Centrlized Authentication and Authorization Design

RajeshKumar1

This is a classic scenario faced by growing digital health platforms: how do you provide unified, secure login and RBAC authorization across distinct user “verticals” (Patient, Doctor, Hospital, Nurse) without login conflicts or fractured user experiences?

Let’s break down the ideal solution as a modern, scalable, and secure microservices architecture—with a clear expert recommendation for your context.
This includes architecture diagram description, best practices, and a practical suggestion for your current Laravel/microservice stack.

1. Recommended Architecture Overview

Adopt a Centralized Auth System with RBAC (Option 2 – Central Auth Domain, e.g. `auth.myhospitalnow.com`)

Why?
- Avoids login/session conflicts.
- Enables SSO (Single Sign-On) for users who might switch roles (Doctor who is also a Patient).
- Simplifies integration for web/mobile apps.
- Industry standard for modern SaaS/multi-tenant systems.

2. High-Level Architecture Diagram Description

                        +--------------------+
                        | External Identity  |
                        | Providers (SSO,    |
                        | Google, Azure AD)  |
                        +----------+---------+
                                   |
                                   v
                      +-----------------------------+
                      |       Auth Service          |
                      | (OAuth2/JWT, Login,         |
                      |  Token Issuance/Refresh,    |
                      |  Federation, RBAC)          |
                      +----+------------------+-----+
                           |                  |
              +------------+--------+         |
              |                     |         |
              v                     v         v
      +---------------+   +-------------------+---------------------+
      | User Mgmt     |   |     Authorization Service (RBAC)        |
      | (Profile,     |   | - Enforce Policies, Validate Roles/Perm |
      | Role Assign,  |   +-----------+---------------+-------------+
      | Registration) |               |               |
      +-------+-------+               |               |
              |                       |               |
              +----------+------------+               |
                         |                            |
                   +-----v-----+                +-----v------+
                   | Identity  | <------------> | Audit Log  |
                   | Store     |                | & Policy   |
                   | (SQL/LDAP)|                | Store      |
                   +-----------+                +------------+

---API Gateway (Token Validation, Routing, Claims Propagation)---
                               |
                +--------------+-------------------------------+
                |              |               |               |
                v              v               v               v
         [Patient Service]  [Doctor Service]  [Hospital Service] [Nurse Service]
         (Resource MS)      (Resource MS)     (Resource MS)     (Resource MS)
                |               |               |               |
          +-----+---------------+---------------+---------------+
          |      Inter-Service AuthZ/Claims via JWT/OAuth2      |
          +-----------------------------------------------------+

3. Component Explanation & Best Practices

A. Central Auth Service (`auth.myhospitalnow.com`)

Handles:
- Login (email/mobile/social)
- Issues JWT/OAuth2 tokens (short-lived + refresh)
- Handles federated login (Google, Azure, LDAP, etc.)
- Stateless authentication—scalable for web & mobile
Best Practice:
- Use JWT (or opaque OAuth2 tokens with introspection endpoint).
- Tokens store userID, role(s), tenant info, and claims.
- Issue refresh tokens for mobile/web session continuity.

B. Authorization Service (RBAC Engine)

Handles:
- Decoupled from authentication.
- On each API/resource request, validates if role (Doctor/Patient/Nurse/Hospital) has required permission.
- Can implement policy-as-code (e.g., OPA), or Laravel’s built-in policies, but as a service.
Best Practice:
- Enforce Principle of Least Privilege.
- Keep all permission decisions and audit logs centrally.

C. User Management Service

Handles:
- Registration, role assignment (e.g., change role, assign multiple roles)
- Profile edits, password resets, etc.

D. Resource Microservices

Each microservice (e.g., Patient, Doctor, Hospital) delegates all authentication & authorization to the centralized auth system.
Best Practice:
- Resource MS never directly manage auth/session data—verify JWT on each request (zero trust).
- Only act if RBAC check passes.

E. API Gateway (or Service Mesh)

Handles:
- Routes external/internal traffic to services.
- Validates JWT, checks signature, and extracts claims.
- Injects user claims into request headers/context for downstream microservices.
Best Practice:
- Use Envoy, Kong, NGINX, or AWS API Gateway, etc.
- Terminate tokens at gateway, propagate verified claims to resource MS.
- Supports rate limiting, threat protection, CORS.

