Refresh tokens
To prolong the validity of your user access token, Swan provides refresh tokens with every successful user access token request. Refresh tokens can be used one time to refresh, or extend, your user access token.
The best time to use a refresh token is either:
- When logging into the app, or
- When a request returns an error because the token is expired.
Because refresh tokens are single-use, a new one is provided each time you refresh your user access token. Store your refresh token securely, replacing it with the new one each time.
Learn about refreshing your user access tokens in the user access token guide.
Swan discourages frequent use of refresh tokens due to high resource consumption. It's also often unnecessary, considering that a project access token can be used for most of Swan's API operations.
Consider reserving the use of user access tokens to sensitive operations. This practice ensures responsible consumption of resources and aligns with best practices for efficient API usage.
Redirect URIs
When using a user access token, it's must add your pre-approved URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) to your Dashboard. This step is essential for maintaining the integrity and security of the OAuth 2.0 flow.
Adding URIs creates an allowlist to which your users can be redirected, thus ensuring that your users are redirected securely. This minimizes the security risk of being redirected to a malicious endpoint and compromising sensitive data.
Note that it's against OAuth 2.0 specifications to use a domain instead of redirect URIs. It is okay, though, to use one URI per feature, such as one for onboarding, another for logging in, and another for consent.
You'll be prompted to add a redirect URI in step 1 of the guide to get a user access token.
Project access tokens
Project access tokens allow you to act on your own behalf rather than on behalf of a user. Use them to read information and execute non-sensitive operations.
Project access tokens must use the grant type client credential, intended for server-to-server authentication. They're valid for one hour (3600 seconds), after which you need to get a new token.
Impersonation
You can also use a project access token to act as a user within your project, referred to as impersonation.
User access tokens are necessary to know who is connected (userId) and who is performing sensitive operations, but they expire.
If expiring user access tokens interrupt your automations, consider impersonating the user with a project access token instead.