Social account login
Offer GitHub, Google, Apple, or another configured OAuth provider as a login option.
Better Auth · Module
signIn.social
signIn.social starts client-side OAuth sign-in for a configured social provider. Pass the provider ID and optionally a redirect URL or extra authorization parameters.
How it works
The client method receives a social provider identifier and can include a post-authentication callback URL. Better Auth then begins the provider’s OAuth flow; the provider must already be configured in the auth instance.
Syntax
authClient.signIn.social({ provider, callbackURL?, additionalParams? })Parameters
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
provider | string | The configured social provider identifier, for example github, google, or apple. |
callbackURL | string | URL to redirect to after authentication; the documented default is /. |
additionalParams | Record<string, string> | Additional query parameters sent to the provider authorization endpoint. |
Returns
A promise for the sign-in operation; the resulting response contains the authentication result or error.
Key points
- Use
signIn.socialfor client-side social authentication. - The method accepts a single options object rather than a positional provider argument.
- Set
providerto the configured provider identifier, such asgithub,google, orapple. - Use
callbackURLto control the destination after the provider completes authentication. - Use
additionalParamswhen the provider needs extra authorization query parameters.
Common mistakes
- Configure the selected provider in the auth instance before calling the method.
- The callback URL controls where the user is redirected after provider authentication.
Example: Sign in with a social provider
import { createAuthClient } from "better-auth/client";
const authClient = createAuthClient();
await authClient.signIn.social({
provider: "github",
callbackURL: "/dashboard",
});Starts social authentication with GitHub and requests a redirect to the dashboard after authentication.
When to use it
Post-login routing
Send users to a dashboard or onboarding route after successful authentication.
Customized OAuth authorization
Pass provider-specific authorization hints or consent parameters.
Interview questions
QHow do you start social sign-in from the client?
Call authClient.signIn.social with an object containing the provider ID, such as github or google. The provider must be configured under the auth instance’s socialProviders option.
Follow-up: How would server-side code initiate the same flow? Use auth.api.signInSocial and place the provider in its request body.
QHow do you choose the post-login destination?
Pass callbackURL in the options object to specify the destination after successful provider authentication. If omitted, the documented default is /.
Follow-up: How can provider-specific authorization parameters be forwarded? Add them through additionalParams on the social sign-in call.
QWhat does the provider parameter represent?
The provider value identifies which configured OAuth provider should handle authentication. Examples in the documentation include GitHub, Google, and Apple.
Follow-up: What must be configured before this call can work? Supply the provider credentials and configuration in socialProviders on the auth setup.
Related
socialProvidersauthClientauth.api.signInSociallinkSocialcallbackURLadditionalParams