Authentication ​

All data within the platform is private by default. The public role can be configured to expose data without authentication, or you can pass an access token to the API to access private data.

Access Tokens ​

There are two types of tokens that can be used to authenticate within Directus.

Temporary Token (JWT) are returned by the login endpoint/mutation. These tokens have a relatively short expiration time, and are thus the most secure option to use. The tokens are returned with a refresh_token that can be used to retrieve a new access token via the refresh endpoint/mutation.

Static Tokens can be set for each platform user, and never expire. They are less secure, but quite useful for server-to-server communication. They are saved as plain-text within directus_users.token.

Once you have your access token, there are two ways to pass it to the API, via the access_token query parameter, or in the request's Authorization Header.

Query Parameter ​

?access_token=<token>

Authorization Header ​

Authorization: Bearer <token>

Login ​

Retrieve a temporary access token and refresh token.

Request Body ​

email Required
Email address of the user you're retrieving the access token for.

password Required
Password of the user.

otp
The user's one-time-password (if MFA is enabled).

mode
Whether to retrieve the refresh token in the JSON response, or in a httpOnly secure cookie. One of json, cookie. Defaults to json.

Response Attributes ​

access_token string
Temporary access token to be used in follow-up requests.

expires integer
How long before the access token will expire. Value is in milliseconds.

refresh_token string
The token that can be used to retrieve a new access token through /auth/refresh. Note: if you used cookie as the mode in the request, the refresh token won't be returned in the JSON.

REST API ​

POST /auth/login

POST /auth/login/:provider

{
	"email": "admin@example.com",
	"password": "d1r3ctu5"
}

GraphQL ​

POST /graphql/system

mutation {
	auth_login(email: "admin@example.com", password: "d1r3ctu5") {
		access_token
		refresh_token
	}
}

Refresh ​

Retrieve a new access token using a refresh token.

Request Body ​

refresh_token
The refresh token to use. If you have the refresh token in a cookie through /auth/login, you don't have to submit it here.

mode
Whether to retrieve the refresh token in the JSON response, or in a httpOnly secure cookie. One of json, cookie.

Response Attributes ​

access_token string
Temporary access token to be used in follow-up requests.

expires integer
How long before the access token will expire. Value is in milliseconds.

refresh_token string
The token that can be used to retrieve a new access token through /auth/refresh. Note: if you used cookie as the mode in the request, the refresh token won't be returned in the JSON.

REST API ​

POST /auth/refresh

{
	"refresh_token": "gmPd...8wuB",
	"mode": "json"
}

GraphQL ​

POST /graphql/system

mutation {
	auth_refresh(refresh_token: "abc...def", mode: json) {
		access_token
		refresh_token
	}
}

Logout ​

Invalidate the refresh token thus destroying the user's session.

Request Body ​

refresh_token
The refresh token to invalidate. If you have the refresh token in a cookie through /auth/login, you don't have to submit it here.

REST API ​

POST /auth/logout

{
	"refresh_token": "gmPd...8wuB"
}

GraphQL ​

POST /graphql/system

mutation {
	auth_logout(refresh_token: "gmPd...8wuB")
}

Request Password Reset ​

Request a password reset email to be sent to the given user.

Request Body ​

email Required
Email address of the user you're requesting a password reset for.

reset_url
Provide a custom reset url which the link in the email will lead to. The reset token will be passed as a parameter.
Note: You need to configure the PASSWORD_RESET_URL_ALLOW_LIST environment variable to enable this feature.

REST API ​

POST /auth/password/request

{
	"email": "admin@example.com"
}

GraphQL ​

POST /graphql/system

mutation {
	auth_password_request(email: "admin@example.com")
}

Reset a Password ​

The request a password reset endpoint sends an email with a link to the admin app (or a custom route) which in turn uses this endpoint to allow the user to reset their password.

Request Body ​

token Required
Password reset token, as provided in the email sent by the request endpoint.

password Required
New password for the user.

REST API ​

POST /auth/password/reset

{
	"token": "eyJh...KmUk",
	"password": "d1r3ctu5"
}

GraphQL ​

POST /graphql/system

mutation {
	auth_password_reset(token: "eyJh...KmUk", password: "d1r3ctu5")
}

List Auth Providers ​

List all the configured auth providers.

Response Attributes ​

data Array
Array of configured auth providers.

disableDefault boolean
Whether or not the default authentication provider is disabled.

GET /auth

{
	"data": [
		{
			"name": "GitHub",
			"driver": "oauth2",
			"icon": "github"
		},
		{
			"name": "Google",
			"driver": "openid",
			"icon": "google"
		},
		{
			"name": "Okta",
			"driver": "openid"
		}
	],
	"disableDefault": false
}

Login Using SSO Providers ​

Will redirect to the configured SSO provider for the user to login.

GET /auth/login/:provider