Authentication and OAuth

lowFAT primarily uses Django’s built-in authentication system for user accounts, password resets, and administrative access.

The project also contains optional GitHub OAuth support using social-auth-app-django.

GitHub OAuth

GitHub OAuth support remains in the codebase, but maintainers should review the current authentication behaviour carefully before enabling it for a deployment.

Previous issues included duplicate-account creation when existing users authenticated through GitHub (see issue #778). The OAuth pipeline currently includes custom account-linking logic through:

lowfat.auth.wire_profile

The related configuration and routes are still present in the application.

OAuth Application Setup

GitHub OAuth applications can be created through:

https://github.com/settings/applications/new

Typical configuration values include:

  • Application name: FAT
  • Homepage URL: http://lowfat.your.domain
  • Application description: Fellows Administration Tool
  • Authorization callback URL:
http://lowfat.your.domain/complete/github/

Authentication Routes

Authentication-related routes are defined in:

lowfat/urls.py

This includes:

  • login and logout views,
  • password reset routes,
  • and optional OAuth integration routes.

The OAuth integration currently uses:

  • social-auth-app-django
  • social_django

Additional configuration may also exist in:

  • lowfat/settings.py
  • environment configuration files
  • Django admin runtime settings

GitHub OAuth settings currently include:

  • SOCIAL_AUTH_GITHUB_KEY
  • SOCIAL_AUTH_GITHUB_SECRET
  • SOCIAL_AUTH_REDIRECT_IS_HTTPS

Before enabling GitHub OAuth for a deployment, review the current account-linking and authentication behaviour carefully.

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