How to Set Up Authentication with PocketBase
To set up authentication with PocketBase, use its built-in auth modules to handle user sign-up, login, and session management. PocketBase provides ready-to-use authentication flows that support email/password, OAuth providers, and magic links out of the box.
Why Use PocketBase for This?
As a backend-as-a-service platform, PocketBase reduces the boilerplate needed to set up authentication by providing managed infrastructure and pre-built modules. Developers choose PocketBase for this task because it reduces setup time and provides reliable, well-documented APIs.
Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Authentication with PocketBase
Install the PocketBase SDK
Add the PocketBase client library to your project using your package manager. Import and initialize it with your project credentials from the PocketBase dashboard.
Configure auth providers
In your PocketBase project settings, enable the authentication providers you need — email/password, Google OAuth, GitHub, or others. Each provider requires its own API keys.
Build the sign-up and login forms
Create your auth UI components and wire them to PocketBase's auth methods. Handle success and error states, and redirect users appropriately after authentication.
Protect your routes
Add auth guards to your protected pages. Check the user's session on each request and redirect unauthenticated users to the login page.
Test the full auth flow
Verify sign-up, login, logout, and password reset flows work end-to-end. Test edge cases like expired sessions and invalid credentials.
Common Pitfalls When Setting Up with PocketBase
Not validating sessions server-side — relying only on client-side auth checks leaves your app vulnerable to unauthorized access.
Forgetting to handle token refresh — expired tokens cause silent failures that log users out unexpectedly.
Skipping email verification — without it, users can sign up with any email, making account recovery and communication unreliable.
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