Sign In With Apple using Xano

Allowing users to sign in with their Apple ID is a convenient and secure way to enhance your application's authentication process. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to integrate Sign in with Apple into your Xano backend, enabling your users to authenticate using their Apple credentials.

Prerequisites

Before we dive in, make sure you have the following:

1. An Apple Developer Account
2. A Xano account
3. A basic understanding of backend development concepts

Step 1: Set up Sign in with Apple in the Apple Developer Portal

1. Sign in to your Apple Developer Account and navigate to the "Identifiers" section.
2. Click the "+" button and select "App ID" to create a new app identifier.
3. Provide a description (e.g., "Sign in with Apple Demo") and a unique bundle ID (e.g., "com.xano.appledemo").
4. Enable the "Sign in with Apple" capability and register the new App ID.
5. Create a new "Services ID" and enable "Sign in with Apple" for this identifier.
6. Configure the "Services ID" by providing your domain name and the exact URLs where users will be redirected after signing in with Apple.
7. Generate a new key for the "Services ID" and download the key file (you'll need this later).

Step 2: Generate a Client Secret in Xano

1. In your Xano workspace, locate the "Generate Client Secret" function (pre-built for you).
2. Set the required parameters:

• `appleTeamID`: Your Apple Team ID (found in the Apple Developer Portal)
• `issuedAt`: Timestamp for token issuance
• `audience`: The URL provided by Apple for the audience (https://appleid.apple.com)
• `subject`: Your Apple Services ID
• `algorithmType`: The algorithm used for encoding (e.g., "ES256")
• `kid`: Your Apple Team ID (same as `appleTeamID`)
• `privateKey`: The contents of the key file you downloaded earlier

1. Execute the function to generate the client secret.

Step 3: Implement the Sign in with Apple Flow

1. Use the `oauth_apple_init` endpoint to generate the URL that redirects users to the Apple Sign in page.
2. On the front-end, display this URL (e.g., in a pop-up or redirect) to initiate the sign-in process.
3. Once the user signs in with their Apple ID, Apple will redirect them back to your application with an authorization code.
4. Use the `oauth_apple_continue` endpoint, passing the authorization code received from Apple.
5. This endpoint will decode the user's information from Apple and generate a Xano authentication token.
6. Store the Xano authentication token and use it for making authenticated requests to your Xano APIs.

Step 4: Add the Sign in with Apple Snippet to Your Xano Workspace

1. Click the provided link in the description to access the Sign in with Apple Snippet.
2. Click "Add to Your Xano Account" and follow the prompts to add the snippet to your Xano instance.
3. Navigate to the "Marketplace" tab in your Xano workspace and install the "Sign in with Apple REST API" snippet.
4. Configure the snippet by providing your Apple Services ID, Key ID, private key, and Team ID from the Apple Developer Portal.

Step 5: Integrate with Your Front-end Application

While the backend implementation is now set up, you'll need to integrate the Sign in with Apple flow with your front-end application. This will vary depending on your specific use case and chosen front-end technology.

Here's a high-level overview of what you'll need to do:

1. Create a button or link that initiates the Sign in with Apple process.
2. Call the `oauth_apple_init` endpoint to retrieve the Apple Sign in URL.
3. Redirect the user to the Apple Sign in page (either via a pop-up or direct redirect).
4. After the user signs in with Apple, capture the authorization code from the redirect URL.
5. Call the `oauth_apple_continue` endpoint, passing the authorization code.
6. Receive the Xano authentication token and store it for making authenticated requests.

Remember, implementing the front-end integration will require custom coding specific to your application's requirements.

That's it! You've now learned how to set up Sign in with Apple using Xano's pre-built endpoints and functions. While the implementation may seem complex, Xano has done the heavy lifting for you, allowing you to focus on integrating the flow into your application seamlessly.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to the Xano community or support channels. Happy coding!