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:

* `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

  This method should have the `@staticmethod` decoration.

* `__init__(self, 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:

* `get_db_schema_files(self)`

  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.

* `get_supported_login_types(self)`

  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](https://matrix.org/docs/spec/client_server/latest#post-matrix-client-r0-login).
  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:

  ```python
  {"com.example.custom_login": ("secret1", "secret2")}
  ```

* `check_auth(self, username, login_type, login_dict)`

  This method 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` field provided by the client,
  the login type, and a dictionary of login secrets passed by the
  client.

  The method should return an `Awaitable` object, which resolves
  to the canonical `@localpart:domain` user ID if authentication is
  successful, and `None` if not.

  Alternatively, the `Awaitable` 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.)

* `check_3pid_auth(self, 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 an `Awaitable` 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 `Awaitable` may alternatively resolve to a
  `(user_id, callback)` tuple.

* `check_password(self, 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.

  If 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 an `Awaitable` object, which resolves
  to `True` if authentication is successful, and `False` if not.

* `on_logged_out(self, 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 an `Awaitable` object; the logout request will
  wait for the `Awaitable` to complete, but the result is ignored.