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Integrate With PocketBase

Support level: Community

What is PocketBase​

PocketBase is a lightweight backend solution that provides a built-in database, authentication, and file storage. It allows developers to quickly set up and manage backend services without complex configurations. With its simple API and easy-to-use dashboard, it's perfect for small projects, prototypes, or even full-scale applications.

-- https://pocketbase.io/

note

If your application relies on PocketBase as its backend, you may need to replace the pocketbase.company placeholder with your application's name. However, if PocketBase is hosted on a separate domain and users are redirected there for authentication, this notice may not be necessary. Conversely, if PocketBase is hosted on the same domain as your application, this distinction might be relevant.

Preparation​

The following placeholders are used in this guide:

  • pocketbase.company is the FQDN of the PocketBase installation.
  • authentik.company is the FQDN of the authentik installation.
note

This documentation lists only the settings that you need to change from their default values. Be aware that any changes other than those explicitly mentioned in this guide could cause issues accessing your application.

authentik configuration​

To support the integration of Pocketbase with authentik, you need to create an application/provider pair in authentik.

Create an application and provider in authentik​

  1. Log in to authentik as an admin, and open the authentik Admin interface.
  2. Navigate to Applications > Applications and click Create with Provider to create an application and provider pair. (Alternatively you can first create a provider separately, then create the application and connect it with the provider.)
  • Application: provide a descriptive name, an optional group for the type of application, the policy engine mode, and optional UI settings.
  • Choose a Provider type: select OAuth2/OpenID Connect as the provider type.
  • Configure the Provider: provide a name (or accept the auto-provided name), the authorization flow to use for this provider, and the following required configurations.
    • Note the Client ID,Client Secret, and slug values because they will be required later.
    • Set a Strict redirect URI to https://pocketbase.company/api/oauth2-redirect.
    • Select any available signing key.
  • Configure Bindings (optional): you can create a binding (policy, group, or user) to manage the listing and access to applications on a user's My applications page.
  1. Click Submit to save the new application and provider.

PocketBase configuration​

  1. Sign in to PocketBase and access the superusers dashboard by navigating to https://pocketbase.company/_/#/settings.
  2. Toggle off Hide collection create and edit controls," then click the Save changes button.
  3. Open the users collection by clicking the Collections icon on the sidebar or head to https://pocketbase.company/_/#/collections?collection=pb_users_auth.
  4. Click the gear icon next to the collection's name, then select the Options tab in the popup on the right.
  5. Enable the OAuth2 authentication method by clicking the OAuth2 tab and toggling Enable.
  6. Click + Add provider, then select OpenID Connect.
  7. Enter the following details from the authentik provider:
    • Set Client ID to the Client ID copied from authentik.
    • Set Client secret to the Client Secret copied from authentik.
    • Set Display name to authentik.
    • Set Auth URL to https://authentik.company/application/o/authorize/.
    • Set Token URL to https://authentik.company/application/o/token/.
    • Make sure Fetch user info from is set to User info URL, then set User info URL to https://authentik.company/application/o/userinfo/