Overview

Authentication

The majority of the awork API requires authentication. This means that you need to identify yourself to the API by providing a valid access token. This token is used to verify your identity and to ensure that you have the necessary permissions to access the requested resources.

You have two options for authenticating with the awork API.

  • An API Key generated in the awork UI, which is permanently valid but is not user-specific, which means it grants admin-level access. This makes sense for background synchronization applications.
  • An OAuth 2 flow that allows users to sign in with their own account. This generates a user-specific API Token which respects all user roles and permissions.

Read the corresponding section below.

API Key

A long-lived API Key can be generated in the awork UI, which is permanently valid but is not user-specific, which means it grants admin-level access.

Getting an API Key

To get a long-lived API Key, log into your awork workspace, go to Settings > Integrations. Here you can create a new API Client or use an existing one. Click on the context menu button (…), then on Manage API Keys. Create a new one or choose an existing one, then click on Copy API Key.

Step 1: Create a new API client
Step 1: Create a new API client
Step 2: Click on Manage API keys
Step 2: Click on Manage API keys
Step 3: Create an API key and copy it
Step 3: Create an API key and copy it

Using the API Key

To authenticate with and receive resources from the API, add the API Key to the Authorization header in the following form:

1Authorization: Bearer {api_key}

OAuth 2 Flow

The OAuth 2 flow allows users to sign in with their own account. This generates a user-specific token which respects all user roles and permissions.

Definitions

Client Application

A client application needs to be registered before you can make API requests. Go to the workspace settings panel in awork and add a new client application. You will be asked to provide a unique name and a display name for your client. You will receive a client secret in return.

The client secret is only shown while creating the client application! It can be regenerated, but all clients will then lose access.

Client Id

The client_id is used to identify your client application. After you register a client application, you’ll find the client_id in the list of client applications in the workspace settings panel.

Client Secret

The client_secret is generated in the client applications section of awork. It is located next to the client_id on the workspace settings page. The secret will be used to authenticate your client application when you request a token.

The client secret is only displayed when creating the client application! It can be regenerated, but all clients will lose access when their token expires.

Scopes

The OAuth 2.0 authentication flow uses scopes to define which rights are granted to the application by the user. Scopes are sent as a space separated list. The API currently supports these scopes:

  • offline_access: continued access, issues a Refresh Token.

Tokens

Access Token

The Access Token is used to authenticate yourself within the API resources. It needs to be included in every request to the API. Each user has to use their own unique Access Token, since such tokens are only valid with the associated user. Also, Access Tokens are valid for one workspace only. If the client application wants to access multiple workspaces, it needs to request separate tokens. The token is usually valid for only a few days.

Refresh Token

The Refresh Token is used to get a new Access Token once the Access Token has expired. A Refresh Token expires when it is used to get a new Access Token or after 30 days. A new Refresh Token is issued every time a new Access Token is requested.

Authorization Code

The Authorization Code is a transitory code used to retrieve an Access Token and Refresh Token. It should not be stored in the client application.

Endpoints

The OAuth endpoints are required to get an Access Token and exchange a Refresh Token for a new Access Token:

Authorization Endpoint: /accounts/authorize may be used to request user authorization and initially retrieve an Authorization Code.

Token Endpoint: /accounts/token may be used to retrieve an Access Token from either an Authorization Code or a Refresh Token.

Authorization Request

The client constructs the request URI by adding the following parameters to the query string of the authorization endpoint URI using the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format. The client directs the user to the constructed URI using a browser window. The user is prompted to log in, enter her or his username and password, and grant the requested permissions to the client application. If the user is part of several workspaces in awork, the user needs to select the workspace before authorizing the application.

Parameter

  • client_id: The client Id of the client application. Required.
  • redirect_uri: The user will be redirected to a custom URI after the access was granted. Needs to be the same as specified when registering the client application. Required.
  • scope: A space-separated list of API scopes. See the available scopes above. Required.
  • state: An arbitrary state string that helps the client application identify the request. Optional.
1GET /accounts/authorize
2    ?client_id={client_id}
3    &response_type=code
4    &grant_type=authorization_code
5    &redirect_uri={redirect_uri}
6    &state={state}
7    &scope={scope}

Note: The generated URL needs to be opened in a browser window. The user has to log in to authorize the application.

All query parameters (especially the redirect_uri) must be properly URL-encoded.

User Authentication

The user logs in and can then grant or revoke the authorization request.

Response

If the user grants the authorization request, the authorization server issues an authorization code and delivers it to the client by adding the following parameters to the query string of the redirection URI using the application/x-www-form-urlencodedformat.

Parameter

  • redirect_uri: The previously specified redirect URI.
  • code: The Authorization Code that will be exchanged for an Access Token in the next request.
  • state: The same arbitrary state string that the client application passed in the authorization request earlier.
1302 Found
2Location: {redirect_uri}?code={code}&state={state}

Access Token Request

If the client application has been successfully authorized, it sends a request with the following parameters in the body to the token endpoint using the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format.

Parameter

  • code: The Authorization Code that was received in the previous authorization response. Required.
  • redirect_uri: The previously specified redirect URI. Required.
  • client_id: The client Id of the client application. Required.
  • client_secret: The client secret of the client application. Required.

Note: To build a proper HTTP Authorization header for Basic Access Authentication, you need to encode your client_id and client_secret using Base64, and add it to the Authorization header as follows: Authorization: Basic Base64({client_id}:{client_secret})

1POST /accounts/token
2Authorization: Basic Base64({client_id}:{client_secret})
3Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
4
5redirect_uri={redirect_uri}
6&grant_type=authorization_code
7&code={code}

Note: All query parameters (especially the redirect_uri) must be properly URL-encoded.

Response

If the access token request is valid and authorized, the authorization server issues an Access Token and Refresh Token. If the request failed or is invalid, the authorization server returns an error response.

1{
2    "access_token": "eyJhbGciOiJ...",
3    "token_type": "Bearer",
4    "resource": "awork.com",
5    "expires_in": 86400,
6    "refresh_token": "eyJhbGciOiJ..."
7}

After receiving the Access Token, you can use it to request resources from the API.

Resource Request

To authenticate with and receive resources from the API, add the Access Token to the Authorization header in the following form:

1Authorization: Bearer {access_token}

Note: Access Tokens expires and will need to be refreshed with the Refresh Token. See the next step.

Refresh Token Request

When the Access Token has expired, you must use the Refresh Token to retrieve a new Access Token. The application sends a request with the following parameters in the body to the token endpoint using the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format. Same as in the Access Token Request, you need to send the client credentials in the Authorization header.

1POST /accounts/token
2Authorization: Basic Base64({client_id}:{client_secret})
3Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
4
5grant_type=refresh_token
6&refresh_token={refresh_token}

Response

The authorization server responds with a new Access Token and a new expiration. It also returns a new Refresh Token, invalidating the old one.

1{
2    "access_token": "eyJhbGciOiJ...",
3    "token_type": "Bearer",
4    "expires_in": 86400,
5    "refresh_token": "eyJhbGciOiJ...",
6}