Authenticating a User

Authenticating a User

Overview

This section explains how to authenticate users in your application using the SDK. Authentication is crucial for verifying user identity and ensuring secure access to SDK functions.

Method Signature

The authenticate method is defined as follows:

fun authenticate(credentials: Credentials): OperationOutcome

• credentials: The user's credentials required for authentication.
• OperationOutcome: The result of the authentication operation, indicating success or failure.

Sample Code

Here's an example of how to use the authenticate method:

val credentials = Credentials.OAuthCredentials(token)
BWellSdk.authenticate(credentials)

Detailed Explanation

1. Credentials Object:

   • Credentials.OAuthCredentials(token): This creates an instance of OAuthCredentials with the user's authentication token. Replace token with the actual token obtained after the user logs in.
   • The token is usually a JWT (JSON Web Token) or similar, which is securely generated and validated by the server.

2. Authentication Call:

   • BWellSdk.authenticate(credentials): This method authenticates the user using the provided credentials.
   • It is important to ensure that this method is called after the token is obtained and not with a hardcoded or static value in production.

3. Error Handling:

   • Implement error handling to manage scenarios where authentication fails, such as invalid credentials or network issues.
   • The OperationOutcome can be used to check the result of the authentication call.

4. Security Considerations:

   • Ensure the token is transmitted and stored securely to prevent unauthorized access.
   • Consider token expiration and refresh mechanisms to maintain secure sessions.

Best Practices

• Asynchronous Authentication: Similar to initialization, perform authentication asynchronously to avoid blocking the main thread.
• Token Management: Handle the lifecycle of the authentication token carefully. This includes secure storage, timely refresh, and revocation when necessary.
• User Feedback: Provide clear feedback to the user in case of authentication failures.