Merge branch 'docs/api-oauth-refactor' into 'master'

Refactor the API OAuth docs

See merge request gitlab-org/gitlab-ce!24295

[ci skip]

1 files changed, 125 insertions, 80 deletions

diff --git a/doc/api/oauth2.md b/doc/api/oauth2.md
index 8a1e6b52092..dfe62554852 100644
--- a/doc/api/oauth2.md
+++ b/doc/api/oauth2.md
@@ -1,126 +1,165 @@
 # GitLab as an OAuth2 provider
 
-This document covers using the [OAuth2](https://oauth.net/2/) protocol to allow other services access GitLab resources on user's behalf. 
+This document covers using the [OAuth2](https://oauth.net/2/) protocol to allow
+other services to access GitLab resources on user's behalf.
 
-If you want GitLab to be an OAuth authentication service provider to sign into other services please see the [OAuth2 provider](../integration/oauth_provider.md)
-documentation.
+If you want GitLab to be an OAuth authentication service provider to sign into
+other services, see the [OAuth2 provider](../integration/oauth_provider.md)
+documentation. This functionality is based on the
+[doorkeeper Ruby gem](https://github.com/doorkeeper-gem/doorkeeper).
 
-This functionality is based on [doorkeeper gem](https://github.com/doorkeeper-gem/doorkeeper). 
+## Supported OAuth2 flows
 
-## Supported OAuth2 Flows
+GitLab currently supports the following authorization flows:
 
-GitLab currently supports following authorization flows: 
+- **Web application flow:** Most secure and common type of flow, designed for
+  applications with secure server-side.
+- **Implicit grant flow:** This flow is designed for user-agent only apps (e.g., single
+  page web application running on GitLab Pages).
+- **Resource owner password credentials flow:** To be used **only** for securely
+  hosted, first-party services.
 
-* *Web Application Flow* - Most secure and common type of flow, designed for the applications with secure server-side.
-* *Implicit Flow* - This flow is designed for user-agent only apps (e.g. single page web application running on GitLab Pages).
-* *Resource Owner Password Credentials Flow* - To be used **only** for securely hosted, first-party services.
+Refer to the [OAuth RFC](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749) to find out
+how all those flows work and pick the right one for your use case.
 
-Please refer to [OAuth RFC](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749) to find out in details how all those flows work and pick the right one for your use case.
+Both **web application** and **implicit grant** flows require `application` to be
+registered first via the `/profile/applications` page in your user's account.
+During registration, by enabling proper scopes, you can limit the range of
+resources which the `application` can access. Upon creation, you'll obtain the
+`application` credentials: _Application ID_ and _Client Secret_ - **keep them secure**.
 
-Both *web application* and *implicit* flows require `application` to be registered first via `/profile/applications` page 
-in your user's account. During registration, by enabling proper scopes you can limit the range of resources which the `application` can access. Upon creation 
-you'll obtain `application` credentials: _Application ID_ and _Client Secret_ - **keep them secure**.
+CAUTION: **Important:**
+OAuth specification advises sending the `state` parameter with each request to
+`/oauth/authorize`. We highly recommended sending a unique value with each request
+and validate it against the one in the redirect request. This is important in
+order to prevent [CSRF attacks](https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Cross-Site_Request_Forgery_(CSRF)).
+The `state` parameter really should have been a requirement in the standard!
 
->**Important:** OAuth specification advises sending `state` parameter with each request to `/oauth/authorize`. We highly recommended to send a unique 
-value with each request and validate it against the one in redirect request. This is important to prevent [CSRF attacks]. The `state` param really should 
-have been a requirement in the standard!
+In the following sections you will find detailed instructions on how to obtain
+authorization with each flow.
 
-In the following sections you will find detailed instructions on how to obtain authorization with each flow. 
+### Web application flow
 
-### Web Application Flow 
+NOTE: **Note:**
+Check the [RFC spec](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.1) for a
+detailed flow description.
 
