Keycloak Adapter

The Keycloak adapter enables authentication integration with Keycloak, an open-source identity and access management solution. This adapter allows you to implement secure authentication flows in IDPass DataCollect using Keycloak's OpenID Connect (OIDC) services.

Configuration Requirements

The Keycloak adapter requires the following configuration in your authentication config:

{
  "type": "keycloak",
  "fields": {
    "authority": "https://your-keycloak-server.com/realms/your-realm",
    "client_id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
    "redirect_uri": "http://localhost:3000/callback",
    "response_type": "code",
    "scope": "openid profile email"
  }
}

Configuration Parameters

Required Fields

• type: Must be set to "keycloak" (required)
• authority: The Keycloak realm URL where authentication requests are sent (required)
  • Format: https://your-keycloak-server.com/realms/your-realm
• client_id: Keycloak client ID from your Keycloak realm settings (required)
• redirect_uri: OAuth callback URL where users are redirected after authentication (required)

Optional Fields

Field Name	Description	Default Value	Notes
realm	Keycloak realm name	None	Automatically moved to extraQueryParams
post_logout_redirect_uri	URL to redirect after logout	None	Automatically moved to extraQueryParams
response_type	OAuth 2.0 response type	"code"	Use "code" for authorization code flow
scope	OAuth 2.0 scopes to request	"openid profile email"	Space-separated list of scopes
extraQueryParams	Additional OAuth query parameters	{}	JSON string containing additional parameters

Automatic Field Transformation

The Keycloak adapter automatically transforms configuration fields using the transformConfig method:

• Standard Fields: OAuth/OIDC standard fields are preserved as main configuration fields
• Non-Standard Fields: Any additional fields are automatically moved to extraQueryParams
• Field Replacement: If extraQueryParams is already provided, it will be replaced (not merged) with the auto-generated parameters

Standard Fields (preserved as main config):

• client_id
• domain, issuer, authority
• redirect_uri, scope, scopes
• audience, responseType, response_type

Non-Standard Fields (automatically moved to extraQueryParams):

• realm
• post_logout_redirect_uri
• Any custom fields you add

Example Configuration

Here's a complete example configuration for a Keycloak realm:

{
  "type": "keycloak",
  "fields": {
    "authority": "https://keycloak.example.com/realms/myapp",
    "client_id": "datacollect-client",
    "redirect_uri": "https://myapp.example.com/callback",
    "response_type": "code",
    "scope": "openid profile email roles",
    "realm": "myapp",
    "post_logout_redirect_uri": "https://myapp.example.com/login",
  }
}

Note: The realm and post_logout_redirect_uri fields will be automatically moved to extraQueryParams by the adapter's transformConfig method, resulting in:

{
  "type": "keycloak",
  "fields": {
    "authority": "https://keycloak.example.com/realms/myapp",
    "client_id": "datacollect-client",
    "redirect_uri": "https://myapp.example.com/callback",
    "response_type": "code",
    "scope": "openid profile email roles",
    "extraQueryParams": "{\"realm\":\"myapp\",\"post_logout_redirect_uri\":\"https://myapp.example.com/login\"}"
  }
}

Configuration via Admin Interface

When using the IDPass DataCollect admin interface to configure the Keycloak adapter:

1. Set Type to "Keycloak"
2. Fill in the required Fields:
   • authority: https://your-keycloak-server.com/realms/your-realm
   • client_id: your-keycloak-client-id
   • redirect_uri: your-callback-url
3. Add optional fields as needed:
   • realm: Keycloak realm name (automatically moved to extraQueryParams)
   • post_logout_redirect_uri: Logout redirect URL (automatically moved to extraQueryParams)
   • scope: To request additional permissions (e.g., "openid profile email roles")
   • extraQueryParams: For advanced OAuth parameters (will be replaced if other non-standard fields are present)

Important: If you manually set extraQueryParams and also provide other non-standard fields (like realm), the manually set extraQueryParams will be replaced by the auto-generated ones.

