Skill v1.0.1
currentAutomated scan97/10014 files
version: "1.0.1" name: cloudflare-turnstile description: "This skill should be used when the user asks to \"add turnstile\", \"implement bot protection\", \"validate turnstile token\", \"fix turnstile error\", \"setup captcha alternative\", or encounters error codes 100/300/600*, CSP errors, or token validation failures. Provides CAPTCHA-alternative protection for Cloudflare Workers, React, Next.js, and Hono." license: MIT metadata: version: "1.1.0" last_verified: "2025-11-26" react_turnstile_version: "1.3.1" turnstile_types_version: "1.2.3" errors_prevented: 12 templates_included: 7 references_included: 8 keywords:
- turnstile
- captcha
- bot protection
- cloudflare challenge
- siteverify
- recaptcha alternative
- spam prevention
- form protection
- cf-turnstile
- turnstile widget
- token validation
- managed challenge
- invisible challenge
- "@marsidev/react-turnstile"
- hono turnstile
- workers turnstile
Cloudflare Turnstile
Status: Production Ready ✅ | Last Verified: 2025-11-26
Dependencies: None (optional: @marsidev/react-turnstile for React)
Contents: Quick Start • Critical Rules • Top 12 Errors • Common Patterns • When to Load References • Troubleshooting
Quick Start (10 Minutes)
1. Create Turnstile Widget
Get your sitekey and secret key from Cloudflare Dashboard.
# Navigate to: https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/turnstile# Create new widget → Copy sitekey (public) and secret key (private)
Why this matters:
- Each widget has unique sitekey/secret pair
- Sitekey goes in frontend (public)
- Secret key ONLY in backend (private)
- Use different widgets for dev/staging/production
2. Add Widget to Frontend
Embed the Turnstile widget in your HTML form.
<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><script src="https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/v0/api.js" async defer></script></head><body><form id="myForm" action="/submit" method="POST"><input type="email" name="email" required><!-- Turnstile widget renders here --><div class="cf-turnstile" data-sitekey="YOUR_SITE_KEY"></div><button type="submit">Submit</button></form></body></html>
CRITICAL:
- Never proxy or cache
api.js- must load from Cloudflare CDN - Widget auto-creates hidden input
cf-turnstile-responsewith token - Token expires in 5 minutes
- Each token is single-use only
3. Validate Token on Server
ALWAYS validate the token server-side. Client-side verification alone is not secure.
// Cloudflare Workers exampleexport default {async fetch(request: Request, env: Env): Promise<Response> {const formData = await request.formData()const token = formData.get('cf-turnstile-response')const ip = request.headers.get('CF-Connecting-IP')// Validate token with Siteverify APIconst verifyFormData = new FormData()verifyFormData.append('secret', env.TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY)verifyFormData.append('response', token)verifyFormData.append('remoteip', ip)const result = await fetch('https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/v0/siteverify',{method: 'POST',body: verifyFormData,})const outcome = await result.json()if (!outcome.success) {return new Response('Invalid Turnstile token', { status: 401 })}// Token valid - proceed with form processingreturn new Response('Success!')}}
The 3-Step Setup Process
Step 1: Create Widget Configuration
- Log into Cloudflare Dashboard
- Navigate to Turnstile section
- Click "Add Site"
- Configure:
- Widget Mode: Managed (recommended), Non-Interactive, or Invisible
- Domains: Add allowed hostnames (e.g., example.com, localhost for dev)
- Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "Production Login Form")
Key Points:
- Use separate widgets for dev/staging/production
- Restrict domains to only those you control
- Managed mode provides best balance of security and UX
- localhost must be explicitly added for local testing
Step 2: Client-Side Integration
Choose between implicit or explicit rendering:
Implicit Rendering (Recommended for static forms):
<!-- 1. Load script --><script src="https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/v0/api.js" async defer></script><!-- 2. Add widget --><div class="cf-turnstile"data-sitekey="YOUR_SITE_KEY"data-callback="onSuccess"data-error-callback="onError"></div><script>function onSuccess(token) {console.log('Turnstile success:', token)}function onError(error) {console.error('Turnstile error:', error)}</script>
Explicit Rendering (For SPAs/dynamic UIs):
// 1. Load script with explicit mode<script src="https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/v0/api.js?render=explicit" defer></script>// 2. Render programmaticallyconst widgetId = turnstile.render('#container', {sitekey: 'YOUR_SITE_KEY',callback: (token) => {console.log('Token:', token)},'error-callback': (error) => {console.error('Error:', error)},theme: 'auto',execution: 'render', // or 'execute' for manual trigger})// Control lifecycleturnstile.reset(widgetId) // Reset widgetturnstile.remove(widgetId) // Remove widgetturnstile.execute(widgetId) // Manually trigger challengeconst token = turnstile.getResponse(widgetId) // Get current token
React Integration (using @marsidev/react-turnstile):
import { Turnstile } from '@marsidev/react-turnstile'export function MyForm() {const [token, setToken] = useState<string>()return (<form><TurnstilesiteKey={TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY}onSuccess={setToken}onError={(error) => console.error(error)}/><button disabled={!token}>Submit</button></form>)}
Step 3: Server-Side Validation
MANDATORY: Always call Siteverify API to validate tokens.
