Identia: A Robust Authentication Backend Solution

Identia is a powerful authentication backend built using Go (Golang) designed to support both traditional and biometric authentication workflows. It provides an HTTP/2 server using gRPC, ensuring secure and efficient communication. Identia is tailored for modern applications requiring robust authentication strategies, including regular registration/login/logout mechanisms and WebAuthn biometric authentication.

Key Features

• Support for Traditional and WebAuthn Authentication:
  • Traditional workflows include email/password registration and login.
  • WebAuthn enables biometric authentication for enhanced security.
• JWT-Based Authentication:
  • Access tokens issued with a 1-hour validity.
  • Refresh tokens valid for up to 7 days.
  • A secure mechanism for refreshing access tokens via a dedicated handler.
• PostgreSQL with Data Sharding:
  • Data sharding optimizes read/write operations, ensuring high performance under heavy loads.
  • PostgreSQL is ACID-compliant, guaranteeing data consistency, reliability, and fault tolerance.
  • The use of a relational database enables structured queries and schema enforcement for robust data management.
• Built with gRPC:
  • Efficient HTTP/2 communication ensures low latency and high throughput.
  • Strongly-typed API definitions improve developer productivity and integration.

Why PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL was chosen as the database solution for Identia because of its:

1. ACID Compliance:
   • Ensures data consistency and durability, even in the event of crashes or errors.
   • Guarantees reliable transaction management, critical for authentication systems.
2. Advanced Features:
   • Native support for JSON/JSONB allows hybrid relational and non-relational data handling.
   • Indexing capabilities enhance query performance for both structured and semi-structured data.
3. Data Sharding:
   • Horizontal partitioning distributes data across multiple shards, optimizing performance for high-volume read and write operations.
   • This ensures scalability without sacrificing the benefits of a relational database.
4. Robust Security:
   • Role-based access control (RBAC) and advanced authentication methods align with Identia’s emphasis on security.
5. Open Source and Community Support:
   • A vast community and ecosystem ensure reliability, extensibility, and long-term support.

System Overview

Authentication Workflow

1. Registration: Users can register using email/password or by setting up a biometric key through WebAuthn.
2. Login: Supports both traditional email/password logins and biometric logins via WebAuthn.
3. Token Management:
   • Access tokens are used for session management, with a lifespan of 1 hour.
   • Refresh tokens allow seamless session renewal, valid for up to 7 days.
   • Refresh token logic is handled on the client side with an endpoint for token renewal.
4. Logout: Safely invalidates tokens to ensure session termination.

Technology Stack

• Backend: Golang
• Database: PostgreSQL with data sharding
• Protocol: HTTP/2 with gRPC
• Authentication: JWT (Access + Refresh Tokens)

Installation and Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/alexxpetrov/identia-be
   cd identia-be

2. Install dependencies:

   go mod tidy

3. Configure the database:
   • Ensure you have PostgreSQL installed and running.
   • Configure the database connection string in the environment variables.
4. Start the server:

   cd cmd
   go run main.go