GitHub Auth Module

This authentication module lets users log in to YouTrack with their GitHub credentials.

Enable GitHub Authentication

To allow users with existing GitHub accounts to log in to YouTrack, enable the GitHub authentication module.

This procedure is performed by following these steps:

Generate a Callback URL in YouTrack. When you create an authentication module for GitHub, YouTrack generates a callback URL to use with this service. This URL identifies the source of each login request to GitHub.
Generate a Client ID and Secret in GitHub. Every login request sent from YouTrack to GitHub includes a unique identifier. The ID and secret you store in the authentication module tell GitHub that each login request is authorized.
Enable the Auth Module in YouTrack. When you have generated the information YouTrack uses to authenticate with GitHub, copy the values into YouTrack and enable the module.
Authorize the GitHub OAuth Application. This grants the OAuth application access to read the information it needs to authenticate login requests. This step is only required when using an account that belongs to an organization in GitHub or when using the Allowed organizations to restrict logins to users who belong to specific organizations.

Generate a Callback URL in YouTrack

To get started, open YouTrack and create an authentication module for GitHub accounts. When you create the authentication module, YouTrack generates a callback URL to use with the authorization service.

To generate a callback URL in YouTrack:

From the Administration menu, select Access Management > Auth Modules.
From the New module drop-down list, select GitHub.
- The Auth Modules page displays the settings for a new GitHub authentication module.
- YouTrack generates a callback URL for you to use in GitHub.
Copy the callback URL as instructed on the page.
Click the link to access the New OAth Application page in GitHub.
This setup requires that you copy values from GitHub into input fields on this page in YouTrack.
To simplify setup, open this link in a new browser tab or window.

Generate a Client ID and Secret in GitHub

Log in to your GitHub account.
Specify the general parameters to register a new OAuth application: Name, Homepage URL, and optional Application Description.
If you already have any registered GitHub application and it's not used to connect with another service, you can use its client ID and client secret
In the sidebar, click Applications, then select the application in the Developer applications list.
In the Authorization callback URL, paste the callback URL you copied from the Auth Module page in YouTrack.
Click the Register application button.
- GitHub generates the credentials you need to set up the YouTrack module and displays them at the top of the page.

Enable the Auth Module in YouTrack

To complete the setup, store the client ID and secret from the authorization service in the GitHub auth module.

Copy the client ID from GitHub and paste it into the Client ID input field in YouTrack.
Copy the client secret from GitHub and paste it into the Client Secret input field in YouTrack.
Configure the optional settings for the authentication module. For more information, see Settings.
Click the Enable module button.
- The GitHub authentication module is enabled.
- The icon stored in the Button Image setting is added to the login dialog window. Users can click this icon to authenticate with their GitHub accounts.

Authorize the GitHub OAuth Application

The first time you attempt to log in using the GitHub authentication module, you are prompted to authorize access to the OAuth application in GitHub.

If you are unable to grant the application access at this point in time, you can grant access from the settings for your organization. For specific instructions, please refer to the GitHub documentation.

Settings

Field	Description
Type	Displays the name of the application or service that is enabled for third-party authentication in Hub.
Name	Stores the name of the authentication module. Use this setting to distinguish this module from other authentication modules in the Auth Modules list.
Button image	Displays the image used for the button that a user clicks to log in to YouTrack with a GitHub account.
Authorization callback URL	Displays the Authorization callback URL that is used to register the connection to YouTrack in GitHub.
Client ID	Stores the identifier GitHub uses to validate a login request. You generate this value in GitHub when you configure the authorization settings for an application and enter a callback URL.
Client secret	Stores the secret or password used to validate the client ID. You generate this value in GitHub together with the client ID.
Server URL	Displays the URL of the server to which YouTrack sends a login request when a user logs in with a GitHub account.
Scope	Displays the scope for the access request. The information displayed below this field helps you configure the authentication module.
Allowed organizations	Restricts logins for this auth module to users who belong to specific organizations in GitHub. Enter a comma-separated list of organizations. If empty, any user with a GitHub account can log in using this auth module.

Additional Settings

The following options are located at the bottom of the page. Use these settings to manage YouTrack account creation and group membership, and to reduce the loss of processing resources consumed by idle connections.

Option	Description
User creation	Enables creation of Hub accounts for unregistered users who log in with an account that is stored in the connected authorization service. YouTrack uses the email address to determine whether the user has an existing account.
Auto-join groups	Adds users to a group when they log in with an account that is stored in the connected authorization service. You can select one or more groups. New users that auto-join a group inherit all the permissions assigned to this group. We recommend that you add users to at least one group. Otherwise, a new user is only granted the permissions that are currently assigned to the All Users group.
Connection timeout	Sets the period of time to wait to establish a connection to the authorization service. The default setting is 5000 milliseconds (5 seconds).
Read timeout	Sets the period of time to wait to read and retrieve user profile data from the authorization service. The default setting is 5000 milliseconds (5 seconds).
Audit	Links to the Audit Events page in YouTrack. There, you can view a list of changes that were applied to this authentication module.

Actions

The following actions are available in the header:

Action	Description
Set default	Designates the authentication module as the default for your YouTrack site. Only one authentication module can be set as the default at any time. If another module is currently set as the default, that state is cleared. This option is only shown when the current authentication module is not designated as the default.
Clear default	Removes the authentication module as the default for your YouTrack site. If none of the available authentication modules are designated as the default, unauthenticated users are always directed to the Hub login page. This option is only shown when the current authentication module is designated as the default.
Disable module	Disables the authentication module. This option is only shown when the authentication module is currently enabled.
Enable module	Enables the authentication module. This option is only shown when the authentication module is currently disabled.
Delete module	Removes the authentication module from YouTrack. Use only when you have configured additional authentication modules that let users log into your YouTrack site.

Last modified: 18 October 2024