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Authentication#

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Looking for our API Reference? Or want to query the API directly from Python.

GeoDataHub uses the secure Oauth 2.0 protocol to authenticate users. All users are provided a time limited access token that uniquely identifies them on the platform.

Once authenticated users receive three tokens,

  • Access Token: Used to inform the backend about the users' access level
  • Refresh Token: Used to obtain a new ID and access tokens
  • Identity Token: Used to identify the user

Important

The access and identity tokens expires after 1 hour. Refresh tokens expire after 27 days.

Each API call must contain a valid identity token that informs the backend of who is requesting access. Tokens, therefore, standing for users against the API. If a token is lost or compromised logout from the platform and obtain fresh tokens. It is important to store tokens securely and not transfer tokens across insecure channels.

Login via Python#

The fastest way for developers to obtain a valid token is using the command line tool,

gdh login --print-all-tokens

If you are already logged in use the --use-refresh-token option to obtain new tokens.

The login command automatically stores the token in the users home folder. On Linux/Mac /home/<USERNAME>/.gdh/authentication or on Windows c:\Users\<CurrentUserName>\.gdh\authentication. The authentication file is JSON encoded and contains a single key.

Using the web-based login#

Users can login or register via the browser using geodatahub.dk/login using the default Authorization Code flow. After logging in the user is given a one-time code they may exchange for a valid access token. Submit the code to obtain the tokens,

POST https://auth-dev.geodatahub.dk/oauth/token

HEADERS
  "Content-type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"

BODY
  grant_type: 'authorization_code'
  client_id: '7aetu7cj45ah6m494hutdldbd1'
  code: <THE ONE-TIME CODE>
  redirection_uri: 'https://www.geodatahub.dk/validate-code.html'

import requests

payload = {
    'grant_type':'authorization_code',
    'client_id':'7aetu7cj45ah6m494hutdldbd1',
    'code':code,
    'redirect_uri': 'https://www.geodatahub.dk/validate-code.html'
}
headers = {'Content-type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}

auth_url = "https://auth-dev.geodatahub.dk/oauth/token"
resp = requests.post(auth_url, data=payload, headers=headers)
print(resp.json())

A successful authorization returns the response,

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json

{ 
 "access_token":"eyJz9sdfsdfsdfsd", 
 "refresh_token":"dn43ud8uj32nk2je", 
 "id_token":"dmcxd329ujdmkemkd349r",
 "token_type":"Bearer", 
 "expires_in":3600
}

Sending authorized requests#

Authenticate against the API by including the access token in the Authorization header parameter.

GET https://api-dev.geodatahub.dk/datasets

HEADERS
  "Authorization": "NgCXRK...MzYjw"

curl -X GET -H 'Authorization: eyJ...r9A' https://api-dev.geodatahub.dk/datasets

import requests

url = "https://api-dev.geodatahub.dk/datasets"
headers = {"Authorization": "Basic ZjM4Zj...Y0MzE="}

resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
print(resp.json())

If successful the command will return a JSON encoded list of all public datasets.

Learn more about the Web API in the basic operations guide.

Reference#