> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.refold.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Auth flows options

> Refold's auth flows provides a seamless environment for your users to grant authorization to their third party application data.

When creating application integrations, accessing customer's data is a required step. Using Refold's auth flows this process becomes both
quick and heavily customizable.

## Pre-requisites

Below are a few pre-requisites that you need to do before choosing an Auth Flow:

**1. Create Linked Account**

In order to enable your customer to connect to third party app, you first need to create a Linked account for them using a unique identifier.

<Note>
  Know more about Linked Accounts and how you can create one in the guide [here](https://docs.gocobalt.io/build/basics/linked_account).
</Note>

<Tip>
  We recommend you create a linked account at the same time as your customer signs up within your app.
</Tip>

**2. Generate Session Token**

[Generate a Session Token](https://docs.gocobalt.io/api-reference/session-token/generate-token-for-linked-account) for your Linked Account.

<Warning>
  The session token gets expired in 24 hours. Please make sure you generate a new token in every new session or within 24 hours.
</Warning>

## Auth flow integration options

Refold provides 3 different ways for Auth flow of integrations

#### Hosted Flow

<Accordion title="Hosted flow" icon="cloud" description="Redirects user to Hosted Portal hosted on `https://connect.gocobalt.io`.">
  Hosted flow  is a no-code solution, so you don't need to build your own UI to handle the integration authentication. It handles the following features:

  * List all enabled applications
  * Handle the Auth flow
  * Manage integration configuration for your end user.

  <Tip>To get started, follow the steps [here](/ship/auth_flows/hosted).</Tip>
</Accordion>

#### Refold Modals (Embedded Flow)

<Accordion title="Refold Modals (Embedded Flow)" icon="pen-to-square" description="Utilize the React SDK and embed it seamlessly within your React application.">
  Refold Embedded flow is a frontend SDK that allows you to embed Refold auth flow into your React application.

  It's a simple process involving steps like `Generate Session Token` > `Install and Initialise Frontend SDK` and `Render the Component`.

  <Info>
    Learn more about Refold's Modal flow and how to implement it [here](/ship/auth_flows/embedded).
  </Info>

  For example implementation, you can check out the [App.js](https://github.com/gocobalt/react-cobalt-js/blob/main/example/src/App.js) file in the [example](https://github.com/gocobalt/react-cobalt-js/tree/main/example) directory.
</Accordion>

#### Build your own Frontend (Seamless Flow)

<Accordion title="Build your own Frontend (Seamless Flow)" icon="code" description="Utilize our REST APIs and NodeJs SDK methods to implement and customize the authentication experience.">
  Refold provides APIs and SDK functions that allow you to build your own frontend experience for your customers to connect with the third party applications.

  <Tip>
    Learn in depth about how to build your own frontend [here](/ship/auth_flows/build_your_own).
  </Tip>
</Accordion>

### Authorization journey

Refold lets you take the authorization for customer's data in 3 simple steps:

1. Open the auth flow portal for the customer using any of the above mentioned integration options.
2. Customer provides consent or API Credentials for the respective app.
3. Customer configures the data required for the connection, such as selecting specific integration settings.

<Check>And done! Customer has now successfully connected the application(s) and can now make use of the published orchestrations.</Check>