Current Capabilities

OIDC Authentication: Full OpenID Connect authentication flow support

• Authorization code flow with PKCE
• Token validation via Keycloak's userinfo endpoint
• User profile retrieval with Keycloak-specific claims
• Role-based access control with Keycloak roles

Session Management: Comprehensive session handling

• Secure token storage via storage adapters
• Session restoration on application restart
• Proper logout with token cleanup
• Integration with SingleAuthStorage interface

Security Features: Enterprise-grade security implementation

• Dual Validation Mode: Different token validation for frontend vs backend environments
• Role Validation: Automatic validation of user roles from Keycloak token claims
• Environment Detection: Automatic detection of frontend/backend context using window object
• Userinfo Endpoint Validation: Server-side token validation using Keycloak's /userinfo endpoint
• Client-side Token Matching: Frontend validation by comparing stored tokens

Advanced Configuration: Flexible configuration handling

• Automatic Field Transformation: Non-standard fields automatically moved to extraQueryParams
• Field Replacement: Automatic generation of extraQueryParams from non-standard fields
• Standards Compliance: Proper separation of OAuth/OIDC standard fields

Authentication Flow

The Keycloak adapter implements the following authentication flow:

1. Initialization: Configure OIDC client with Keycloak realm and application settings
2. Login Redirect: Redirect user to Keycloak login page
3. Authentication: User authenticates with Keycloak (username/password, LDAP, social, etc.)
4. Callback Handling: Process OAuth callback and exchange code for tokens
5. Token Storage: Securely store access tokens via SingleAuthStorage
6. Token Validation: Validate tokens using appropriate method based on environment

Token Validation Logic

The adapter implements environment-aware token validation:

Server-side Validation (validateTokenServer)

• Uses Keycloak's /userinfo endpoint for token validation
• Validates user roles and permissions from token claims
• Checks realm-specific user information
• 5-second timeout for validation requests

Client-side Validation (validateTokenClient)

• Compares provided token with stored authentication token
• Faster validation for browser environments
• Relies on stored authentication state

Usage Examples

Basic Setup

import { KeycloakAuthAdapter, IndexedDbAuthStorageAdapter } from "@idpass/data-collect-core";

// Create storage adapter
const storage = new IndexedDbAuthStorageAdapter();

// Initialize Keycloak adapter
const keycloakAdapter = new KeycloakAuthAdapter(storage, config);
await keycloakAdapter.initialize();

Authentication Flow

// Login
const { username, token } = await keycloakAdapter.login();

// Check authentication status
const isAuth = await keycloakAdapter.isAuthenticated();

// Handle OAuth callback
await keycloakAdapter.handleCallback();

// Logout
await keycloakAdapter.logout();

Realm-specific Authentication

const config = {
  type: "keycloak",
  fields: {
    authority: "https://keycloak.example.com/realms/myapp",
    client_id: "datacollect-client",
    redirect_uri: "http://localhost:3000/callback",
    realm: "myapp" // Automatically moved to extraQueryParams
  }
};

const keycloakAdapter = new KeycloakAuthAdapter(storage, config);

Token Validation

// Validate token (uses environment-appropriate validation)
const token = "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1...";
const isValid = await keycloakAdapter.validateToken(token);

API Reference

Methods

initialize()

async initialize(): Promise<void>

Initializes the adapter and restores any existing session using OIDC client.

isAuthenticated()

async isAuthenticated(): Promise<boolean>

Checks if the user has a valid Keycloak session by verifying stored access token.

login()

async login(): Promise<{ username: string; token: string }>

Initiates Keycloak login flow and returns user credentials from profile.

logout()

async logout(): Promise<void>

Logs out the user from Keycloak and clears stored tokens from both OIDC client and auth storage.

validateToken()

async validateToken(token: string): Promise<boolean>

Validates a Keycloak access token using environment-appropriate validation method.

handleCallback()

async handleCallback(): Promise<void>

Processes Keycloak OAuth callback, stores tokens, and updates auth storage.

