Native OIDC client sample for Windows that uses custom URI scheme handler

Since the release of our IdentityModel.OidcClient client library we have had iOS and Android samples for using the system browser to allow a user to authenticate with the token server. Receiving the results from the system browser is interesting since the native client application is in a different process than the system browser. Fortunately those platforms provide an easy way to map a custom URI scheme (used in the client’s redirect_uri) to the native client application. This allows the response parameters from the authorize endpoint to be passed from the system browser into the native client so it can complete the protocol workflow.

Windows also has such a facility, but we never had a sample for it… until now. I just created a sample that does this.

There are two main aspects that are specific to Windows clients. First, the application needs to add certain registry keys to enable this mapping. The sample adds them when it starts. Second, when the browser redirects to the custom URI scheme it launches a new instance of the client application. This means the first instance that initiated the request is still waiting for the response. The second instance needs a mechanism to deliver the results to the first. The sample handles this by using named pipes.

I certainly had to dust off all the Win32 API cobwebs I had rattling around in the back of my brain. Anyway, check it out and hope it helps.