Authenticate Using GitHub on Android

You can let your users authenticate with Firebase using their GitHub accounts by integrating web-based generic OAuth Login into your app using the Firebase SDK to carry out the end to end sign-in flow.

Before you begin

To sign in users using GitHub accounts, you must first enable GitHub as a sign-in provider for your Firebase project:

  1. If you haven't already, add Firebase to your Android project.

  2. In the Firebase console, open the Auth section.
  3. On the Sign in method tab, enable the GitHub provider.
  4. Add the Client ID and Client Secret from that provider's developer console to the provider configuration:
    1. Register your app as a developer application on GitHub and get your app's OAuth 2.0 Client ID and Client Secret.
    2. Make sure your Firebase OAuth redirect URI (e.g. my-app-12345.firebaseapp.com/__/auth/handler) is set as your Authorization callback URL in your app's settings page on your GitHub app's config.
  5. Click Save.

  6. In your module (app-level) Gradle file (usually <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle.kts or <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle), add the dependency for the Firebase Authentication library for Android. We recommend using the Firebase Android BoM to control library versioning. 

    dependencies {
    // Import the BoM for the Firebase platform
    implementation(platform("com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:33.6.0"))

    // Add the dependency for the Firebase Authentication library
    // When using the BoM, you don't specify versions in Firebase library dependencies
    implementation("com.google.firebase:firebase-auth")
}

    By using the Firebase Android BoM, your app will always use compatible versions of Firebase Android libraries.

    (Alternative)  Add Firebase library dependencies without using the BoM

    If you choose not to use the Firebase BoM, you must specify each Firebase library version in its dependency line.

    Note that if you use multiple Firebase libraries in your app, we strongly recommend using the BoM to manage library versions, which ensures that all versions are compatible. 

    dependencies {
    // Add the dependency for the Firebase Authentication library
    // When NOT using the BoM, you must specify versions in Firebase library dependencies
    implementation("com.google.firebase:firebase-auth:23.1.0")
}
    Looking for a Kotlin-specific library module? Starting in October 2023 (Firebase BoM 32.5.0), both Kotlin and Java developers can depend on the main library module (for details, see the FAQ about this initiative).

  7. If you haven't yet specified your app's SHA-1 fingerprint, do so from the Settings page of the Firebase console. Refer to Authenticating Your Client for details on how to get your app's SHA-1 fingerprint.

Handle the sign-in flow with the Firebase SDK

If you are building an Android app, the easiest way to authenticate your users with Firebase using their GitHub accounts is to handle the entire sign-in flow with the Firebase Android SDK.

To handle the sign-in flow with the Firebase Android SDK, follow these steps:

  1. Construct an instance of an OAuthProvider using its Builder with the provider ID github.com

    Kotlin+KTX 

    val provider = OAuthProvider.newBuilder("github.com")
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    OAuthProvider.Builder provider = OAuthProvider.newBuilder("github.com");
    GenericIdpActivity.java

  2. Optional: Specify additional custom OAuth parameters that you want to send with the OAuth request.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    // Target specific email with login hint.
provider.addCustomParameter("login", "your-email@gmail.com")
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    // Target specific email with login hint.
provider.addCustomParameter("login", "your-email@gmail.com");
    GenericIdpActivity.java

    For the parameters GitHub supports, see the GitHub OAuth documentation. Note that you can't pass Firebase-required parameters with setCustomParameters(). These parameters are client_id, response_type, redirect_uri, state, scope and response_mode.

  3. Optional: Specify additional OAuth 2.0 scopes beyond basic profile that you want to request from the authentication provider. If your application requires access to private user data from GitHub APIs, you'll need to request permissions to access GitHub APIs under API Permissions in the GitHub developer console. Requested OAuth scopes must be exact matches to the preconfigured ones in the app's API permissions.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    // Request read access to a user's email addresses.
// This must be preconfigured in the app's API permissions.
provider.scopes = listOf("user:email")
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    // Request read access to a user's email addresses.
// This must be preconfigured in the app's API permissions.
List<String> scopes =
        new ArrayList<String>() {
            {
                add("user:email");
            }
        };
provider.setScopes(scopes);
    GenericIdpActivity.java

  4. Authenticate with Firebase using the OAuth provider object. Note that unlike other FirebaseAuth operations, this will take control of your UI by popping up a Custom Chrome Tab. As a result, do not reference your Activity in the OnSuccessListener and OnFailureListener that you attach as they will immediately detach when the operation starts the UI.

    You should first check if you've already received a response. Signing in via this method puts your Activity in the background, which means that it can be reclaimed by the system during the sign in flow. In order to make sure that you don't make the user try again if this happens, you should check if a result is already present.

    To check if there is a pending result, call getPendingAuthResult:

    Kotlin+KTX 

    val pendingResultTask = firebaseAuth.pendingAuthResult
if (pendingResultTask != null) {
    // There's something already here! Finish the sign-in for your user.
    pendingResultTask
        .addOnSuccessListener {
            // User is signed in.
            // IdP data available in
            // authResult.getAdditionalUserInfo().getProfile().
            // The OAuth access token can also be retrieved:
            // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getAccessToken().
            // The OAuth secret can be retrieved by calling:
            // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getSecret().
        }
        .addOnFailureListener {
            // Handle failure.
        }
} else {
    // There's no pending result so you need to start the sign-in flow.
    // See below.
}
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    Task<AuthResult> pendingResultTask = firebaseAuth.getPendingAuthResult();
if (pendingResultTask != null) {
    // There's something already here! Finish the sign-in for your user.
    pendingResultTask
            .addOnSuccessListener(
                    new OnSuccessListener<AuthResult>() {
                        @Override
                        public void onSuccess(AuthResult authResult) {
                            // User is signed in.
                            // IdP data available in
                            // authResult.getAdditionalUserInfo().getProfile().
                            // The OAuth access token can also be retrieved:
                            // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getAccessToken().
                            // The OAuth secret can be retrieved by calling:
                            // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getSecret().
                        }
                    })
            .addOnFailureListener(
                    new OnFailureListener() {
                        @Override
                        public void onFailure(@NonNull Exception e) {
                            // Handle failure.
                        }
                    });
} else {
    // There's no pending result so you need to start the sign-in flow.
    // See below.
}
    GenericIdpActivity.java