-Check [RFC spec](http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.1) for a detailed flow description
+The web application flow is:
 
-#### 1. Requesting authorization code
+1. Request authorization code. To do that, you should redirect the user to the
+   `/oauth/authorize` endpoint with the following GET parameters:
 
-To request the authorization code, you should redirect the user to the `/oauth/authorize` endpoint with following GET parameters:
+   ```
+   https://gitlab.example.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=APP_ID&redirect_uri=REDIRECT_URI&response_type=code&state=YOUR_UNIQUE_STATE_HASH
+   ```
 
-```
-https://gitlab.example.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=APP_ID&redirect_uri=REDIRECT_URI&response_type=code&state=YOUR_UNIQUE_STATE_HASH
-```
+   This will ask the user to approve the applications access to their account and
+   then redirect back to the `REDIRECT_URI` you provided. The redirect will
+   include the GET `code` parameter, for example:
 
-This will ask the user to approve the applications access to their account and then redirect back to the `REDIRECT_URI` you provided. The redirect will
-include the GET `code` parameter, for example:
+   ```
+   http://myapp.com/oauth/redirect?code=1234567890&state=YOUR_UNIQUE_STATE_HASH
+   ```
 
-`http://myapp.com/oauth/redirect?code=1234567890&state=YOUR_UNIQUE_STATE_HASH`
+   You should then use `code` to request an access token.
 
-You should then use the `code` to request an access token.
+1. Once you have the authorization code you can request an `access_token` using the
+   code. You can do that by using any HTTP client. In the following example,
+   we are using Ruby's `rest-client`:
 
-#### 2. Requesting access token
+   ```ruby
+   parameters = 'client_id=APP_ID&client_secret=APP_SECRET&code=RETURNED_CODE&grant_type=authorization_code&redirect_uri=REDIRECT_URI'
+   RestClient.post 'http://gitlab.example.com/oauth/token', parameters
+   ```
 
-Once you have the authorization code you can request an `access_token` using the code, to do that you can use any HTTP client. In the following example, 
-we are using Ruby's `rest-client`:
+   Example response:
 
-```
-parameters = 'client_id=APP_ID&client_secret=APP_SECRET&code=RETURNED_CODE&grant_type=authorization_code&redirect_uri=REDIRECT_URI'
-RestClient.post 'http://gitlab.example.com/oauth/token', parameters
+   ```json
+   {
+    "access_token": "de6780bc506a0446309bd9362820ba8aed28aa506c71eedbe1c5c4f9dd350e54",
+    "token_type": "bearer",
+    "expires_in": 7200,
+    "refresh_token": "8257e65c97202ed1726cf9571600918f3bffb2544b26e00a61df9897668c33a1"
+   }
+   ```
 
-# The response will be
-{
- "access_token": "de6780bc506a0446309bd9362820ba8aed28aa506c71eedbe1c5c4f9dd350e54",
- "token_type": "bearer",
- "expires_in": 7200,
- "refresh_token": "8257e65c97202ed1726cf9571600918f3bffb2544b26e00a61df9897668c33a1"
-}
-```
->**Note:**
-The `redirect_uri` must match the `redirect_uri` used in the original authorization request.
+NOTE: **Note:**
+The `redirect_uri` must match the `redirect_uri` used in the original
+authorization request.
 
 You can now make requests to the API with the access token returned.
 
+### Implicit grant flow
 
-### Implicit Grant
-
-Check [RFC spec](http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.2) for a detailed flow description.
-
-Unlike the web flow, the client receives an `access token` immediately as a result of the authorization request. The flow does not use client secret 
-or authorization code because all of the application code and storage is easily accessible, therefore __secrets__ can leak easily. 
+NOTE: **Note:**
+Check the [RFC spec](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.2) for a
+detailed flow description.
 
->**Important:** Avoid using this flow for applications that store data outside of the GitLab instance. If you do, make sure to verify `application id` 
-associated with access token before granting access to the data 
-(see [/oauth/token/info](https://github.com/doorkeeper-gem/doorkeeper/wiki/API-endpoint-descriptions-and-examples#get----oauthtokeninfo)). 
- 
+CAUTION: **Important:**
+Avoid using this flow for applications that store data outside of the GitLab
+instance. If you do, make sure to verify `application id` associated with the
+access token before granting access to the data
+(see [/oauth/token/info](https://github.com/doorkeeper-gem/doorkeeper/wiki/API-endpoint-descriptions-and-examples#get----oauthtokeninfo)).
 
-#### 1. Requesting access token
+Unlike the web flow, the client receives an `access token` immediately as a
+result of the authorization request. The flow does not use the client secret
+or the authorization code because all of the application code and storage is
+easily accessible, therefore secrets can leak easily.
 
