Overview
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management service. App registrations allow applications to authenticate users and access Azure resources securely.
Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|
| App Registration | Configuration that allows an app to use Microsoft identity platform |
| Application (Client) ID | Unique identifier for your application |
| Tenant ID | Unique identifier for your Azure AD tenant/directory |
| Client Secret | Password for the application (confidential clients only) |
| Redirect URI | URL where authentication responses are sent |
| API Permissions | Access scopes your app requests |
| Service Principal | Identity created in your tenant when you register an app |
Application Types
| Type | Use Case |
|---|
| Web Application | Server-side apps, APIs |
| Single Page App (SPA) | JavaScript/React/Angular apps |
| Mobile/Native App | Desktop, mobile apps |
| Daemon/Service | Background services, APIs |
Core Workflow
Step 1: Register the Application
Create an app registration in the Azure portal or using Azure CLI.
Portal Method:
- Navigate to Azure Portal → Microsoft Entra ID → App registrations
- Click "New registration"
- Provide name, supported account types, and redirect URI
- Click "Register"
CLI Method: See references/cli-commands.md
IaC Method: See references/BICEP-EXAMPLE.bicep
It's highly recommended to use the IaC to manage Entra app registration if you already use IaC in your project, need a scalable solution for managing lots of app registrations or need fine-grained audit history of the configuration changes.
Set up authentication settings based on your application type.
- Web Apps: Add redirect URIs, enable ID tokens if needed
- SPAs: Add redirect URIs, enable implicit grant flow if necessary
- Mobile/Desktop: Use
http://localhost or custom URI scheme
- Services: No redirect URI needed for client credentials flow
Grant your application permission to access Microsoft APIs or your own APIs.
Common Microsoft Graph Permissions:
User.Read - Read user profileUser.ReadWrite.All - Read and write all usersDirectory.Read.All - Read directory dataMail.Send - Send mail as a user
Details: See references/api-permissions.md
Step 4: Create Client Credentials (if needed)
For confidential client applications (web apps, services), create a client secret, certificate or federated identity credential.
Client Secret:
- Navigate to "Certificates & secrets"
- Create new client secret
- Copy the value immediately (only shown once)
- Store securely (Key Vault recommended)
Certificate: For production environments, use certificates instead of secrets for enhanced security. Upload certificate via "Certificates & secrets" section.
Federated Identity Credential: For dynamically authenticating the confidential client to Entra platform.
Step 5: Implement OAuth Flow
Integrate the OAuth flow into your application code.
See:
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: First-Time App Registration
Walk user through their first app registration step-by-step.
Required Information:
- Application name
- Application type (web, SPA, mobile, service)
- Redirect URIs (if applicable)
- Required permissions
Script: See references/first-app-registration.md
Pattern 2: Console Application with User Authentication
Create a .NET/Python/Node.js console app that authenticates users.
Required Information:
- Programming language (C#, Python, JavaScript, etc.)
- Authentication library (MSAL recommended)
- Required permissions
Example: See references/console-app-example.md
Pattern 3: Service-to-Service Authentication
Set up daemon/service authentication without user interaction.
Required Information:
- Service/app name
- Target API/resource
- Whether to use secret or certificate
Implementation: Use Client Credentials flow (see references/oauth-flows.md#client-credentials-flow)
Azure CLI Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|
az ad app create | Create new app registration |
az ad app list | List app registrations |
az ad app show | Show app details |
az ad app permission add | Add API permission |
az ad app credential reset | Generate new client secret |
az ad sp create | Create service principal |
Complete reference: See references/cli-commands.md
Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL)
MSAL is the recommended library for integrating Microsoft identity platform.
Supported Languages:
- .NET/C# -
Microsoft.Identity.Client
- JavaScript/TypeScript -
@azure/msal-browser, @azure/msal-node
- Python -
msal
Examples: See references/console-app-example.md
Security Best Practices
| Practice | Recommendation |
|---|
| Never hardcode secrets | Use environment variables, Azure Key Vault, or managed identity |
| Rotate secrets regularly | Set expiration, automate rotation |
| Use certificates over secrets | More secure for production |
| Least privilege permissions | Request only required API permissions |
| Enable MFA | Require multi-factor authentication for users |
| Use managed identity | For Azure-hosted apps, avoid secrets entirely |
| Validate tokens | Always validate issuer, audience, expiration |
| Use HTTPS only | All redirect URIs must use HTTPS (except localhost) |
| Monitor sign-ins | Use Entra ID sign-in logs for anomaly detection |
SDK Quick References
References
External Resources