interface TurnstileResponse {success: booleanchallenge_ts?: stringhostname?: stringerror-codes?: string[]action?: stringcdata?: string}async function validateTurnstile(token: string,secretKey: string,options?: {remoteip?: stringidempotency_key?: stringexpectedAction?: stringexpectedHostname?: string}): Promise<TurnstileResponse> {const formData = new FormData()formData.append('secret', secretKey)formData.append('response', token)if (options?.remoteip) {formData.append('remoteip', options.remoteip)}if (options?.idempotency_key) {formData.append('idempotency_key', options.idempotency_key)}const response = await fetch('https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/v0/siteverify',{method: 'POST',body: formData,})const result = await response.json<TurnstileResponse>()// Additional validationif (result.success) {if (options?.expectedAction && result.action !== options.expectedAction) {return { success: false, 'error-codes': ['action-mismatch'] }}if (options?.expectedHostname && result.hostname !== options.expectedHostname) {return { success: false, 'error-codes': ['hostname-mismatch'] }}}return result}// Usage in Cloudflare Workerconst result = await validateTurnstile(token,env.TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY,{remoteip: request.headers.get('CF-Connecting-IP'),expectedHostname: 'example.com',})if (!result.success) {return new Response('Turnstile validation failed', { status: 401 })}
Critical Rules
Always Do
✅ Call Siteverify API - Server-side validation is mandatory ✅ Use HTTPS - Never validate over HTTP ✅ Protect secret keys - Never expose in frontend code ✅ Handle token expiration - Tokens expire after 5 minutes ✅ Implement error callbacks - Handle failures gracefully ✅ Use dummy keys for testing - Test sitekey: 1x00000000000000000000AA ✅ Set reasonable timeouts - Don't wait indefinitely for validation ✅ Validate action/hostname - Check additional fields when specified ✅ Rotate keys periodically - Use dashboard or API to rotate secrets ✅ Monitor analytics - Track solve rates and failures ✅ Validate token AFTER form submission - Verify tokens after user completes form, not before. Premature validation creates security vulnerabilities where attackers obtain valid tokens then bypass protection
Never Do
❌ Skip server validation - Client-side only = security vulnerability ❌ Proxy api.js script - Must load from Cloudflare CDN ❌ Reuse tokens - Each token is single-use only ❌ Use GET requests - Siteverify only accepts POST ❌ Expose secret key - Keep secrets in backend environment only ❌ Trust client-side validation - Tokens can be forged ❌ Cache api.js - Future updates will break your integration ❌ Use production keys in tests - Use dummy keys instead ❌ Ignore error callbacks - Always handle failures
Known Issues Prevention
This skill prevents 12 documented issues:
Issue #1: Missing Server-Side Validation
Error: Zero token validation in Turnstile Analytics dashboard Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/get-started/ Why It Happens: Developers only implement client-side widget, skip Siteverify call Prevention: All templates include mandatory server-side validation with Siteverify API
Issue #2: Token Expiration (5 Minutes)
Error: success: false for valid tokens submitted after delay Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/get-started/server-side-validation Why It Happens: Tokens expire 300 seconds after generation Prevention: Templates document TTL and implement token refresh on expiration
Issue #3: Secret Key Exposed in Frontend
Error: Security bypass - attackers can validate their own tokens Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/get-started/server-side-validation Why It Happens: Secret key hardcoded in JavaScript or visible in source Prevention: All templates show backend-only validation with environment variables
Issue #4: GET Request to Siteverify
Error: API returns 405 Method Not Allowed Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/migration/recaptcha Why It Happens: reCAPTCHA supports GET, Turnstile requires POST Prevention: Templates use POST with FormData or JSON body
