Mastering Authentication & Authorization: Exploring Identity Framework with .NET 8 and Migrations
Tags: authentication, cookies, jsonwebtoken, identity
Published: 2024-03-12 09:04:17

In modern web development, robust authentication and authorization mechanisms are crucial for ensuring the security of user data and resources. One of the most popular tools for implementing these features in ASP.NET Core is Identity Framework. With the release of .NET 8, developers have access to even more powerful tools and features for managing user authentication and authorization seamlessly. In this blog post, we will dive deep into Identity Framework with .NET 8, exploring its capabilities and demonstrating how to leverage migrations for efficient database schema management.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/g8c7zfxwcd2rjq4fjhfy.jpg)
**Understanding Identity Framework:**
Identity Framework is a membership system that adds login functionality to web applications. It provides APIs for user management, including features like registration, login, password recovery, manage2fa, refresh tokens role-based authorization and the capabilities are endless. With Identity Framework, developers can easily integrate authentication and authorization into their ASP.NET Core applications.

**Setting Up a .NET 8 Project with Identity Framework:**
To start using Identity Framework in a .NET 8 project, we need to configure our application to use the necessary services. This involves adding the required NuGet packages, configuring the DbContext to use a database provider, and registering Identity services in the dependency injection container.
First, ensure that the following NuGet packages are added to your project: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.EntityFrameworkCore, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer, Swashbuckle.AspNetCore, and Swashbuckle.AspNetCore.Filters.
Next, configure your application to use Identity Framework and Entity Framework Core. This typically involves adding code to your Program.cs file.

```
builder.Services.AddAuthorization();
builder.Services.AddIdentityApiEndpoints<IdentityUser>().AddEntityFrameworkStores<DbContext>();
```

Ensure you replace "DefaultConnection" with your actual database connection string key from your appsettings.json file.
With these steps completed, your .NET 8 project should be set up to use Identity Framework with the specified NuGet packages, allowing you to manage authentication and authorization seamlessly within your ASP.NET Core application.

**Working with Identity Migrations:**
Entity Framework Core Migrations provide a way to manage changes to the database schema over time. When using Identity Framework with Entity Framework Core, migrations become essential for updating the database schema to reflect changes in the Identity model. In this section, we'll walk through the process of working with Identity migrations, from configuring the DbContext to adding and updating migrations.

**_Configuring DbContext:_**
Before we can generate migrations for our Identity-related changes, we need to ensure that our DbContext is properly configured to work with Entity Framework Core. This typically involves inheriting from IdentityDbContext and specifying the types for the user and role.
public class DbContext : IdentityDbContext<>

```
{
    public DataContext(DbContextOptions<DbContext> options) : 
    base(options) { }
}
```
With the DbContext configured, we're ready to generate our initial migration.
_**Adding Initial Migration:**_
To add an initial migration for our Identity-related changes, we use the Entity Framework Core CLI tools. Open the command-line interface and navigate to the project directory containing your DbContext. Run the following command to generate a migration and also update the database:
```
dotnet ef migrations add InitialIdentityMigration
dotnet ef database update
```
**_Types of Identity Tables:_**
When the migration is applied, Identity Framework creates several tables in the database to manage user authentication and authorization. These tables include:

- _AspNetUsers:_ 
This table stores user information such as username, email, and password hashes.

- _AspNetRoles:_
 This table stores role information used for role-based authorization.

- _AspNetUserRoles:_
 This table maps users to roles, indicating which roles each user belongs to.

- _AspNetUserClaims:_ 
This table stores user claims, which represent additional information about a user (e.g., age, gender).

- _AspNetUserLogins:_
 This table stores external login information for users who have associated external accounts (e.g., Facebook, Google).

- _AspNetUserTokens:_ 
This table stores security tokens used for two-factor authentication and password reset functionality.

**Implementing Authentication and Authorization:**
To enable authentication and authorization in our ASP.NET Core application, we need to configure the necessary services and middleware. The provided code snippet demonstrates how to configure authentication and authorization using Identity Framework:

```
builder.Services.AddAuthorization();
builder.Services.AddIdentityApiEndpoints<IdentityUser>().AddEntityFrameworkStores<DataContext>();
app.MapIdentityApi<IdentityUser>();
```
_AddAuthorization():_
Registers the Authorization services, allowing us to define authorization policies and requirements.
_AddIdentityApiEndpoints<IdentityUser>():_
Configures Identity Framework services and endpoints for user authentication and management. It also specifies the type of user (IdentityUser) and the data context (DbContext) to use for storing user information.
_app.MapIdentityApi<IdentityUser>()_: 
Maps Identity Framework API endpoints for user authentication and management.

**Configuring Swagger/OpenAPI with OAuth2 Authentication:**
SwaggerGen is used to generate Swagger/OpenAPI documents for our ASP.NET Core API endpoints. We can configure SwaggerGen to support OAuth2 authentication using the provided code snippet:

```
builder.Services.AddSwaggerGen(options =>
{
    // Add OAuth2 security definition.
    options.AddSecurityDefinition("oauth2", new OpenApiSecurityScheme
    {
        In = ParameterLocation.Header,
        Name = "Authorization",
        Type = SecuritySchemeType.ApiKey
    });

    // Add operation filter for security requirements.
    options.OperationFilter<SecurityRequirementsOperationFilter>();
});
```

After configuring Swagger to support OAuth2 authentication in our ASP.NET Core application, Swagger automatically generates documentation and interactive UI for various authentication-related endpoints. These endpoints facilitate user authentication, token management, and other authentication-related tasks. Let's explore these endpoints in detail:

- _Register Endpoint:_
Allows users to register a new account by providing necessary registration information such as username, email, and password.

- _Login Endpoint:_
The Login Endpoint enables users to log in to their accounts by providing their credentials, which typically include their username/email and password. Upon successful authentication, the endpoint proceeds to enable accessing secured endpoints using cookies or session cookies stored in the web browser.

- _Refresh Token Endpoint:_
Allows users to refresh their access tokens, ensuring continuous access to protected resources without needing to reauthenticate.

- _Confirm Email Endpoint:_
Provides functionality for confirming a user's email address after registration.

- _Resend Confirmation Email Endpoint:_
Allows users to request a resend of the confirmation email if they did not receive it or need to resend it for any reason.

- _Forgot Password Endpoint:_
Enables users to request a password reset email if they have forgotten their password.

- _Reset Password Endpoint:_
Allows users to reset their password by providing a password reset token received via email.

- _Manage Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Endpoint:_
Provides functionality for managing two-factor authentication settings, such as enabling or disabling 2FA.

- _Manage Account Information Endpoint:_
Allows users to manage their account information, such as updating their email address or password.

In this blog post, we have delved into the intricacies of implementing authentication and authorization using Identity Framework with .NET 8 and migrations. By leveraging the powerful tools and features provided by these technologies, developers can create robust and secure web applications that meet the demands of modern users. 💻 Happy Coding!