Handle authentication

Since SurrealDB is a database that is designed to be used in a distributed environment, it is important to secure the database and the data that is stored in it. SurrealDB provides a number of methods for authenticating users and securing the database.

In your SurrealDB database, you can create authentication login using the DEFINE ACCESS statement which supports JWT and Record Access methods.

The access method used will inform the input for access in the .signup() and .signin() methods.

Important

If you are not on Version v2.1.4 of SurrealDB, you will use the scope property instead of access.

Defining access in your application

The JavaScript SDK has a .query() method which allows you to write secure SurrealQL statements from within your application. Using this method, you can define access for your users and securely manage authentication. See the code example below:

...
// Assign the variable on the connection
const authentication = await db.query(
" DEFINE ACCESS account ON DATABASE TYPE RECORD
	SIGNUP ( CREATE user SET email = $email, pass = crypto::argon2::generate($pass) )
	SIGNIN ( SELECT * FROM user WHERE email = $email AND crypto::argon2::compare(pass, $pass) )
	DURATION FOR TOKEN 15m, FOR SESSION 12h; "
);
...

...
// Assign the variable on the connection
const authentication = await db.query(
" DEFINE SCOPE user SESSION 24h
	SIGNUP ( CREATE user SET email = $email, pass = crypto::argon2::generate($pass) )
	SIGNIN ( SELECT * FROM user WHERE email = $email AND crypto::argon2::compare(pass, $pass) ); "
);
...

Note

Depending on the connection protocol you choose, authentication tokens and sessions lifetime work differently. Refer to the connection options documentation for more information.

User authentication

After you have defined your authentication login, you can use the following methods to authenticate users:

.signup()

Signs up to a specific authentication scope / access method.

Method Syntax
async db.signup({`{ namespace, database, [ scope | access ], [...] }`})

Arguments

Example usage

// With Record Access
const token = await db.signup({
	namespace: 'surrealdb',
	database: 'docs',
	access: 'account',

    // Also pass any properties required by the access definition
	variables: {
    	email: 'info@surrealdb.com',
    	pass: '123456',
    },
});

// With Scopes
const token = await db.signup({
	namespace: 'surrealdb',
	database: 'docs',
	scope: 'user',

	// Also pass any properties required by the scope definition
	email: 'info@surrealdb.com',
	pass: '123456',
});

.signin()

Signs in to a root, namespace, database or scope user.

Method Syntax
async db.signin({`{ ... }`})

Arguments

Example usage

// Authenticate with a root user
const token = await db.signin({
	username: 'root',
	password: 'surrealdb',
});

// Authenticate with a Namespace user
const token = await db.signin({
	namespace: 'surrealdb',
	username: 'tobie',
	password: 'surrealdb',
});

// Authenticate with a Database user
const token = await db.signin({
	namespace: 'surrealdb',
	database: 'docs',
	username: 'tobie',
	password: 'surrealdb',
});

// Authenticate with Record Access
const token = await db.signin({
	namespace: 'surrealdb',
	database: 'docs',
	access: 'account',

    // Also pass any properties required by the access definition
	variables: {
    	email: 'info@surrealdb.com',
    	pass: '123456',
    },
});

// Authenticate with Scopes
const token = await db.signin({
	namespace: 'surrealdb',
	database: 'docs',
	scope: 'user',

	// Also pass any properties required by the scope definition
	email: 'info@surrealdb.com',
	pass: '123456',
});

.invalidate()

Invalidates the authentication for the current connection.

Method Syntax
async db.invalidate()

Example usage

await db.invalidate();

.authenticate()

Authenticates the current connection with a JWT token.

Method Syntax
async db.authenticate(token)

Arguments

Example usage

await db.authenticate('eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpc3MiOiJTdXJyZWFsREIiLCJpYXQiOjE1MTYyMzkwMjIsIm5iZiI6MTUxNjIzOTAyMiwiZXhwIjoxODM2NDM5MDIyLCJOUyI6InRlc3QiLCJEQiI6InRlc3QiLCJTQyI6InVzZXIiLCJJRCI6InVzZXI6dG9iaWUifQ.N22Gp9ze0rdR06McGj1G-h2vu6a6n9IVqUbMFJlOxxA');

Learn more

Learn more about authentication in SurrealDB in our security best practices documentation and in the security section of the SurrealDB documentation.