Dropbox OAuth2
Authorization Code Exchange for web and mobile — Dropbox Developer Console setup, API reference, and frontend examples.
Overview
Dropbox login is optional and controlled by DROPBOX_AUTH_ENABLED. When disabled, Dropbox endpoints return 503 Service Unavailable. JWTs are never placed in the redirect URL; the API issues a one-time exchangeCode (Redis, 60 seconds). The same POST /auth/exchange endpoint is shared with other social providers.
- • Feature-flagged via environment
- • Custom passport-oauth2 strategy + DropboxAuthGuard
- • Profile fetched via POST https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/users/get_current_account after token exchange
- • Scope account_info.read for profile and email
- • Redirect allowlist prevents open redirects
- • Same token response shape as POST /auth/login
Dropbox App Console
Create an app at https://www.dropbox.com/developers/apps. Set OAuth 2 redirect URI to match DROPBOX_CALLBACK_URL. Scope: account_info.read.
- Open Dropbox App Console → Create app
- Choose scoped access and the needed permission type
- Add OAuth 2 redirect URI (e.g. http://localhost:3000/api/v1/auth/dropbox/callback)
- Copy App key / App secret into DROPBOX_CLIENT_ID / DROPBOX_CLIENT_SECRET
- Enable account_info.read under Permissions
- Enable DROPBOX_AUTH_ENABLED=true in .env
Environment variables
Loaded from .env via src/config/dropbox-oauth.config.ts (namespace dropboxOAuth on ConfigService). See .env.example.
DROPBOX_AUTH_ENABLED=true DROPBOX_CLIENT_ID=your-dropbox-app-key DROPBOX_CLIENT_SECRET=your-dropbox-app-secret DROPBOX_CALLBACK_URL=http://localhost:3000/api/v1/auth/dropbox/callback DROPBOX_REDIRECT_ALLOWLIST=myapp://success,http://localhost:5173/auth/callback DROPBOX_OAUTH_DEFAULT_ROLES=
Default roles for new Dropbox users
New Dropbox users receive roles: [] by default (same as password register). Set DROPBOX_OAUTH_DEFAULT_ROLES in .env to a comma-separated list of Role values (e.g. user or user,manager). Existing users linked by email keep their current roles.
Sequence
- Client opens GET /api/v1/auth/dropbox?redirect=<allowlisted URL>
- User consents on Dropbox; browser hits GET /api/v1/auth/dropbox/callback
- API calls https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/users/get_current_account, upserts user, stores exchangeCode in Redis, redirects to redirect?code=...
- Client POSTs { code } to /api/v1/auth/exchange and receives JWTs
API reference
1. Start OAuth
Opens Dropbox consent at https://www.dropbox.com/oauth2/authorize. Query redirect must match a prefix in DROPBOX_REDIRECT_ALLOWLIST (or omit to use the first allowlist entry). Scope: account_info.read.
GET /api/v1/auth/dropbox?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%3A5173%2Fauth%2Fcallback
400 invalid redirect · 503 feature disabled
2. Callback
Handled by the API. Token exchange uses https://api.dropboxapi.com/oauth2/token. Redirects to your app with ?code= (or &code= if the URL already has a query).
GET /api/v1/auth/dropbox/callback?code=DROPBOX_AUTH_CODE&state=... → 302 Location: http://localhost:5173/auth/callback?code=EXCHANGE_CODE
3. Exchange code
Public endpoint shared with other social providers. Consumes the code (single use) and returns the same shape as login.
POST /api/v1/auth/exchange
Content-Type: application/json
{
"code": "EXCHANGE_CODE"
}{
"user": {
"id": "...",
"email": "[email protected]",
"firstName": "Jane",
"lastName": "Doe",
"roles": [],
"dropboxId": "dbid:AAH4f99T0taONIb-OurWxbNQ6ywGRopQngc",
"isActive": true
},
"accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs...",
"refreshToken": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs..."
