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Build a custom flow for authenticating with enterprise connections

Warning

This guide is for users who want to build a . To use a prebuilt UI, use the Account Portal pages or prebuilt components.

Important

This guide applies to the following Clerk SDKs:

  • @clerk/react v6 or higher
  • @clerk/nextjs v7 or higher
  • @clerk/expo v3 or higher
  • @clerk/react-router v3 or higher
  • @clerk/tanstack-react-start v0.26.0 or higher

If you're using an older version of one of these SDKs, or are using the legacy API, refer to the legacy API documentation.

Before you start

You must configure your application instance through the Clerk Dashboard for the enterprise connection(s) that you want to use. Visit the appropriate guide for your platform to learn how to configure your instance.

Build the custom flow

Tip

Examples for this SDK aren't available yet. For now, try adapting the available example to fit your SDK.

The following example will both sign up and sign in users, eliminating the need for a separate sign-up page. However, if you want to have separate sign-up and sign-in pages, the sign-up and sign-in flows are equivalent, meaning that all you have to do is swap out the SignIn object for the SignUp object using the useSignUp() hook.

The following example:

  1. Accesses the SignIn object using the useSignIn() hook.
  2. Starts the authentication process by calling SignIn.sso(params). This method requires the following params:
    • redirectUrl: The URL that the browser will be redirected to once the user authenticates with the identity provider if no additional requirements are needed, and a session has been created.
    • redirectCallbackUrl: The URL that the browser will be redirected to once the user authenticates with the identity provider if additional requirements are needed.
  3. Creates a route at the URL that the redirectCallbackUrl param points to. The following example re-uses the /sign-in route, which should be written to handle when a sign-in attempt is in a non-complete status such as needs_second_factor.
app/sign-in/page.tsx
'use client'

import * as React from 'react'
import { useSignIn } from '@clerk/nextjs'

export default function Page() {
  const { signIn, errors, fetchStatus } = useSignIn()

  const signInWithEnterpriseSSO = async (formData: FormData) => {
    const email = formData.get('email') as string

    const { error } = await signIn.sso({
      identifier: email,
      strategy: 'enterprise_sso',
      // The URL that the user will be redirected to if additional requirements are needed
      redirectCallbackUrl: '/sign-in',
      redirectUrl: '/sign-in/tasks', // Learn more about session tasks at https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/overview#session-tasks
    })
    if (error) {
      // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/error-handling
      // for more info on error handling
      console.error(JSON.stringify(error, null, 2))
      return
    }

    if (signIn.status === 'needs_second_factor') {
      // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/authentication/multi-factor-authentication
    } else if (signIn.status === 'needs_client_trust') {
      // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/authentication/client-trust
    } else {
      // Check why the sign-in is not complete
      console.error('Sign-in attempt not complete:', signIn)
    }
  }

  return (
    <>
      <form action={signInWithEnterpriseSSO}>
        <input id="email" type="email" name="email" placeholder="Enter email address" />
        <button type="submit" disabled={fetchStatus === 'fetching'}>
          Sign in with Enterprise SSO
        </button>
      </form>
      {/* For your debugging purposes. You can just console.log errors, but we put them in the UI for convenience */}
      {errors && <p>{JSON.stringify(errors, null, 2)}</p>}
    </>
  )
}

The following example will both sign up and sign in users, eliminating the need for a separate sign-up page.

The following example:

  1. Uses the useSSO()Expo Icon hook to access the startSSOFlow() method.
  2. Calls the startSSOFlow() method with the strategy param set to enterprise_sso and the identifier param set to the user's email address that they provided. The optional redirect_url param is also set in order to redirect the user once they finish the authentication flow.
    • If authentication is successful, the setActive() method is called to set the active session with the new createdSessionId. You may need to check for that are required for the user to complete after signing up.
    • If authentication is not successful, you can handle the missing requirements, such as MFA, using the signIn or signUp object returned from startSSOFlow(), depending on if the user is signing in or signing up. These objects include properties, like status, that can be used to determine the next steps. See the respective linked references for more information.
app/(auth)/sign-in.tsx
import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
import * as WebBrowser from 'expo-web-browser'
import * as AuthSession from 'expo-auth-session'
import { useSSO } from '@clerk/expo'
import { View, Button, TextInput, Platform } from 'react-native'

export const useWarmUpBrowser = () => {
  useEffect(() => {
    // Preloads the browser for Android devices to reduce authentication load time
    // See: https://docs.expo.dev/guides/authentication/#improving-user-experience
    if (Platform.OS !== 'android') return
    void WebBrowser.warmUpAsync()
    return () => {
      // Cleanup: closes browser when component unmounts
      void WebBrowser.coolDownAsync()
    }
  }, [])
}

// Handle any pending authentication sessions
WebBrowser.maybeCompleteAuthSession()

export default function Page() {
  useWarmUpBrowser()

  const [email, setEmail] = useState('')

  // Use the `useSSO()` hook to access the `startSSOFlow()` method
  const { startSSOFlow } = useSSO()

  const onPress = async () => {
    try {
      // Start the authentication process by calling `startSSOFlow()`
      const { createdSessionId, setActive, signIn, signUp } = await startSSOFlow({
        strategy: 'enterprise_sso',
        identifier: email,
        // For web, defaults to current path
        // For native, you must pass a scheme, like AuthSession.makeRedirectUri({ scheme, path })
        // For more info, see https://docs.expo.dev/versions/latest/sdk/auth-session/#authsessionmakeredirecturioptions
        redirectUrl: AuthSession.makeRedirectUri(),
      })

