--- title: SolidStart description: "Integrate ZITADEL authentication into SolidStart applications using the OAuth 2.0 PKCE flow." sidebar_label: SolidStart framework_url: https://start.solidjs.com auth_library: "@auth/solid-start" auth_library_url: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@auth/core example_repo: https://github.com/zitadel/example-auth-solidstart auth_flow: pkce status: stable --- ## Overview [SolidStart](https://start.solidjs.com) is a full-stack web framework built on top of [SolidJS](https://solidjs.com) that enables you to create performant web applications with a modern development experience. This example demonstrates how to integrate **[Zitadel](https://zitadel.com/docs)** using the **[OAuth 2.0 PKCE flow](https://oauth.net/2/pkce/)** to authenticate users securely and maintain [sessions](https://authjs.dev/concepts/session-strategies) across the app. #### Auth library This example uses **[@auth/solid-start](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@auth/solid-start)**, the SolidStart adapter for [Auth.js](https://authjs.dev), which builds on **[@auth/core](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@auth/core)**. Auth.js implements the [OpenID Connect (OIDC)](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/endpoints) flow, manages [PKCE](https://oauth.net/2/pkce/), performs [token exchange](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/grant-types), and exposes helpers for [session state](https://authjs.dev/concepts/session-strategies). The example also uses **[openid-client](https://www.npmjs.com/package/openid-client)** ([GitHub](https://github.com/panva/node-openid-client)) for manual token refresh operations and logout URL construction. --- ## What this example demonstrates This example shows a complete authentication implementation using [SolidStart](https://start.solidjs.com) with [Zitadel](https://zitadel.com/docs). Users start on a public landing page and click a login button to authenticate with Zitadel using the secure **[PKCE flow](https://oauth.net/2/pkce/)**. The [Auth.js](https://authjs.dev) library handles the [OAuth 2.0](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/integrate/login/oidc/oauth-recommended-flows) authorization code exchange and manages secure [session storage](https://authjs.dev/concepts/session-strategies) using encrypted [JWT tokens](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/endpoints#token-endpoint). After successful authentication, users are redirected to a protected profile page displaying their user information including [OIDC claims](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/claims) like name, email, and custom [Zitadel metadata](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/claims#reserved-claims). The application implements automatic [token refresh](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/grant-types#refresh-token) to maintain long-lived sessions without requiring users to re-authenticate. When an [access token](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/endpoints#token-endpoint) expires, the refresh logic seamlessly exchanges the [refresh token](https://zitadel.com/docs/apis/openidoauth/grant-types#refresh-token) for new tokens in the background. [Route protection](https://start.solidjs.com/api/createAsync) is implemented using [SolidStart's server functions](https://start.solidjs.com/api/server$), ensuring only authenticated users can access sensitive areas. The logout flow implements [federated logout](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/integrate/login/oidc/logout) with CSRF protection using state parameters, properly terminating both the local session and the Zitadel session before redirecting users back to the application. --- ## Getting started ### Prerequisites Before running this example, you need to create and configure a PKCE application in the [Zitadel Console](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/console-overview). Follow the PKCE application setup guide to: 1. Create a new Web application in your [Zitadel project](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/projects-overview) 2. Configure it to use the PKCE authentication method 3. Set up your redirect URIs (e.g., `http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/zitadel` for development) 4. Configure post-logout redirect URIs (e.g., `http://localhost:3000/api/auth/logout/callback`) 5. Copy your **Client ID** for use in the next steps > **Note:** Make sure to enable **Dev Mode** in the [Zitadel Console](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/console-overview) if you're using HTTP URLs during local development. For production, always use HTTPS URLs and disable Dev Mode. ### Run the example Once you have your [Zitadel application](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/applications-overview) configured: 1. Clone the [repository](https://github.com/zitadel/example-auth-solidstart). 2. Create a `.env` file and configure it with the values from your [Zitadel application](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/applications-overview). Use the exact environment variable names from the repository: ``` NODE_ENV=development PORT=3000 SESSION_SECRET="your-very-secret-and-strong-session-key" SESSION_DURATION=3600 ZITADEL_DOMAIN="https://your-zitadel-domain" ZITADEL_CLIENT_ID="your-client-id" ZITADEL_CLIENT_SECRET="your-randomly-generated-client-secret" ZITADEL_CALLBACK_URL="http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/zitadel" ZITADEL_POST_LOGIN_URL="/profile" ZITADEL_POST_LOGOUT_URL="http://localhost:3000/api/auth/logout/callback" NEXTAUTH_URL="http://localhost:3000" ``` Replace these values with: - Your actual [Zitadel instance URL](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/manage/console/default-settings) (the **Issuer**) - The **Client ID** you copied when creating the application - The **redirect URIs** you configured in the PKCE setup (must match exactly) - A secure random string for `SESSION_SECRET` (generate using: `node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))"`) - A secure random string for `ZITADEL_CLIENT_SECRET` for [Auth.js](https://authjs.dev) configuration compatibility 3. Install dependencies using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com) and start the development server to verify the authentication flow end-to-end: ```bash npm install npm run dev ``` --- ## Learn more and resources * [PKCE concept](https://oauth.net/2/pkce/) * [Federated logout](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/integrate/login/oidc/logout) * [OIDC integration guide](https://zitadel.com/docs/guides/integrate/login/oidc/login-users) * [SolidStart documentation](https://start.solidjs.com) * [Auth.js documentation](https://authjs.dev) * [@auth/solid-start](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@auth/solid-start) * [@auth/core](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@auth/core) * [openid-client](https://www.npmjs.com/package/openid-client) * [Example repository](https://github.com/zitadel/example-auth-solidstart)