}401 invalid/expired/used code · 503 social auth disabled
Frontend — Web (SPA)
Typical flow: button starts OAuth in the same window (or popup); a callback route on your frontend origin reads code from the query string and calls exchange.
const API = 'http://localhost:3000/api/v1';
const redirect = encodeURIComponent(
'http://localhost:5173/auth/callback'
);
// Full-page redirect to Nest → Dropbox → back to SPA
window.location.href = `${API}/auth/dropbox?redirect=${redirect}`;// /auth/callback on the SPA
const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
const code = params.get('code');
if (!code) throw new Error('Missing exchange code');
const res = await fetch('http://localhost:3000/api/v1/auth/exchange', {
method: 'POST',
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
body: JSON.stringify({ code }),
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(await res.text());
const { user, accessToken, refreshToken } = await res.json();
// persist tokens as your app requires
sessionStorage.setItem('accessToken', accessToken);
console.log('signed in', user.email);- • Add your frontend callback URL to DROPBOX_REDIRECT_ALLOWLIST (e.g. http://localhost:5173/auth/callback)
- • DROPBOX_CALLBACK_URL must point at the Nest API, not the SPA
- • Store accessToken / refreshToken securely (memory + httpOnly cookie patterns as you prefer)
Frontend — Mobile (deep link)
Use a custom scheme (or universal link) in the allowlist. After Dropbox, the API redirects to myapp://success?code=.... The app opens, parses the code, and calls exchange.
import * as Linking from 'expo-linking';
import * as WebBrowser from 'expo-web-browser';
const API = 'https://api.example.com/api/v1';
const redirect = encodeURIComponent('myapp://success');
async function signInWithDropbox() {
const url = `${API}/auth/dropbox?redirect=${redirect}`;
await WebBrowser.openAuthSessionAsync(url, 'myapp://success');
}import * as Linking from 'expo-linking';
async function exchangeFromUrl(url) {
const { queryParams } = Linking.parse(url);
const code = queryParams?.code;
if (!code) return;
const res = await fetch(`${API}/auth/exchange`, {
method: 'POST',
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
body: JSON.stringify({ code }),
});
const data = await res.json();
// data.accessToken, data.refreshToken, data.user
return data;
}
Linking.addEventListener('url', ({ url }) => {
exchangeFromUrl(url);
});- • Register the scheme in the OS / Expo app.json
- • Prefer Linking.addEventListener('url', ...) and getInitialURL()
- • Exchange over HTTPS against your API base URL
Security notes
- • Redirect URLs must match DROPBOX_REDIRECT_ALLOWLIST prefixes
- • Exchange codes are single-use and expire in 60 seconds (Redis)
- • Existing local users are linked by verified Dropbox email (dropboxId set; roles unchanged)
- • Dropbox-only users have password null — password login / change-password will fail until a password is set
- • Email is required from https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/users/get_current_account; login fails if Dropbox does not return an email
User model
Postgres entity / interface fields used by Dropbox login:
- • dropboxId — unique nullable Dropbox user id
- • password — nullable for OAuth-only accounts
- • isActive — set true for new Dropbox users
- • roles — from DROPBOX_OAUTH_DEFAULT_ROLES env (default [])
Related
- Social Authentication hub
- Google OAuth2 guide
- Facebook OAuth2 guide
- X / Twitter OAuth2 guide
- GitHub OAuth2 guide
- Figma OAuth2 guide
- LinkedIn OpenID Connect guide
- Slack OpenID Connect guide
- Atlassian OAuth 2.0 (3LO) guide
- GitLab OAuth2 guide
- Bitbucket OAuth2 guide
- Discord OAuth2 guide
- Twitch OAuth2 guide
- Steam OpenID 2.0 guide
- Amazon OAuth2 guide
- Patreon OAuth2 guide
- MetaMask SIWE guide
- Apple Sign In guide
- Reddit OAuth2 guide
- Auth & JWT