Setup Steps

1. Configure Keycloak Realm: Set up a realm in your Keycloak server
2. Create Keycloak Client: Create an OpenID Connect client in your realm
3. Configure Client Settings: Set up redirect URIs and client authentication
4. Configure IDPass DataCollect: Add the Keycloak configuration to your authentication config
5. Set Up Roles (Optional): Configure Keycloak roles for role-based access control
6. Test Integration: Verify authentication flows work correctly

Limitations

• Requires internet connectivity for authentication and token validation
• Role validation depends on proper Keycloak role configuration and token claims
• Server-side token validation has 5-second timeout limitation
• Some advanced Keycloak features may require additional configuration
• Manual extraQueryParams will be replaced if non-standard fields are present

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Authentication Redirect Errors

• Verify the redirect_uri matches exactly what's configured in Keycloak client settings
• Check that the callback URL is properly whitelisted in Keycloak client configuration
• Ensure the authority URL is correct and includes the proper realm path
• Confirm the client_id exists in the specified Keycloak realm
• Verify the Keycloak server is accessible and running

Token Validation Failures

• Check that the token hasn't expired (verify token lifetime settings in Keycloak)
• Verify the authority URL for userinfo endpoint validation
• Ensure the client has proper permissions for userinfo endpoint
• Check network connectivity to Keycloak server
• Verify 5-second timeout isn't being exceeded
• Confirm the realm is properly configured and accessible

Role-based Access Issues

• Verify that user roles are properly assigned in Keycloak
• Check that role mappings are correctly configured
• Ensure roles are included in token claims
• Confirm the client scope includes role information
• Verify role validation logic matches your Keycloak role structure

Configuration Issues

• Ensure all required fields are present in the configuration
• Check that field names match exactly (case-sensitive)
• Confirm the type field is set to "keycloak"
• Verify the authority URL format: https://server/realms/realm-name
• Check that automatic field transformation is working correctly
• Verify non-standard fields are being moved to extraQueryParams
• Be aware that manual extraQueryParams will be replaced by auto-generated ones

Client Configuration Problems

• Verify client type is set correctly (public vs confidential)
• Check that client authentication is properly configured
• Ensure redirect URIs are exactly matching (including trailing slashes)
• Confirm client protocol is set to "openid-connect"
• Verify client scopes include necessary permissions

Session Management Problems

• Check that the storage adapter is properly initialized
• Verify token storage and retrieval functionality
• Ensure proper cleanup on logout
• Check for browser storage limitations or restrictions

Security Considerations

• HTTPS Only: Always use HTTPS in production environments
• Token Security: Tokens are stored securely using the configured storage adapter
• Role Validation: Automatic validation of user roles from Keycloak token claims
• Environment Isolation: Different validation methods for frontend vs backend environments
• Timeout Protection: 5-second timeout on userinfo validation requests
• Error Handling: Secure error handling that doesn't expose sensitive authentication details
• Logout Cleanup: Comprehensive token cleanup on logout from both OIDC client and auth storage

Best Practices

1. Realm Configuration: Use dedicated realms for different environments (dev, staging, prod)
2. Client Setup: Configure clients with appropriate security settings and minimal required permissions
3. Role Management: Implement proper role-based access control using Keycloak roles
4. Token Management: Implement proper token refresh and expiration handling
5. Error Handling: Provide user-friendly error messages for authentication failures
6. Security Headers: Implement proper CORS and security headers
7. Monitoring: Implement logging and monitoring for authentication events
8. Testing: Thoroughly test authentication flows in different scenarios
9. Configuration Validation: Verify that automatic field transformation works as expected
10. extraQueryParams Handling: Be aware that manual extraQueryParams will be replaced if non-standard fields are present

Support

For issues specific to the Keycloak adapter, please check:

• Keycloak documentation: https://www.keycloak.org/documentation
• Keycloak community: https://www.keycloak.org/community
• IDPass DataCollect GitHub issues for adapter-specific problems