Secure Access to Portal with Keycloak

Overview

Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management tool with a focus on modern applications such as single-page applications, mobile applications, and REST APIs.

Realms:

Think of realms as separate zones or neighborhoods within Keycloak. Each realm is like a bubble where you can set up rules and invite people (users) to join. It helps organize and manage different parts of your applications.

Clients:

Clients are like VIP areas in your apps, where only authorized users can enter. It could be a website, an app, or any digital space you want to protect. Keycloak manages who gets in and what they're allowed to do there.

Users:

Users are the people who visit your apps. Keycloak keeps track of who they are, what they're allowed to access, and whether they're following the rules. Users can log in using their usernames, passwords, or sometimes even their social media accounts.

Roles and Groups:

Roles are like badges that users wear, determining what they can and can't do in your apps. For example, a "manager" role might give someone access to special features. Groups are collections of users with similar roles, making it easier to manage permissions.

Role Mapper:

Role Mapper is like a special assistant that helps assign roles to users automatically based on certain conditions. For instance, you could use it to give all employees in a certain department access to specific tools without manually assigning roles to each person.

Protecting Routes:

Imagine our app as a fortress with different doors leading to different rooms. Middleware like keycloak-connect acts as the gatekeeper, checking IDs (authentication) and permissions (authorization) before allowing users to enter certain areas. It ensures only the right people get access to the right places.

Authentication with OpenID Connect:

For simpler logins, you can use OpenID Connect with Keycloak. It's like a streamlined process where users can log in using their usernames and passwords. Keycloak handles the authentication process, making sure it's secure and reliable.

Authentication Flow:

Authentication flow is like following a set of steps to prove you're allowed to enter a party. Keycloak offers different pathways for users to log in, whether it's entering a username and password, using social media logins, or even scanning fingerprints. You can customize these flows to suit your app's needs.