SuperTokens

SuperTokens is an open-source authentication provider. It provides a framework for adding secure login and session management to web and mobile applications, allowing developers to maintain full control over user data through self-hosted deployments using their own databases.

The software is deployed as a server-side core service and integrated into applications via specialized SDKs. These SDKs are available for multiple languages and frameworks, including Node.js, Go, Python, React.js, React Native, and Vanilla JS. It can be used as a complete end-to-end authentication solution or specifically for session management, and it even offers session management integrations for those using other login providers.

Key features

• Passwordless, social, email, and phone login options
• Session management and refreshing
• Multi-factor authentication
• Multi-tenancy and organization support for enterprise SSO
• User role assignment
• Microservice authentication
• User management dashboard for modifying metadata and sessions

The architecture consists of three primary components: a frontend SDK for managing tokens and rendering UI widgets, a backend SDK for handling sign-up and sign-in APIs, and the SuperTokens Core. The Core is a Java-based HTTP service that manages the central authentication logic and database operations. To optimize performance, the most frequent operation, session verification, happens within the backend SDK without contacting the Java core, allowing a single instance to handle tens of thousands of users.

Developers can use the included User Management Dashboard to oversee their user base, which allows for the modification or deletion of sessions, account info, and roles. The system is built to be decoupled, meaning developers can implement only the specific parts of the auth flow they need without being forced into a rigid structure.

SuperTokens is designed for developers who require an on-premises authentication system to avoid vendor lock-in and ensure total data sovereignty.