synapse/docs/password_auth_providers.md

# Password auth provider modules

Password auth providers offer a way for server administrators to
integrate their Synapse installation with an existing authentication
system.

A password auth provider is a Python class which is dynamically loaded
into Synapse, and provides a number of methods by which it can integrate
with the authentication system.

This document serves as a reference for those looking to implement their
own password auth providers. Additionally, here is a list of known
password auth provider module implementations:

* [matrix-synapse-ldap3](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-synapse-ldap3/)
* [matrix-synapse-shared-secret-auth](https://github.com/devture/matrix-synapse-shared-secret-auth)

## Required methods

Password auth provider classes must provide the following methods:

*class* `SomeProvider.parse_config`(*config*)

> This method is passed the `config` object for this module from the
> homeserver configuration file.
>
> It should perform any appropriate sanity checks on the provided
> configuration, and return an object which is then passed into
> `__init__`.

*class* `SomeProvider`(*config*, *account_handler*)

> The constructor is passed the config object returned by
> `parse_config`, and a `synapse.module_api.ModuleApi` object which
> allows the password provider to check if accounts exist and/or create
> new ones.

## Optional methods

Password auth provider classes may optionally provide the following
methods.

*class* `SomeProvider.get_db_schema_files`()

> This method, if implemented, should return an Iterable of
> `(name, stream)` pairs of database schema files. Each file is applied
> in turn at initialisation, and a record is then made in the database
> so that it is not re-applied on the next start.

`someprovider.get_supported_login_types`()

> This method, if implemented, should return a `dict` mapping from a
> login type identifier (such as `m.login.password`) to an iterable
> giving the fields which must be provided by the user in the submission
> to the `/login` api. These fields are passed in the `login_dict`
> dictionary to `check_auth`.
>
> For example, if a password auth provider wants to implement a custom
> login type of `com.example.custom_login`, where the client is expected
> to pass the fields `secret1` and `secret2`, the provider should
> implement this method and return the following dict:
>
>     {"com.example.custom_login": ("secret1", "secret2")}

`someprovider.check_auth`(*username*, *login_type*, *login_dict*)

> This method is the one that does the real work. If implemented, it
> will be called for each login attempt where the login type matches one
> of the keys returned by `get_supported_login_types`.
>
> It is passed the (possibly UNqualified) `user` provided by the client,
> the login type, and a dictionary of login secrets passed by the
> client.
>
> The method should return a Twisted `Deferred` object, which resolves
> to the canonical `@localpart:domain` user id if authentication is
> successful, and `None` if not.
>
> Alternatively, the `Deferred` can resolve to a `(str, func)` tuple, in
> which case the second field is a callback which will be called with
> the result from the `/login` call (including `access_token`,
> `device_id`, etc.)

`someprovider.check_3pid_auth`(*medium*, *address*, *password*)

> This method, if implemented, is called when a user attempts to
> register or log in with a third party identifier, such as email. It is
> passed the medium (ex. "email"), an address (ex.
> "<jdoe@example.com>") and the user's password.
>
> The method should return a Twisted `Deferred` object, which resolves
> to a `str` containing the user's (canonical) User ID if
> authentication was successful, and `None` if not.
>
> As with `check_auth`, the `Deferred` may alternatively resolve to a
> `(user_id, callback)` tuple.

`someprovider.check_password`(*user_id*, *password*)

> This method provides a simpler interface than
> `get_supported_login_types` and `check_auth` for password auth
> providers that just want to provide a mechanism for validating
> `m.login.password` logins.
>
> Iif implemented, it will be called to check logins with an
> `m.login.password` login type. It is passed a qualified
> `@localpart:domain` user id, and the password provided by the user.
>
> The method should return a Twisted `Deferred` object, which resolves
> to `True` if authentication is successful, and `False` if not.

`someprovider.on_logged_out`(*user_id*, *device_id*, *access_token*)

> This method, if implemented, is called when a user logs out. It is
> passed the qualified user ID, the ID of the deactivated device (if
> any: access tokens are occasionally created without an associated
> device ID), and the (now deactivated) access token.
>
> It may return a Twisted `Deferred` object; the logout request will
> wait for the deferred to complete but the result is ignored.