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version: "1.0.2" name: netlify-identity description: Use when the task involves authentication, user signups, logins, password recovery, OAuth providers, role-based access control, or protecting routes and functions. Always use @netlify/identity. Never use netlify-identity-widget or gotrue-js — they are deprecated.
Netlify Identity
Netlify Identity is a user management service for signups, logins, password recovery, user metadata, and role-based access control. It is built on GoTrue and issues JSON Web Tokens (JWTs).
Always use `@netlify/identity`. Never use netlify-identity-widget or gotrue-js — they are deprecated. @netlify/identity provides a unified, headless TypeScript API that works in both browser and server contexts (Netlify Functions, Edge Functions, SSR frameworks).
Setup
npm install @netlify/identity
Identity is automatically enabled when a deploy created by a Netlify Agent Runner session includes Identity code. Otherwise, it must be manually enabled in the UI. These are the default settings:
- Registration — Open (anyone can sign up). Change to Invite only in Project configuration > Identity if needed.
- Autoconfirm — Off (new signups require email confirmation). Enable in Project configuration > Identity to skip confirmation during development.
Local Development
Identity does not currently work with netlify dev. You must deploy to Netlify to test Identity features. Use npx netlify deploy for preview deploys during development. This limitation may be resolved in a future release.
Quick Start
Log in from the browser:
import { login, getUser } from '@netlify/identity'const user = await login('user@example.com', '<password>')console.log(`Hello, ${user.name}`)// Later, check auth stateconst currentUser = await getUser()
Protect a Netlify Function:
// netlify/functions/protected.mtsimport { getUser } from '@netlify/identity'import type { Context } from '@netlify/functions'export default async (req: Request, context: Context) => {const user = await getUser()if (!user) return new Response('Unauthorized', { status: 401 })return Response.json({ id: user.id, email: user.email })}
Core API
Import and use headless functions directly:
import {getUser,handleAuthCallback,login,logout,signup,oauthLogin,onAuthChange,getSettings,} from '@netlify/identity'
Login
import { login, AuthError } from '@netlify/identity'async function handleLogin(email: string, password: string) {try {const user = await login(email, password)showSuccess(`Welcome back, ${user.name ?? user.email}`)} catch (error) {if (error instanceof AuthError) {showError(error.status === 401 ? 'Invalid email or password.' : error.message)}}}
Signup
After signup, check user.emailVerified to determine if the user was auto-confirmed or needs to confirm their email.
import { signup, AuthError } from '@netlify/identity'async function handleSignup(email: string, password: string, name: string) {try {const user = await signup(email, password, { full_name: name })if (user.emailVerified) {// Autoconfirm ON — user is logged in immediatelyshowSuccess('Account created. You are now logged in.')} else {// Autoconfirm OFF — confirmation email sentshowSuccess('Check your email to confirm your account.')}} catch (error) {if (error instanceof AuthError) {showError(error.status === 403 ? 'Signups are not allowed.' : error.message)}}}
Logout
import { logout } from '@netlify/identity'await logout()
OAuth
OAuth is a two-step flow: oauthLogin(provider) redirects away from the site, then handleAuthCallback() processes the redirect when the user returns.
import { oauthLogin } from '@netlify/identity'// Step 1: Redirect to provider (navigates away — never returns)function handleOAuthClick(provider: 'google' | 'github' | 'gitlab' | 'bitbucket') {oauthLogin(provider)}
Enable providers in Project configuration > Identity > External providers before using OAuth.