Issue #5: Content Security Policy Blocking
Error: Error 200500 - "Loading error: The iframe could not be loaded" Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/troubleshooting/client-side-errors/error-codes Why It Happens: CSP blocks challenges.cloudflare.com iframe Prevention: Skill includes CSP configuration reference and check-csp.sh script
Issue #6: Widget Crash (Error 300030)
Error: Generic client execution error for legitimate users Source: https://community.cloudflare.com/t/turnstile-is-frequently-generating-300x-errors/700903 Why It Happens: Unknown - appears to be Cloudflare-side issue (2025) Prevention: Templates implement error callbacks, retry logic, and fallback handling
Issue #7: Configuration Error (Error 600010)
Error: Widget fails with "configuration error" Source: https://community.cloudflare.com/t/repeated-cloudflare-turnstile-error-600010/644578 Why It Happens: Missing or deleted hostname in widget configuration Prevention: Templates document hostname allowlist requirement and verification steps
Issue #8: Safari 18 / macOS 15 "Hide IP" Issue
Error: Error 300010 when Safari's "Hide IP address" is enabled Source: https://community.cloudflare.com/t/turnstile-is-frequently-generating-300x-errors/700903 Why It Happens: Privacy settings interfere with challenge signals Prevention: Error handling reference documents Safari workaround (disable Hide IP)
Issue #9: Brave Browser Confetti Animation Failure
Error: Verification fails during success animation Source: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/45608 (April 2025) Why It Happens: Brave shields block animation scripts Prevention: Templates handle success before animation completes
Issue #10: Next.js + Jest Incompatibility
Error: @marsidev/react-turnstile breaks Jest tests Source: https://github.com/marsidev/react-turnstile/issues/112 (Oct 2025) Why It Happens: Module resolution issues with Jest Prevention: Testing guide includes Jest mocking patterns and dummy sitekey usage
Issue #11: localhost Not in Allowlist
Error: Error 110200 - "Unknown domain: Domain not allowed" Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/troubleshooting/client-side-errors/error-codes Why It Happens: Production widget used in development without localhost in allowlist Prevention: Templates use dummy test keys for dev, document localhost allowlist requirement
Issue #12: Token Reuse Attempt
Error: success: false with "token already spent" error Source: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/troubleshooting/testing Why It Happens: Each token can only be validated once Prevention: Templates document single-use constraint and token refresh patterns
Configuration
Wrangler (Workers): Load templates/wrangler-turnstile-config.jsonc for complete configuration. Key settings: vars for public sitekey (safe to commit), secrets for private secret key (use wrangler secret put TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY).
CSP Directives (if using Content Security Policy):
<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="script-src 'self' https://challenges.cloudflare.com;frame-src 'self' https://challenges.cloudflare.com;connect-src 'self' https://challenges.cloudflare.com;">
Common Patterns
Hono + Cloudflare Workers: Server-side validation in Workers API routes with Hono framework. Load references/common-patterns.md #pattern-1 when building Workers endpoints requiring bot protection.
React + Next.js: Client-side forms with @marsidev/react-turnstile integration. Load references/common-patterns.md #pattern-2 when integrating Turnstile with React/Next.js applications.
E2E Testing: Automated testing with dummy keys (Playwright, Cypress, Jest). Load references/common-patterns.md #pattern-3 when writing E2E tests or setting up CI/CD pipelines.
Widget Lifecycle: Programmatic widget control for SPAs (render, reset, remove, getToken). Load references/common-patterns.md #pattern-4 when building SPAs requiring explicit widget management.
