Better Auth Authentication

Better Auth Authentication

Goals

• Enable email/password authentication and social providers.
• Implement sign-up, sign-in, sign-out, and verification flows.
• Handle redirects and errors consistently.

Quick start

1. Enable emailAndPassword and configure socialProviders. 2. Create a client with createAuthClient. 3. Use signUp.email, signIn.email, signIn.social, and signOut on the client.

import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  emailAndPassword: { enabled: true },
  socialProviders: {
    github: {
      clientId: process.env.GITHUB_CLIENT_ID as string,
      clientSecret: process.env.GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET as string,
    },
  },
});

import { createAuthClient } from "better-auth/client";

const authClient = createAuthClient();

await authClient.signUp.email({
  email,
  password,
  name,
});

await authClient.signIn.email({
  email,
  password,
  callbackURL: "/dashboard",
});

await authClient.signIn.social({
  provider: "github",
  callbackURL: "/dashboard",
});

await authClient.signOut();

Email verification

• Provide emailVerification.sendVerificationEmail to send the verification link.
• Use emailAndPassword.requireEmailVerification to enforce verification before sign-in.

Social providers

• Configure providers in socialProviders with provider-specific credentials.
• Use signIn.social to start OAuth flows.
• Pass callbackURL, errorCallbackURL, and newUserCallbackURL for redirects.

Guardrails

• Call client methods from the client only.
• Keep secrets in server-only env variables.
• Use rememberMe to control persistent sessions on email/password sign-in.

References

• toolchains/platforms/auth/better-auth/better-auth-authentication/references/email-password.md
• toolchains/platforms/auth/better-auth/better-auth-authentication/references/providers.md

Email and password flows

Enable email and password

import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  emailAndPassword: {
    enabled: true,
  },
});

Sign up

await authClient.signUp.email({
  name,
  email,
  password,
  image,
  callbackURL: "/dashboard",
});

Disable automatic sign-in after sign-up:

export const auth = betterAuth({
  emailAndPassword: {
    enabled: true,
    autoSignIn: false,
  },
});

Sign in

await authClient.signIn.email({
  email,
  password,
  rememberMe: true,
  callbackURL: "/dashboard",
});

Sign out

await authClient.signOut();

Redirect on sign-out:

await authClient.signOut({
  fetchOptions: {
    onSuccess: () => {
      router.push("/login");
    },
  },
});

Email verification

Provide a server-side function that sends the verification email:

import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";
import { sendEmail } from "./email";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  emailVerification: {
    sendVerificationEmail: async ({ user, url, token }, request) => {
      void sendEmail({
        to: user.email,
        subject: "Verify your email address",
        text: `Click the link to verify your email: ${url}`,
      });
    },
  },
});

Require verification on sign-in:

export const auth = betterAuth({
  emailAndPassword: {
    requireEmailVerification: true,
  },
});

Handle verification errors on sign-in:

await authClient.signIn.email(
  { email, password },
  {
    onError: (ctx) => {
      if (ctx.error.status === 403) {
        alert("Please verify your email address");
      }
    },
  }
);

Social providers

Configure providers

Set providers in socialProviders and pass provider credentials.

import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  socialProviders: {
    github: {
      clientId: process.env.GITHUB_CLIENT_ID as string,
      clientSecret: process.env.GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET as string,
    },
  },
});

Sign in with a provider

await authClient.signIn.social({
  provider: "github",
  callbackURL: "/dashboard",
  errorCallbackURL: "/error",
  newUserCallbackURL: "/welcome",
  disableRedirect: false,
});

Provider docs

Use provider-specific docs to configure redirect URLs and scopes.

Common providers:

• GitHub: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/github
• Google: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/google
• Apple: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/apple
• Discord: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/discord
• GitLab: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/gitlab
• Microsoft: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/microsoft
• Slack: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/slack

More providers:

• Other social providers list: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/authentication/other-social-providers