-To request the access token, you should redirect the user to the `/oauth/authorize` endpoint using `token` response type:
+To request the access token, you should redirect the user to the
+`/oauth/authorize` endpoint using `token` response type:
 
 ```
 https://gitlab.example.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=APP_ID&redirect_uri=REDIRECT_URI&response_type=token&state=YOUR_UNIQUE_STATE_HASH
 ```
 
-This will ask the user to approve the applications access to their account and then redirect back to the `REDIRECT_URI` you provided. The redirect 
-will include a fragment with `access_token` as well as token details in GET parameters, for example:
+This will ask the user to approve the application's access to their account and
+then redirect them back to the `REDIRECT_URI` you provided. The redirect
+will include a fragment with `access_token` as well as token details in GET
+parameters, for example:
 
 ```
 http://myapp.com/oauth/redirect#access_token=ABCDExyz123&state=YOUR_UNIQUE_STATE_HASH&token_type=bearer&expires_in=3600
 ```
 
-### Resource Owner Password Credentials
+### Resource owner password credentials flow
 
-Check [RFC spec](http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.3) for a detailed flow description.
+NOTE: **Note:**
+Check the [RFC spec](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.3) for a
+detailed flow description.
 
-> **Deprecation notice:** Starting in GitLab 8.11, the Resource Owner Password Credentials has been *disabled* for users with two-factor authentication 
-turned on. These users can access the API using [personal access tokens] instead.
+NOTE: **Note:**
+The Resource Owner Password Credentials is disabled for users with [two-factor
+authentication](../user/profile/account/two_factor_authentication.md) turned on.
+These users can access the API using [personal access tokens](../user/profile/personal_access_tokens.md)
+instead.
 
-In this flow, a token is requested in exchange for the resource owner credentials (username and password).
-The credentials should only be used when there is a high degree of trust between the resource owner and the client (e.g. the
-client is part of the device operating system or a highly privileged application), and when other authorization grant types are not
-available (such as an authorization code).
+In this flow, a token is requested in exchange for the resource owner credentials
+(username and password).
 
->**Important:**
-Never store the users credentials and only use this grant type when your client is deployed to a trusted environment, in 99% of cases [personal access tokens] 
-are a better choice.
+The credentials should only be used when:
 
-Even though this grant type requires direct client access to the resource owner credentials, the resource owner credentials are used
-for a single request and are exchanged for an access token.  This grant type can eliminate the need for the client to store the
-resource owner credentials for future use, by exchanging the credentials with a long-lived access token or refresh token.
+- There is a high degree of trust between the resource owner and the client. For
+  example, the client is part of the device operating system or a highly
+  privileged application.
+- Other authorization grant types are not available (such as an authorization code).
 
-#### 1. Requesting access token
+CAUTION: **Important:**
+Never store the user's credentials and only use this grant type when your client
+is deployed to a trusted environment, in 99% of cases
+[personal access tokens](../user/profile/personal_access_tokens.md) are a better
+choice.
 
-POST request to `/oauth/token` with parameters:
+Even though this grant type requires direct client access to the resource owner
+credentials, the resource owner credentials are used for a single request and
+are exchanged for an access token. This grant type can eliminate the need for
+the client to store the resource owner credentials for future use, by exchanging
+the credentials with a long-lived access token or refresh token.
 
-```
+To request an access token, you must make a POST request to `/oauth/token` with
+the following parameters:
+
+```json
 {
   "grant_type"    : "password",
   "username"      : "user@example.com",
@@ -128,6 +167,13 @@ POST request to `/oauth/token` with parameters:
 }
 ```
 
+Example cURL request:
+
+```sh
+echo 'grant_type=password&username=<your_username>&password=<your_password>' > auth.txt
+curl --data "@auth.txt" --request POST https://gitlab.example.com/oauth/token
+```
+
 Then, you'll receive the access token back in the response:
 
 ```
@@ -138,7 +184,7 @@ Then, you'll receive the access token back in the response:
 }
 ```
 
-For testing you can use the oauth2 ruby gem:
+For testing, you can use the `oauth2` Ruby gem:
 
 ```
 client = OAuth2::Client.new('the_client_id', 'the_client_secret', :site => "http://example.com")
@@ -148,7 +194,9 @@ puts access_token.token
 
 ##  Access GitLab API with `access token`
 
-The `access token` allows you to make requests to the API on a behalf of a user. You can pass the token either as GET parameter 
+The `access token` allows you to make requests to the API on behalf of a user.
+You can pass the token either as GET parameter:
+
 ```
 GET https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/user?access_token=OAUTH-TOKEN
 ```
@@ -158,6 +206,3 @@ or you can put the token to the Authorization header:
 ```
 curl --header "Authorization: Bearer OAUTH-TOKEN" https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/user
 ```
-
-[personal access tokens]: ../user/profile/personal_access_tokens.md
-[CSRF attacks]: http://www.oauthsecurity.com/#user-content-authorization-code-flow
\ No newline at end of file