When to Load References
`references/widget-configs.md`: Configuring widget appearance, themes, execution modes, size, language, or retry behavior.
`references/error-codes.md`: Debugging error codes 100, 200, 300, 400, 600* or troubleshooting client-side failures (CSP, domain errors, widget crashes).
`references/testing-guide.md`: Setting up E2E tests (Playwright, Cypress), local development with dummy keys, or CI/CD pipeline integration.
`references/react-integration.md`: Integrating with React, Next.js, or troubleshooting @marsidev/react-turnstile issues (Jest mocking, SSR, hooks).
`references/common-patterns.md`: Building Hono Workers routes, React forms, E2E tests, or widget lifecycle management (explicit rendering).
`references/advanced-topics.md`: Implementing pre-clearance for SPAs, custom actions/cdata, retry strategies, or multi-widget pages.
`references/setup-checklist.md`: Preparing for deployment, verifying complete setup, or ensuring production readiness (14-point checklist).
`references/migration-guide.md`: Migrating from reCAPTCHA (v2) or hCaptcha to Turnstile, including compat mode, API differences, and POST-only Siteverify requirement.
`references/browser-support.md`: Browser compatibility matrix, Safari 18 "Hide IP" workaround, Brave shields issues, and browser-specific fallbacks.
`references/mobile-implementation.md`: WebView integration for iOS, Android, React Native, and Flutter, including User Agent consistency and storage persistence requirements.
`templates/`: wrangler-turnstile-config.jsonc (Workers env), turnstile-widget-implicit.html (static forms), turnstile-widget-explicit.ts (SPA rendering), turnstile-server-validation.ts (Siteverify API), turnstile-react-component.tsx (React integration), turnstile-hono-route.ts (Hono validation), turnstile-test-config.ts (testing setup)
`scripts/check-csp.sh`: Verify Content Security Policy allows Turnstile (usage: ./scripts/check-csp.sh https://example.com)
Dependencies
Required: None (Turnstile loads from Cloudflare CDN)
Optional: @marsidev/react-turnstile@1.3.1 (React), turnstile-types@1.2.3 (TypeScript), vue-turnstile (Vue 3), ngx-turnstile (Angular), svelte-turnstile (Svelte), @nuxtjs/turnstile (Nuxt)
Official Documentation
Turnstile: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/ • Get Started: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/get-started/ • Error Codes: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/troubleshooting/client-side-errors/error-codes/ • Testing: https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/troubleshooting/testing/ • Migration (reCAPTCHA): https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/migration/recaptcha/ • MCP: Use mcp__cloudflare-docs__search_cloudflare_documentation tool
Troubleshooting
Problem: Error 110200 - "Unknown domain"
Solution: Add your domain (including localhost for dev) to widget's allowed domains in Cloudflare Dashboard. For local dev, use dummy test sitekey 1x00000000000000000000AA instead.
Problem: Error 300030 - Widget crashes for legitimate users
Solution: Implement error callback with retry logic. This is a known Cloudflare-side issue (2025). Fallback to alternative verification if retries fail.
Problem: Tokens always return success: false
Solution:
- Check token hasn't expired (5 min TTL)
- Verify secret key is correct
- Ensure token hasn't been validated before (single-use)
- Check hostname matches widget configuration
Problem: CSP blocking iframe (Error 200500)
Solution: Add CSP directives:
<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="frame-src https://challenges.cloudflare.com;script-src https://challenges.cloudflare.com;">
Problem: Safari 18 "Hide IP" causing Error 300010
Solution: Document in error message that users should disable Safari's "Hide IP address" setting (Safari → Settings → Privacy → Hide IP address → Off)
Problem: Next.js + Jest tests failing with @marsidev/react-turnstile
Solution: Mock the Turnstile component in Jest setup:
// jest.setup.tsjest.mock('@marsidev/react-turnstile', () => ({Turnstile: () => <div data-testid="turnstile-mock" />,}))
Token Efficiency: ~65-70% savings vs manual integration
Errors Prevented: 12 documented security/validation issues with complete solutions
Deployment Checklist: Load references/setup-checklist.md for complete 14-point pre-deployment verification