Handling Callbacks
Always call handleAuthCallback() on page load in any app that uses OAuth, password recovery, invites, or email confirmation. It processes all callback types via the URL hash.
import { handleAuthCallback, AuthError } from '@netlify/identity'async function processCallback() {try {const result = await handleAuthCallback()if (!result) return // No callback hash — normal page loadswitch (result.type) {case 'oauth':showSuccess(`Logged in as ${result.user?.email}`)breakcase 'confirmation':showSuccess('Email confirmed. You are now logged in.')breakcase 'recovery':// User is authenticated but must set a new passwordshowPasswordResetForm(result.user)breakcase 'invite':// User must set a password to accept the inviteshowInviteAcceptForm(result.token)breakcase 'email_change':showSuccess('Email address updated.')break}} catch (error) {if (error instanceof AuthError) showError(error.message)}}
Auth State
import { getUser, onAuthChange, AUTH_EVENTS } from '@netlify/identity'// Check current user (never throws — returns null if not authenticated)const user = await getUser()// Subscribe to auth state changes (returns unsubscribe function)const unsubscribe = onAuthChange((event, user) => {switch (event) {case AUTH_EVENTS.LOGIN:console.log('Logged in:', user?.email)breakcase AUTH_EVENTS.LOGOUT:console.log('Logged out')breakcase AUTH_EVENTS.TOKEN_REFRESH:breakcase AUTH_EVENTS.USER_UPDATED:console.log('Profile updated:', user?.email)breakcase AUTH_EVENTS.RECOVERY:console.log('Password recovery initiated')break}})
Settings-Driven UI
Fetch the project's Identity settings to conditionally render signup forms and OAuth buttons.
import { getSettings } from '@netlify/identity'const settings = await getSettings()// settings.autoconfirm — boolean// settings.disableSignup — boolean// settings.providers — Record<AuthProvider, boolean>if (!settings.disableSignup) showSignupForm()for (const [provider, enabled] of Object.entries(settings.providers)) {if (enabled) showOAuthButton(provider)}
Minimal React Example
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'import {getUser,handleAuthCallback,login,logout,oauthLogin,onAuthChange,} from '@netlify/identity'function App() {const [user, setUser] = useState(null)const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)useEffect(() => {;(async () => {await handleAuthCallback()setUser(await getUser())setLoading(false)})()return onAuthChange((_event, currentUser) => setUser(currentUser))}, [])const handleLogin = async (email, password) => {const currentUser = await login(email, password)setUser(currentUser)}const handleGoogleLogin = () => oauthLogin('google')const handleSignOut = async () => {await logout()setUser(null)}if (loading) return <p>Loading...</p>// Render login form or user details based on `user` state}
Error Handling
@netlify/identity throws two error classes:
- `AuthError` — Thrown by auth operations. Has
message, optionalstatus(HTTP status code), and optionalcause. - `MissingIdentityError` — Thrown when Identity is not configured in the current environment.
getUser() and isAuthenticated() never throw — they return null and false respectively on failure.
| Status | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | Invalid credentials or expired token | |
| 403 | Action not allowed (e.g., signups disabled) | |
| 422 | Validation error (e.g., weak password, malformed email) | |
| 404 | User or resource not found |
Identity Event Functions
Special serverless functions that trigger on Identity lifecycle events. These use the legacy named `handler` export (not the modern default export).
Event names: identity-validate, identity-signup, identity-login
// netlify/functions/identity-signup.mtsimport type { Handler, HandlerEvent, HandlerContext } from '@netlify/functions'const handler: Handler = async (event: HandlerEvent, context: HandlerContext) => {const { user } = JSON.parse(event.body || '{}')return {statusCode: 200,body: JSON.stringify({app_metadata: {...user.app_metadata,roles: ['member'],},}),}}export { handler }
The response body replaces app_metadata and/or user_metadata on the user record — include all fields you want to keep.
Roles and Authorization
- `app_metadata.roles` — Server-controlled. Only settable via the Netlify UI, admin API, or Identity event functions. Never let users set their own roles.
- `user_metadata` — User-controlled. Users can update via
updateUser({ data: { ... } }).
Role-Based Redirects
# netlify.toml[[redirects]]from = "/admin/*"to = "/admin/:splat"status = 200conditions = { Role = ["admin"] }[[redirects]]from = "/admin/*"to = "/"status = 302
Rules are evaluated top-to-bottom. The nf_jwt cookie is read by the CDN to evaluate role conditions.
Bundled References (Load As Needed)
- Advanced patterns — password recovery, invite acceptance, email change, session hydration, SSR integration