OAuth Authentication - An Overview
Zoho Creator's v2.1 APIs are RESTful APIs that use OAuth 2.0 — an open standard authorization framework that enables client applications to gain limited access to a user's data without giving away the user's password.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Resource owner or user | An end user who can grant access to your Zoho Creator account's resources |
| Protected resource or scope | The Zoho Creator resource such as the data in your Creator application and its meta-information |
| Client application | A web, mobile or another type of application that requires access to your Creator resources |
| Client ID and client secret | Credentials accorded by Zoho to a client application to authenticate API requests from it |
| Authorization code | A very short-lived code that's accorded to the client application, which can be exchanged for an access token |
| Access token | A short-lived token that allows the client application to access the protected resource |
| Refresh token | A relatively longer-lived token that's used to fetch additional access tokens for the client application |
How OAuth works
- The client application requests authorization to access the protected resource owned by the resource owner.
- The resource owner first authenticates the client and then authorizes it to access the requested resource by giving it an authorization code. (Zoho Creator uses the authorization code grant type)
- The client exchanges the authorization code for an access token and optionally a refresh token as well.
- If its identity and authorization code are authenticated, the client receives the said tokens.
- The client requests access to the protected resource by presenting its access token.
- If the access token is valid, the client receives the requested resource.
Scopes
In OAuth 2.0, scope is a mechanism to limit the client application's access to the protected resources—here, the data in your Creator account and applications.
| Scope | Purpose |
|---|---|
| ZohoCreator.form.CREATE | To add records in forms |
| ZohoCreator.report.CREATE | To upload files in records that are displayed in reports |
| ZohoCreator.report.READ |
|
| ZohoCreator.report.UPDATE | To update records that are displayed in reports |
| ZohoCreator.report.DELETE | To delete records that are displayed in reports |
| ZohoCreator.meta.form.READ | To get the information about the fields in a form |
| ZohoCreator.meta.application.READ |
|
| ZohoCreator.dashboard.READ | To get the list of applications |