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Connected Apps

A Connected App is the OAuth2 client configuration in Salesforce that enables external applications like sfp to authenticate and access Salesforce APIs. Understanding Connected Apps helps you control and secure how authentication works in your organization.

What is a Connected App?

A Connected App defines:

  • Client credentials (Client ID and Client Secret)

  • OAuth scopes (what the app can access)

  • Security policies (IP restrictions, session timeout)

  • Callback URLs (where to redirect after authentication)

When you run sf org login web, Salesforce asks you to authorize a Connected App to access your org.

The Default Connected App

sfp uses the Salesforce CLI's default Connected App, called "Salesforce CLI" (also known as PlatformCLI). This Connected App is:

  • Pre-configured in all Salesforce orgs

  • Managed by Salesforce

  • Has broad API access scopes

  • No setup required

Why sfp Uses the Default Connected App

Rather than requiring customers to create and maintain their own Connected Apps, sfp leverages the existing Salesforce CLI infrastructure:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Authentication Flow                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│   User                Salesforce CLI            Salesforce      │
│    │                       │                        │           │
│    │  sf org login web     │                        │           │
│    │──────────────────────>│                        │           │
│    │                       │   OAuth Request        │           │
│    │                       │   (PlatformCLI)        │           │
│    │                       │───────────────────────>│           │
│    │                       │                        │           │
│    │        Browser opens for authorization         │           │
│    │<───────────────────────────────────────────────│           │
│    │                       │                        │           │
│    │        User authorizes                         │           │
│    │───────────────────────────────────────────────>│           │
│    │                       │                        │           │
│    │                       │   Tokens returned      │           │
│    │                       │<───────────────────────│           │
│    │                       │                        │           │
│    │   Auth URL stored     │                        │           │
│    │<──────────────────────│                        │           │
│                                                                 │
│   sfp then uses these credentials via @salesforce/core          │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Benefits of Using the Default App

  • Zero configuration: Works out of the box

  • Automatic updates: Salesforce maintains security patches

  • Proven reliability: Used by millions of developers

  • Consistent behavior: Same experience across all orgs

When to Use a Custom Connected App

While the default Connected App works for most scenarios, you may want a custom Connected App for:

Scenario
Reason

IP Restrictions

Limit authentication to specific IP ranges

Custom Session Policies

Shorter session timeouts for security

Audit Requirements

Track usage separately from CLI activity

JWT Bearer Flow

Headless CI/CD without user interaction

Limited Scopes

Restrict API access to specific operations

Creating a Custom Connected App

Step 1: Create the Connected App

  1. Navigate to Setup > App Manager

  2. Click New Connected App

  3. Configure basic settings:

    • Connected App Name: sfp-automation

    • API Name: sfp_automation

    • Contact Email: Your email

Step 2: Configure OAuth Settings

Enable OAuth and configure:

✓ Enable OAuth Settings

Callback URL:
  http://localhost:1717/OauthRedirect

Selected OAuth Scopes:
  - Access the identity URL service (id, profile, email, address, phone)
  - Manage user data via APIs (api)
  - Perform requests at any time (refresh_token, offline_access)
  - Access unique user identifiers (openid)

The refresh_token scope is essential for generating SFDX Auth URLs that work in automation.

Step 3: Configure Security Policies (Optional)

Under OAuth Policies:

  • Permitted Users: Admin approved users are pre-authorized

  • IP Relaxation: Enforce IP restrictions

  • Refresh Token Policy: Configure token expiration

Step 4: Retrieve Client Credentials

After saving, click Manage Consumer Details to view:

  • Consumer Key (Client ID)

  • Consumer Secret

Using a Custom Connected App

Web-based Flow

# Set environment variables
export SFDX_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id
export SFDX_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret

# Authenticate
sf org login web --client-id $SFDX_CLIENT_ID

JWT Bearer Flow (CI/CD)

The JWT Bearer Flow is ideal for CI/CD as it doesn't require user interaction:

  1. Generate a certificate:

    openssl genrsa -out server.key 2048
openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -key server.key -out server.crt -days 365

  2. Upload certificate to Connected App:

    • Edit the Connected App

    • Check Use digital signatures

    • Upload server.crt

  3. Pre-authorize the user:

    • Go to Setup > Manage Connected Apps

    • Find your app and click Manage

    • Click Edit Policies

    • Set Permitted Users to "Admin approved users are pre-authorized"

    • Add profiles/permission sets

  4. Authenticate with JWT:

    sf org login jwt \
  --client-id $SFDX_CLIENT_ID \
  --jwt-key-file ./server.key \
  --username [email protected] \
  --alias myOrg

SFDX Auth URL with Custom App

When using a custom Connected App, the SFDX Auth URL includes your client credentials:

force://YOUR_CLIENT_ID:YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET:[email protected]

Connected App in SFDX Auth URLs

The SFDX Auth URL format reveals which Connected App was used:

force://<clientId>:<clientSecret>:<refreshToken>@<instanceUrl>
         ─────────
            │
            └─── "PlatformCLI" = Default Salesforce CLI app
                 Custom ID = Your Connected App

Examples

Default Connected App:

force://PlatformCLI::[email protected]

Custom Connected App:

force://3MVG9d8...:7EF234...:[email protected]

Security Best Practices

For the Default Connected App

  • Rely on user-level security (profiles, permission sets)

  • Use Salesforce's session management to revoke access if needed

  • Monitor login history in Setup

For Custom Connected Apps

  • Rotate secrets periodically: Regenerate the Consumer Secret

  • Use IP restrictions: Limit to known CI/CD IP ranges

  • Minimize scopes: Only request necessary permissions

  • Set session policies: Appropriate timeout values

  • Monitor usage: Review Connected App Usage reports

JWT Flow Security

  • Protect the private key: Store in secure secret management

  • Use short-lived certificates: Rotate annually

  • Pre-authorize specific users: Don't use "All users may self-authorize"

Troubleshooting

"Connected App not found"

  • Ensure the Connected App is created in the correct org

  • For sandbox authentication, the Connected App must exist in production (for JWT flow)

"Invalid client credentials"

  • Verify the Client ID and Secret

  • Check if the Consumer Secret was regenerated

"Refresh token expired"

  • Check the Refresh Token Policy on the Connected App

  • Re-authenticate to get a new refresh token

"IP blocked"

  • Verify your IP is in the allowed ranges

  • Check Trusted IP Ranges on the Connected App

Related Topics

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