Implementing multi-provider OAuth in a Firebase app: Storing tokens for Gmail, Outlook, and Slack

Other Questions Gmail
1

I’m building a web app using Firebase auth. I want users to connect their Gmail, Outlook, and Slack accounts so my app can read their stuff. I tried using Auth.js for Gmail and Outlook OAuth, but I’m stuck on saving multiple tokens.

My questions:

  1. What’s the best way to do OAuth in a Firebase app that needs tokens for different services?
  2. How do I save all the tokens safely?
  3. Any good libraries or tips for handling multiple OAuth providers?

I’m pretty new to this OAuth thing, so any help would be awesome! Here’s a basic code snippet of what I’ve tried:

const authConfig = {
  providers: ['gmail', 'outlook', 'slack'],
  storeTokens: (tokens) => {
    // This part isn't working right
    localStorage.setItem('tokens', JSON.stringify(tokens))
  }
}

function connectAccount(provider) {
  // Need help here
  // How to handle different providers?
}

Thanks for any advice!

2

I’ve been through this OAuth headache before, and it’s not as scary as it seems once you get the hang of it. For your Firebase app, I’d suggest using Firebase Admin SDK on the backend to handle the OAuth flow. This way, you can keep the tokens secure and manage them centrally.

For storing tokens, I’ve had success using Firebase Realtime Database with server-side encryption. It’s fast, and you can set up security rules to restrict access.

One thing that saved me a ton of time was the ‘oauth’ npm package. It’s pretty flexible and works well with multiple providers. Just remember to set up separate OAuth clients for each service (Gmail, Outlook, Slack) in their respective developer consoles.

Lastly, don’t forget to implement token refresh logic. Nothing’s worse than an app breaking because of expired tokens. Trust me, I learned that the hard way!

3

hey jack, i’ve dealt with this before. for multiple oauth providers, try using firebase custom tokens. you can create a server-side function to handle oauth flow and generate custom tokens.

don’t store tokens in localstorage tho, it’s not secure. instead, encrypt them and store in firestore or realtime database.

check out ‘passport’ library, it’s great for handling multiple oauth providers. good luck!

4

For implementing multi-provider OAuth in a Firebase app, I’d recommend using Firebase Custom Authentication in conjunction with a server-side OAuth flow. This approach allows for more secure token management and better separation of concerns.

Instead of storing tokens client-side, consider encrypting and storing them server-side, either in Firestore or a separate secure database. You can then use Firebase Functions to handle token retrieval and refreshing as needed.

For managing multiple providers, the ‘google-auth-library’ npm package is quite versatile. It supports various OAuth flows and can be used for Gmail, Outlook, and even adapted for Slack.

Remember to implement proper error handling and token refresh mechanisms. OAuth can be tricky, but with the right architecture, it becomes much more manageable.