---
title: Integrate with Writefreely
sidebar_label: Writefreely
support_level: community
---

## What is Writefreely

> An open source platform for building a writing space on the web.
>
> -- https://writefreely.org/

:::caution
Currently it is not possible to connect Writefreely to authentik without making an adjustment in the database. See [here](https://github.com/writefreely/writefreely/issues/516) and [Writefreely Setup](../writefreely/index.md#writefreely-setup).
:::

## Preparation

The following placeholders are used in this guide:

- `writefreely.company` is the FQDN of the Writefreely installation.
- `authentik.company` is the FQDN of the authentik installation.

:::info
This documentation lists only the settings that you need to change from their default values. Be aware that any changes other than those explicitly mentioned in this guide could cause issues accessing your application.
:::

## authentik configuration

To support the integration of Writefreely with authentik, you need to create an application/provider pair in authentik.

### Create an application and provider in authentik

1. Log in to authentik as an administrator and open the authentik Admin interface.
2. Navigate to **Applications** > **Applications** and click **New Application** to open the application wizard.

- **Application**: provide a descriptive name, an optional group for the type of application, the policy engine mode, and optional UI settings.
- **Choose a Provider type**: select **OAuth2/OpenID Connect** as the provider type.
- **Configure the Provider**: provide a name (or accept the auto-provided name), the authorization flow to use for this provider, and the following required configurations.
    - Note the **Client ID**, **Client Secret**, and **slug** values because they will be required later.
    - Set a `Strict` redirect URI to `https://writefreely.company/oauth/callback/generic`.
    - Select any available signing key.
- **Configure Bindings** _(optional)_: you can create a [binding](/docs/add-secure-apps/bindings-overview/) (policy, group, or user) to manage the listing and access to applications on a user's **My applications** page.

3. Click **Submit** to save the new application and provider.

## Writefreely Setup

### Database

Currently the `access_token` column is too small, so it needs to be adjusted.

```
ALTER TABLE `oauth_users` MODIFY `access_token` varchar(2048);
```

### Configuration

Configure Writefreely settings by editing `config.ini` and adding the following:

To disable new user registration, set the following variable to false:

```
open_registration     = false
```

To disable local login/registration, use the following setting (this is useful because Writefreely attracts a lot of spam):

```
disable_password_auth = false
```

The following settings must be made for OAuth:

```
[oauth.generic]
client_id          = <Client ID>
client_secret      = <Client Secret>
host               = https://authentik.company
display_name       = authentik
callback_proxy     =
callback_proxy_api =
token_endpoint     = /application/o/token/
inspect_endpoint   = /application/o/userinfo/
auth_endpoint      = /application/o/authorize/
scope              = openid profile email
allow_disconnect   = false
map_user_id        = sub
map_username       = nickname
map_display_name   = name
map_email          = email
```

Restart `writefreely.service`.

## Account linking

If your usernames in authentik and WriteFreely are different, you might need to link your accounts before you can use SSO.

To link the accounts, first log in to Writefreely with local credentials, and then navigate to **Customize --> Account Settings**. In the "Linked Accounts" option, click on "authentik".

## Resources

- https://writefreely.org/docs/latest/admin/config
