go-oidc
A Go package that adds OpenID Connect client support to the standard OAuth2 library.
What is go-oidc?
go-oidc is a Go library that implements the OpenID Connect client protocol, enabling Go applications to authenticate users via identity providers like Google or Auth0. It extends the standard `golang.org/x/oauth2` package to handle OIDC-specific features such as ID token verification and provider discovery.
Go developers building web applications or services that require secure user authentication via third-party identity providers.
It provides a lightweight, standards-compliant way to add OIDC support to Go applications without implementing the protocol from scratch, leveraging the familiar OAuth2 package ecosystem.
Overview
A Go OpenID Connect client.
Use Cases
Best For
- Adding Google Sign-In to a Go web application
- Implementing authentication with Auth0 or Okta in Go services
- Verifying ID tokens from OIDC providers in API backends
- Building microservices that require centralized identity management
- Extending existing OAuth2 flows with OpenID Connect claims
- Developing internal tools that need enterprise SSO integration
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring a full-stack authentication solution with built-in user interfaces and session management
- Applications needing complex multi-factor authentication or authorization logic beyond standard OIDC
- Teams that prefer minimal external dependencies and avoid libraries built on other packages
- Scenarios where server-side OIDC provider implementation is needed, as this library is client-only
Pros & Cons
Pros
Built as an extension to the standard `golang.org/x/oauth2` package, allowing developers to leverage familiar OAuth2 flows with minimal code changes, as shown in the README's configuration example.
Automatically fetches OIDC provider endpoints from an issuer URL, simplifying setup by eliminating manual configuration, demonstrated in the `oidc.NewProvider` call.
Verifies ID tokens with signature validation using JWKS, ensuring secure authentication without implementing crypto logic, as seen in the `verifier.Verify` method.
Allows straightforward extraction of user claims from verified tokens, enabling quick access to data like email, illustrated by the `idToken.Claims` function in the README.
Cons
The v3 update introduced breaking changes, such as altered import paths and return types (e.g., `NewRemoteKeySet`), which can cause migration headaches, as admitted in the README.
Focuses solely on OIDC client basics; lacks built-in support for advanced features like automatic token refresh or comprehensive error handling, requiring manual implementation.
Relies on OIDC providers being available for discovery and verification, introducing points of failure in distributed systems if providers are down or unreachable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.