Spotify OAuth authentication failing with 'code must be supplied' error in Python

[elizabeths]

I’m having trouble with Spotify Web API authentication in my Python project. When I try to authenticate using SpotifyOAuth, I keep getting an error saying ‘code must be supplied’ and the token cache file doesn’t get created.

Here’s my authentication setup:

spotify_auth = SpotifyOAuth(
    redirect_uri=CALLBACK_URL,
    client_id=CLIENT_ID,
    client_secret=CLIENT_SECRET,
    state=SESSION_STATE,
    scope=PERMISSIONS,
    show_dialog=True,
    cache_path="access_token.txt",
    username=USER_NAME
)
spotify_client = spotipy.Spotify(auth_manager=spotify_auth)
cached_token = spotify_auth.get_cached_token()
try:
    current_user_id = spotify_client.current_user()["id"]
    print(f"User authenticated successfully: {current_user_id}")
except spotipy.SpotifyException as error:
    print(f"Spotify authentication error: {error}")
except Exception as error:
    print(f"Unexpected error occurred: {error}")

The program runs without crashing because of the exception handling, but no token file gets generated and the authentication process fails. What could be causing this issue?

[DancingFox]

You’re misunderstanding how OAuth works. The get_cached_token() function only returns a token if you’ve already completed a successful authentication that created the cache file. Since you don’t see that file, your code hasn’t executed the full OAuth process yet. Here’s what you should consider: check for a cached token first, and if it’s unavailable, redirect the user to Spotify’s authorization page to obtain the ‘code’. Once you properly handle the callback, the token cache will be created, preventing this error from occurring again.

[sophialee92]

Had this exact problem a few months ago - drove me nuts for hours! Your code’s trying to use authentication before completing the OAuth flow. The SpotifyOAuth object needs the full authorization process where you visit the auth URL and get redirected back with the code. You’re skipping the step where you get the authorization URL and handle the callback. Add auth_url = spotify_auth.get_authorize_url(), then visit that URL in your browser, authorize the app, and handle the redirect. The token cache file only gets created after the complete OAuth flow finishes. Without the browser authorization step, there’s no code to exchange for tokens - that’s why you’re getting the error.

[CreativeArtist88]

you’re missing the oauth redirect handling. when spotify sends users back to your callback url, make sure you grab the ‘code’ parameter from that redirect and plug it into your auth process. honestly, a lot of people skip that step - get_cached_token() won’t work until you’ve done the browser auth flow at least once.