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2026-06-25 14:03:22 +02:00

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bc-version domain keywords technologies countries application-area
all
security
oauth2
api-key
authentication
httpclient
token-refresh
al
w1
all

Prefer OAuth2 over API keys for external HTTP calls

Contributions welcome — open a PR to refine or extend this article.

Description

External HTTP integrations from AL can authenticate using OAuth 2.0 (client-credentials for service-to-service, authorization-code for user-delegated), API keys, basic authentication, or credentials in URLs. The mechanisms differ substantially in the blast radius of a leaked secret and in how cleanly tokens can be rotated. OAuth-issued tokens expire on their own schedule and rotate cleanly; API keys and basic-auth passwords typically have to be rotated manually and usually live unencrypted in a configuration table. When the partner supports OAuth, the difference is a material security improvement, not a stylistic preference.

Best Practice

When the partner supports OAuth, use the platform OAuth2 codeunit (AcquireTokenWithClientCredentials for service-to-service, AcquireAuthorizationCodeTokenFromCache for user-delegated flows) rather than hand-rolled token acquisition. Carry tokens and client secrets as SecretText, persist them only in IsolatedStorage, and refresh tokens proactively — on a buffer before the documented expiry — so routine calls never block on a token refresh.

See sample: prefer-oauth2-over-api-keys-for-external-http-calls.good.al.

Anti Pattern

Accepting an API-key or basic-auth integration because it is the first option documented, even when the partner supports OAuth. The shared secret usually ends up in a setup-table Text field, rotation becomes a manual operation that rarely happens, and a single disclosure exposes every tenant using the extension.

See sample: prefer-oauth2-over-api-keys-for-external-http-calls.bad.al.