Built-In Authentication

Authentication That ScalesWith Your Users

Email & password login, social authentication, role-based access control, and secure session management — all built in. Stop building auth from scratch and focus on your product.

Social Login
Role-Based Access Control
Secure Session Management
Email Verification

How Authentication Works

Users authenticate via email, social providers, or custom methods. Back4app validates credentials, creates secure sessions, and manages permissions automatically.

Email / Password
Google
Apple
GitHub
B4A
Back4app Auth
Session Token
Authentication Features

Everything You Need for User Management

From simple email login to complex enterprise SSO — Back4app provides the building blocks for any authentication flow.

01Social Login

One-Click Social Authentication

Let users sign in with accounts they already trust. Back4app provides built-in adapters for major identity providers — no OAuth complexity, just simple SDK calls.

  • Google, Facebook, Apple, GitHub, Twitter adapters
  • Automatic account linking for existing users
  • Profile data sync from social providers
  • Custom adapter support for enterprise SSO
  • Works on iOS, Android, and Web

Turn visitors into users with one-click authentication.

Sign in with
Continue with Google● Connected
Continue with GitHub
Continue with Apple
02Roles & Permissions

Fine-Grained Access Control

Control exactly who can read, write, or modify data. Back4app offers both object-level ACLs and class-level permissions, with a powerful role hierarchy for complex organizations.

  • ACLs (Access Control Lists) per object
  • CLPs (Class Level Permissions) for schema-wide rules
  • Hierarchical roles with inheritance
  • Protected fields that only server-side code can modify
  • Public, authenticated, or role-specific access

Ship faster knowing every request is authorized.

Role Hierarchy
Admin
readwritedeletemanage
Manager
readwritedelete
User
readwrite
Guest
read
03Session Management

Secure Sessions That Just Work

Back4app handles session tokens, expiration, and refresh automatically. Your users stay logged in securely without you writing session management code.

  • Automatic token generation and validation
  • Configurable session duration and expiration
  • Multi-device session tracking
  • Secure logout and session revocation
  • Automatic reconnection handling in SDKs

Zero session management code required.

Active Sessions
MacBook Pro
San Francisco, CA
Current
iPhone 15
San Francisco, CA
2h ago
Chrome Windows
New York, NY
1d ago
04Password Security

Enterprise-Grade Password Handling

Passwords are never stored in plain text. Back4app uses bcrypt hashing, supports email verification, and provides built-in password reset flows.

  • Automatic bcrypt password hashing
  • Email verification with customizable templates
  • Password reset flow via email
  • Password policies (length, complexity)
  • Account lockout after failed attempts

Security best practices, built in.

Security Checklist
Password hashed with bcrypt
Email verified
Two-factor authentication
Recovery email set
Session expires in 30 days
Back4app AI Agent
User management with natural language
Create an Admin role with full access to all classes
Created role "Admin" with read/write permissions on all classes. Ready to assign users.
Add [email protected] to the Admin role
Done! [email protected] is now an Admin with full access.
MCP Protocol Compatible
AI-Powered Management

Manage Users with AI

Create roles, assign permissions, query users, and manage sessions using natural language. Connect your favorite AI IDE via MCP for seamless user management.

Works with Cursor, VS Code, and Windsurf
Create and manage roles with natural language
Query users by any attribute instantly
Bulk assign permissions across classes
Reset passwords and verify emails via chat
Code Examples

Implement Auth in Minutes

Simple SDK methods for sign-up, login, and session management. Works on every platform.

JavaScript

Web & Node.js
// Sign up a new user
const user = new Parse.User();
user.set("username", "[email protected]");
user.set("email", "[email protected]");
user.set("password", "securePassword123");

await user.signUp();

// Log in existing user
const loggedIn = await Parse.User.logIn("[email protected]", "securePassword123");

// Social login with Google
await Parse.User.logInWith("google", {
  authData: { id: googleId, access_token: googleToken }
});

// Check current user
const currentUser = Parse.User.current();
if (currentUser) {
  console.log("Logged in as:", currentUser.get("username"));
}
Use Cases

Authentication for Every App

From consumer apps to enterprise platforms, Back4app authentication scales with your needs.

Consumer Apps (B2C)

Social login for quick sign-up, email verification, and seamless mobile authentication for millions of users.

SaaS Platforms (B2B)

Team management with roles, organization-level permissions, and SSO integration for enterprise customers.

Internal Tools

Employee authentication, department-based access control, and audit logging.

Mobile Apps

Biometric login support, secure token storage, and offline authentication for iOS and Android.

E-Commerce

Guest checkout with anonymous users, account conversion, and secure payment integration.

Gaming

Anonymous guest play, account linking, cross-platform progression, and leaderboard access control.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What authentication methods does Back4app support?
Back4app supports email/password authentication, social login providers (Google, GitHub, Apple, Facebook, Twitter), anonymous users for guest access, and custom authentication adapters for enterprise SSO integration.
How does role-based access control (RBAC) work in Back4app?
Back4app provides a hierarchical role system where you can create roles, assign users to roles, and set permissions at the class level (CLPs) or object level (ACLs). Roles can inherit from other roles, enabling complex permission structures like Admin > Manager > User.
Is user data encrypted and secure?
Yes. Passwords are automatically hashed using bcrypt before storage. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit via TLS. Session tokens are securely generated and can be configured with custom expiration policies.
Can I implement email verification and password reset?
Yes. Back4app includes built-in email verification and password reset flows. You can customize email templates and trigger these flows via SDK methods or REST API calls.
What happens when a user's session expires?
When a session expires, API calls return an invalid session error. The SDK automatically handles this by prompting re-authentication. You can configure session duration and implement automatic token refresh for seamless user experience.
Can I use Back4app authentication with AI tools?
Yes. Through the AI Agent and MCP integration, you can manage users, create roles, set permissions, and perform authentication operations using natural language commands directly from your IDE or AI assistant.

Secure Authentication, Simplified

Stop building auth from scratch. Get started with enterprise-grade authentication in minutes. No credit card required.