---

name: configuring-better-auth description: | Implement OAuth 2.1 / OIDC authentication using Better Auth with MCP assistance. Use when setting up a centralized auth server (SSO provider), implementing SSO clients in Next.js apps, configuring PKCE flows, or managing tokens with JWKS verification. Uses Better Auth MCP for guided setup. NOT when using simple session-only auth without OAuth/OIDC requirements.

Better Auth OAuth/OIDC

Implement centralized authentication with Better Auth - either as an auth server or SSO client.

MCP Server Setup

Better Auth provides an MCP server powered by Chonkie for guided configuration:

Copyclaude mcp add --transport http better-auth https://mcp.chonkie.ai/better-auth/better-auth-builder/mcp

Or in settings.json:

Copy{
  "mcpServers": {
    "better-auth": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.chonkie.ai/better-auth/better-auth-builder/mcp"
    }
  }
}

When to Use the MCP

---

Architecture Overview

Copy┌─────────────────┐
│ Better Auth SSO │ ← Central auth server (auth-server-setup.md)
│  (Auth Server)  │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
    ┌────┴────┐
    ▼         ▼
┌───────┐  ┌───────┐
│ App 1 │  │ App 2 │ ← SSO clients (sso-client-integration.md)
└───────┘  └───────┘

---

Quick Start: Auth Server Setup

Copynpm install better-auth @better-auth/oidc-provider drizzle-orm

Core Configuration

Copy// src/lib/auth.ts
import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";
import { drizzleAdapter } from "better-auth/adapters/drizzle";
import { oidcProvider } from "better-auth/plugins/oidc-provider";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: drizzleAdapter(db, { provider: "pg", schema }),
  emailAndPassword: { enabled: true },
  session: {
    expiresIn: 60 * 60 * 24 * 7, // 7 days
    updateAge: 60 * 60 * 24,     // 1 day
  },
  plugins: [
    oidcProvider({
      loginPage: "/sign-in",
      consentPage: "/consent",
      // PKCE for public clients (recommended)
      requirePKCE: true,
    }),
  ],
});

Register OAuth Clients

Copy// Register SSO client
await auth.api.createOAuthClient({
  name: "My App",
  redirectUris: ["http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback"],
  type: "public", // Use 'public' for PKCE
});

See references/auth-server-setup.md for complete setup with JWKS, email verification, and admin dashboard.

---

Quick Start: SSO Client Integration

Copynpm install jose

Environment Variables

CopyNEXT_PUBLIC_SSO_URL=http://localhost:3001
NEXT_PUBLIC_SSO_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id

PKCE Auth Flow

Copy// lib/auth-client.ts
import { generateCodeVerifier, generateCodeChallenge } from "./pkce";

export async function startLogin() {
  const verifier = generateCodeVerifier();
  const challenge = await generateCodeChallenge(verifier);

  // Store verifier in cookie
  document.cookie = `pkce_verifier=${verifier}; path=/; SameSite=Lax`;

  const params = new URLSearchParams({
    client_id: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SSO_CLIENT_ID!,
    redirect_uri: `${window.location.origin}/api/auth/callback`,
    response_type: "code",
    scope: "openid profile email",
    code_challenge: challenge,
    code_challenge_method: "S256",
  });

  window.location.href = `${SSO_URL}/oauth2/authorize?${params}`;
}

Token Exchange (API Route)

Copy// app/api/auth/callback/route.ts
export async function GET(request: Request) {
  const { searchParams } = new URL(request.url);
  const code = searchParams.get("code");
  const verifier = cookies().get("pkce_verifier")?.value;

  const response = await fetch(`${SSO_URL}/oauth2/token`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" },
    body: new URLSearchParams({
      grant_type: "authorization_code",
      client_id: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SSO_CLIENT_ID!,
      code: code!,
      redirect_uri: `${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL}/api/auth/callback`,
      code_verifier: verifier!,
    }),
  });

  const tokens = await response.json();

  // Set httpOnly cookies
  const res = NextResponse.redirect("/dashboard");
  res.cookies.set("access_token", tokens.access_token, { httpOnly: true });
  res.cookies.set("refresh_token", tokens.refresh_token, { httpOnly: true });
  return res;
}

See references/sso-client-integration.md for JWKS verification, token refresh, and global logout.

---

PKCE Utilities

Copy// lib/pkce.ts
export function generateCodeVerifier(): string {
  const array = new Uint8Array(32);
  crypto.getRandomValues(array);
  return base64UrlEncode(array);
}

export async function generateCodeChallenge(verifier: string): Promise<string> {
  const encoder = new TextEncoder();
  const data = encoder.encode(verifier);
  const hash = await crypto.subtle.digest("SHA-256", data);
  return base64UrlEncode(new Uint8Array(hash));
}

function base64UrlEncode(buffer: Uint8Array): string {
  return btoa(String.fromCharCode(...buffer))
    .replace(/\+/g, "-")
    .replace(/\//g, "_")
    .replace(/=+$/, "");
}

---

Key Patterns

1. Token Storage

• Store tokens in httpOnly cookies (not localStorage)
• Use SameSite=Lax for CSRF protection

2. Token Refresh

Copyasync function refreshTokens() {
  const response = await fetch(`${SSO_URL}/oauth2/token`, {
    method: "POST",
    body: new URLSearchParams({
      grant_type: "refresh_token",
      client_id: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SSO_CLIENT_ID!,
      refresh_token: currentRefreshToken,
    }),
  });
  return response.json();
}

3. JWKS Verification

Copyimport { createRemoteJWKSet, jwtVerify } from "jose";

const JWKS = createRemoteJWKSet(
  new URL(`${SSO_URL}/.well-known/jwks.json`)
);

export async function verifyAccessToken(token: string) {
  const { payload } = await jwtVerify(token, JWKS, {
    issuer: SSO_URL,
    audience: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SSO_CLIENT_ID,
  });
  return payload;
}

4. Global Logout

Copy// Logout from all apps
const logoutUrl = new URL(`${SSO_URL}/oauth2/logout`);
logoutUrl.searchParams.set("post_logout_redirect_uri", window.location.origin);
window.location.href = logoutUrl.toString();

---

Common Pitfalls

---

Verification

Run: python3 scripts/verify.py

Expected: ✓ configuring-better-auth skill ready

If Verification Fails

1. Check: references/ folder has both setup files
2. Stop and report if still failing

References

• references/auth-server-setup.md - Complete auth server with OIDC provider
• references/sso-client-integration.md - Full SSO client implementation