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Introducing the User Tasks Bridge

· 4 min read
Hazim O. Arafa
Hazim O. Arafa
Software Engineer

We are excited to introduce the User Tasks Bridge, which allows you to securely integrate your own identity management solution with User Tasks in your LittleHorse Server Workflows.

A Primer on User Tasks​

The open-source LittleHorse Server natively supports User Tasks. However, the LittleHorse Server does not support the concept of user identity as it would require adding significant amounts of complexity and external dependencies to the open-source project. This means you have to manually connect your identity provider (IdP) to manage user identities and permissions.

Introducing the User Tasks Bridge​

Instead of manually connecting your IdP to manage user identities and permissions, the User Tasks Bridge acts as a proxy and fills the gap between User Tasks and user identity. By integrating with your existing OIDC-compliant IdP, it ensures that only authorized users can access and complete tasks. You can also assign User Tasks to individual authenticated users or their respective user groups, enhancing security and efficiency.

How it Works​

Inside the LittleHorse Server when a User Task has been assigned it stores an ID as a string without relationships. This ID is a theoretical mapping to the user in the IdP. We need to make the connection between the user in the LittleHorse Server and the user in the IdP. The User Tasks Bridge solves this problem by making the connection between the two and handling the permissions / actions that individual users can perform on a User Task.

Here is a diagram illustrating how the User Tasks Bridge integrates with IdP and User Tasks:

Architectural Components​

User Tasks Bridge Backend​

The User Tasks Bridge Backend is a REST service that makes the connection between the user in the LittleHorse Server and the user in the IdP. You can make requests to this API to assign, complete, cancel, and view User Tasks. You can interact with this API using HTTP requests or using the provided type-safe JavaScript client (User Tasks Bridge API Client).

User Tasks Bridge API Client​

The User Tasks Bridge client is a type-safe JavaScript client is used to interact with the User Tasks Bridge Backend allowing you to embed this into your existing frontend without having to worry about the complexity of the underlying HTTP requests. This client also takes care of error handling to give you a better developer experience.

User Tasks Bridge Console​

The User Tasks Bridge Console is a feature rich UI that we built. It can be used as a simple standalone back-office portal for users to view and manage their User Tasks. It also has a dashboard for administrators to view and manage all the User Tasks in the LittleHorse Server.

Below is a screenshot of admin dashboard:

User Tasks Bridge Console
User Tasks Bridge Console

Meeting Users Where They Are​

The User Tasks Bridge offers flexibility in deployment. It can run as a standalone frontend or be embedded into your existing frontends, providing seamless integration with your current systems. This ensures that federation works smoothly, and you have various OIDC options to choose from.

Get Started​

We invite you to explore the User Tasks Bridge and discover its potential to make your workflows more efficient and secure.

  1. Run the quickstart to try out the User Tasks Bridge.
  2. Explore the documentation to understand its functionality and how to integrate it with your organization's IdP.
  3. Reach out to us at sales@littlehorse.io for more information on integrating the User Tasks Bridge with your organization's IdP. Our team is ready to assist you with any questions or custom integration needs.

Lastly, if you haven't already:

  • Join us on Slack to connect with other users and share your experiences.
  • Give us a star on GitHub to support our open-source efforts!