    To start the sign in flow, call startActivityForSignInWithProvider:

    Kotlin+KTX 

    firebaseAuth
    .startActivityForSignInWithProvider(activity, provider.build())
    .addOnSuccessListener {
        // User is signed in.
        // IdP data available in
        // authResult.getAdditionalUserInfo().getProfile().
        // The OAuth access token can also be retrieved:
        // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getAccessToken().
        // The OAuth secret can be retrieved by calling:
        // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getSecret().
    }
    .addOnFailureListener {
        // Handle failure.
    }
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    firebaseAuth
        .startActivityForSignInWithProvider(/* activity= */ this, provider.build())
        .addOnSuccessListener(
                new OnSuccessListener<AuthResult>() {
                    @Override
                    public void onSuccess(AuthResult authResult) {
                        // User is signed in.
                        // IdP data available in
                        // authResult.getAdditionalUserInfo().getProfile().
                        // The OAuth access token can also be retrieved:
                        // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getAccessToken().
                        // The OAuth secret can be retrieved by calling:
                        // ((OAuthCredential)authResult.getCredential()).getSecret().
                    }
                })
        .addOnFailureListener(
                new OnFailureListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onFailure(@NonNull Exception e) {
                        // Handle failure.
                    }
                });
    GenericIdpActivity.java

    On successful completion, the OAuth access token associated with the provider can be retrieved from the OAuthCredential object returned.

    Using the OAuth access token, you can call the GitHub API.

    For example, to get basic profile information, you can call the REST API, passing the access token in the Authorization header:

  5. While the above examples focus on sign-in flows, you also have the ability to link a GitHub provider to an existing user using startActivityForLinkWithProvider. For example, you can link multiple providers to the same user allowing them to sign in with either.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    // The user is already signed-in.
val firebaseUser = firebaseAuth.currentUser!!
firebaseUser
    .startActivityForLinkWithProvider(activity, provider.build())
    .addOnSuccessListener {
        // Provider credential is linked to the current user.
        // IdP data available in
        // authResult.getAdditionalUserInfo().getProfile().
        // The OAuth access token can also be retrieved:
        // authResult.getCredential().getAccessToken().
        // The OAuth secret can be retrieved by calling:
        // authResult.getCredential().getSecret().
    }
    .addOnFailureListener {
        // Handle failure.
    }
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    // The user is already signed-in.
FirebaseUser firebaseUser = firebaseAuth.getCurrentUser();

firebaseUser
        .startActivityForLinkWithProvider(/* activity= */ this, provider.build())
        .addOnSuccessListener(
                new OnSuccessListener<AuthResult>() {
                    @Override
                    public void onSuccess(AuthResult authResult) {
                        // Provider credential is linked to the current user.
                        // IdP data available in
                        // authResult.getAdditionalUserInfo().getProfile().
                        // The OAuth access token can also be retrieved:
                        // authResult.getCredential().getAccessToken().
                        // The OAuth secret can be retrieved by calling:
                        // authResult.getCredential().getSecret().
                    }
                })
        .addOnFailureListener(
                new OnFailureListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onFailure(@NonNull Exception e) {
                        // Handle failure.
                    }
                });
    GenericIdpActivity.java

  6. The same pattern can be used with startActivityForReauthenticateWithProvider which can be used to retrieve fresh credentials for sensitive operations that require recent login.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    // The user is already signed-in.
val firebaseUser = firebaseAuth.currentUser!!
firebaseUser
    .startActivityForReauthenticateWithProvider(activity, provider.build())
    .addOnSuccessListener {
        // User is re-authenticated with fresh tokens and
        // should be able to perform sensitive operations
        // like account deletion and email or password
        // update.
    }
    .addOnFailureListener {
        // Handle failure.
    }
    GenericIdpActivity.kt

    Java 

    // The user is already signed-in.
FirebaseUser firebaseUser = firebaseAuth.getCurrentUser();

firebaseUser
        .startActivityForReauthenticateWithProvider(/* activity= */ this, provider.build())
        .addOnSuccessListener(
                new OnSuccessListener<AuthResult>() {
                    @Override
                    public void onSuccess(AuthResult authResult) {
                        // User is re-authenticated with fresh tokens and
                        // should be able to perform sensitive operations
                        // like account deletion and email or password
                        // update.
                    }
                })
        .addOnFailureListener(
                new OnFailureListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onFailure(@NonNull Exception e) {
                        // Handle failure.
                    }
                });
    GenericIdpActivity.java

Next steps

After a user signs in for the first time, a new user account is created and linked to the credentials—that is, the user name and password, phone number, or auth provider information—the user signed in with. This new account is stored as part of your Firebase project, and can be used to identify a user across every app in your project, regardless of how the user signs in.

  • In your apps, you can get the user's basic profile information from the FirebaseUser object. See Manage Users.

  • In your Firebase Realtime Database and Cloud Storage Security Rules, you can get the signed-in user's unique user ID from the auth variable, and use it to control what data a user can access.

You can allow users to sign in to your app using multiple authentication providers by linking auth provider credentials to an existing user account.

To sign out a user, call signOut:

Kotlin+KTX

Firebase.auth.signOut()
MainActivity.kt

Java

FirebaseAuth.getInstance().signOut();
MainActivity.java