OpenID Connect Authentication

Based on the OpenID Connect specification, authentication can follow any of the following flows:

• Authorization code flow: This returns an authorization code via the front channel, and requires client authentication using client ID and client secret so that the token endpoint can issue the access token via the back channel.
• Implicit flow: This generates requested tokens at the authorization endpoint, and does not require the client secret for client authentication. This flow happens via the front channel
• Hybrid flow: This is a combination of basic flow and implicit flow, which allows you to request a combination of code, identity token, and access token via the front channel. This flow can obtain authorization codes and tokens from the authorization endpoint, and can also request tokens from the token endpoint.

The authentication flow determines how the id token and access token should return to the client.

WSO2 Identity Server supports all the above OpenID Connect authentication flows, and the response_type value specified in an authorization request determines the authentication flow that is to be used.

The following table describes the flow that gets selected depending on the response_type value you specify in an authorization request:

See the following topics for more information on each OpenID Connect flow for authentication:

• OpenID Connect Basic Client Profile
• OpenID Connect Implicit Client Profile
• OpenID Connect Hybrid Flow