      // If sign in was successful, set the active session
      if (createdSessionId) {
        setActive!({
          session: createdSessionId,
          navigate: async ({ session, decorateUrl }) => {
            if (session?.currentTask) {
              //  Handle pending session tasks
              // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/authentication/session-tasks
              console.log(session?.currentTask)
              return
            }

            const url = decorateUrl('/')
            if (url.startsWith('http')) {
              window.location.href = url
            } else {
              router.push(url)
            }
          },
        })
      } else {
        // If there is no `createdSessionId`,
        // there are missing requirements, such as MFA
        // Use the `signIn` or `signUp` returned from `startSSOFlow`
        // to handle next steps
      }
    } catch (err) {
      // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/error-handling
      // for more info on error handling
      console.error(JSON.stringify(err, null, 2))
    }
  }

  return (
    <View>
      <TextInput
        value={email}
        onChangeText={setEmail}
        placeholder="Enter email"
        placeholderTextColor="#666666"
      />
      <Button title="Sign in with SAML" onPress={onPress} />
    </View>
  )
}
EnterpriseSSOView.swift
import SwiftUI
import ClerkKit

struct EnterpriseSSOView: View {
@Environment(Clerk.self) private var clerk
@State private var email = ""

var body: some View {
  TextField("Enter email", text: $email)
  Button("Sign in with Enterprise SSO") {
    Task { await signInWithEnterpriseSSO(email: email) }
  }
}
}

extension EnterpriseSSOView {

func signInWithEnterpriseSSO(email: String) async {
  do {
    let result = try await clerk.auth.signInWithEnterpriseSSO(emailAddress: email)

    // Enterprise SSO can complete as either a sign-in or sign-up
    // Clerk returns a TransferFlowResult to cover both cases
    switch result {
    case .signIn(let signIn):
      switch signIn.status {
      case .complete:
        dump(clerk.session)
      default:
        dump(signIn.status)
      }
    case .signUp(let signUp):
      switch signUp.status {
      case .complete:
        dump(clerk.session)
      default:
        dump(signUp.status)
      }
    }
  } catch {
    // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/error-handling
    // for more info on error handling
    dump(error)
  }
}
}
EnterpriseSSOView.kt
import android.util.Log
import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModel
import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
import com.clerk.api.Clerk
import com.clerk.api.network.serialization.errorMessage
import com.clerk.api.network.serialization.onFailure
import com.clerk.api.network.serialization.onSuccess
import com.clerk.api.signin.SignIn
import com.clerk.api.signup.SignUp
import com.clerk.api.sso.ResultType
import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.asStateFlow
import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.combine
import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.launchIn
import kotlinx.coroutines.launch

class EnterpriseSSOViewModel : ViewModel() {
private val _uiState = MutableStateFlow<UiState>(UiState.Loading)
val uiState = _uiState.asStateFlow()

init {
    combine(Clerk.isInitialized, Clerk.userFlow) { isInitialized, user ->
        _uiState.value = when {
            !isInitialized -> UiState.Loading
            user != null -> UiState.Authenticated
            else -> UiState.SignedOut
        }
    }.launchIn(viewModelScope)
}

fun signInWithEnterpriseSSO(email: String) {
    viewModelScope.launch {
        Clerk.auth.signInWithEnterpriseSso { this.email = email }.onSuccess {
            // Enterprise SSO can complete as either a sign-in or sign-up.
            when (it.resultType) {
                ResultType.SIGN_IN -> {
                    if (it.signIn?.status == SignIn.Status.COMPLETE) {
                        _uiState.value = UiState.Authenticated
                    } else {
                        // If the status is not complete, check why. User may need to
                        // complete further steps.
                    }
                }
                ResultType.SIGN_UP -> {
                    if (it.signUp?.status == SignUp.Status.COMPLETE) {
                        _uiState.value = UiState.Authenticated
                    } else {
                        // If the status is not complete, check why. User may need to
                        // complete further steps.
                    }
                }
            }
        }.onFailure {
            // See https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/custom-flows/error-handling
            // for more info on error handling
            Log.e("EnterpriseSSO", it.errorMessage, it.throwable)
        }
    }
}

sealed interface UiState {
    data object Loading : UiState

    data object SignedOut : UiState

    data object Authenticated : UiState
}
}
EnterpriseSSOActivity.kt
import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
import androidx.activity.viewModels
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Arrangement
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
import androidx.compose.material3.Button
import androidx.compose.material3.CircularProgressIndicator
import androidx.compose.material3.Text
import androidx.compose.material3.TextField
import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
import androidx.lifecycle.compose.collectAsStateWithLifecycle

class EnterpriseSSOActivity : ComponentActivity() {
private val viewModel: EnterpriseSSOViewModel by viewModels()

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    setContent {
        val state by viewModel.uiState.collectAsStateWithLifecycle()
        var email by remember { mutableStateOf("") }

        Column(
            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(24.dp),
            verticalArrangement = Arrangement.Center,
            horizontalAlignment = Alignment.CenterHorizontally
        ) {
            when (state) {
                EnterpriseSSOViewModel.UiState.Authenticated -> Text("Authenticated")
                EnterpriseSSOViewModel.UiState.Loading -> CircularProgressIndicator()
                EnterpriseSSOViewModel.UiState.SignedOut -> {
                    TextField(
                        value = email,
                        onValueChange = { email = it },
                        label = { Text("Work email") }
                    )
                    Button(
                        modifier = Modifier.padding(top = 12.dp),
                        enabled = email.isNotBlank(),
                        onClick = { viewModel.signInWithEnterpriseSSO(email) }
                    ) {
                        Text("Sign in with Enterprise SSO")
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
}

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