OAuth authentication

OAuth authentication redirects a user to log in to the remote application, after which tokens generated on their behalf are used to authorize requests made from the local application. The remote application handling the request uses the access permissions of the account with which the user logged in on that remote application.

Typical scenarios include:

• You are setting up an application link between two applications that do not share the same set of users.
• You want to continue using a link to an application that now allows public sign-on and the link was previously configured with a shared userbase. You can update your application link by changing OAuth (impersonation) to OAuth when editing the application link.

See OAuth security for application links for more information.

OAuth with impersonation

Atlassian OAuth with impersonation makes it easy for your users to benefit from the deep integrations between Atlassian applications:

• they're automatically authenticated on the other application and don't get asked to authorize requests.
• they'll only see the information that they have permission to see. 

Impersonating authentication makes requests on behalf of the user who is currently logged in.

Note that Atlassian OAuth with impersonation can only be used for application links between Atlassian applications. Furthermore, it should only be used when the two applications share the same userbase, typically managed with an external directory using LDAP.

A typical scenario is:

• You've set up an application link but your users still have to authenticate regularly. This can occur when the application link has been configured to not share the same userbase. If those applications do share the same userbase, you can update your application link by selecting OAuth (impersonation) when editing the application link.

See OAuth security for application links for more information.