F. Identity Store (DB/Directory)

Central DB for:
- Users
- Roles
- Permissions
- Role-user and permission-role mappings
Best Practice:
- Use normalized SQL for flexibility, or LDAP if heavy directory needs.

G. External Identity Providers (SSO, Federation)

Optional:
- Let users login with Google, Apple, or Azure AD, with mapped roles in your system.

4. RBAC Decision Flow

Example: Patient tries to book a hospital appointment

Login: Patient logs in at auth.myhospitalnow.com. Receives JWT token with role=Patient.
API Request: Patient App calls API Gateway with JWT.
Gateway: Verifies JWT (signature, expiry), extracts claims (userID, role=Patient).
Gateway: Forwards request + user claims to PatientService.
PatientService: Requests RBAC decision from Authorization Service (e.g., “Can this user with role=Patient create booking?”).
Authorization Service: Checks policy, returns “Allowed/Denied”.
PatientService: Proceeds if allowed, otherwise returns HTTP 403.
Audit: All attempts logged centrally.

5. Addressing Your Current Problem

Problem: Patient login session does not work for doctors/hospitals and vice versa—because session/cookies are isolated per microservice.

Recommended Fix:
Unify all authentication at a single Auth Service (auth.myhospitalnow.com) using stateless tokens (JWT or OAuth2).

All logins redirect to auth service, which issues tokens to web/app clients.
Token is valid across all microservices and portals—no conflict.
Each app (web or Android/iOS) uses the token in the Authorization header for every API call.

6. Implementation Steps (Laravel + Modern Stack)

Deploy a central Laravel-based Auth Service (using Laravel Passport or Laravel Sanctum for OAuth2/JWT).
Refactor all microservices to NOT handle their own sessions; instead, validate incoming JWT tokens.
Integrate API Gateway (Kong, Nginx, or Laravel-based) to handle token verification and request routing.
Move user/role/permission tables to a central identity DB, accessible to Auth/Authorization services only.
Resource microservices call the Authorization service before processing sensitive requests.
Mobile apps use OAuth2 flows to obtain/refresh tokens.

7. Best Practices

Zero Trust: Every call, internal or external, is authenticated and authorized. No "trusted" network.
Principle of Least Privilege: Roles/permissions are as granular as needed; users get only what they need.
Audit Logging: Every RBAC decision, login, and sensitive action is logged for compliance.
Token Expiry: Use short-lived JWT, long-lived refresh tokens.
Federation Ready: Support for Google/Apple/Azure SSO for convenience.

8. Annotated Visual Architecture

(For final doc, use a visual tool like draw.io, Lucidchart, or Excalidraw to illustrate the described flow. See the text diagram above as a guide. I can generate an image if you need!)

9. Summary Table – Option Comparison

| Option | Pros | Cons |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Separate Auth | Simple, isolated, no conflicts | Fragmented UX, can't share login |
| Central Auth (Rec) | Unified login, SSO, easier to scale, RBAC everywhere | Initial migration work, SSO setup |

**→ Industry best practice is centralized, stateless authentication and delegated authorization via a dedicated Auth Service.**

10. Next Steps

Choose Option 2: Central Auth Service (auth.myhospitalnow.com)
Prototype using Laravel Passport/Sanctum for JWT OAuth2
Integrate API Gateway (Kong/NGINX or similar)
Refactor resource microservices to delegate auth checks.
Add RBAC with granular policies, central DB, and audit logs.

Let me know if you want:

A detailed sequence diagram
A ready-to-use architecture image
Sample Laravel code snippets for each component
Migration plan from your current setup

Just say the word!

RajeshKumar1

Yes! There are several prebuilt solutions, packages, and even open-source “starter kits” in the Laravel ecosystem that implement much of what you described—centralized authentication, JWT/OAuth2, RBAC, user management, API gateway, and more. Some of these can serve as a strong starting point so you don’t have to build from scratch.

Below is a list of mature options and best practices in the Laravel world (2024/2025):

1. Laravel Passport

What: Official Laravel package for full OAuth2 authentication (access tokens, refresh tokens, scopes, etc.).
Supports: JWT/OAuth2, API authentication, and is suitable for microservices and mobile apps.
RBAC: Combine Passport with Laravel’s native authorization policies/gates or Spatie Roles/Permissions.
Use Case: Auth service issues JWT tokens. Other Laravel microservices validate tokens and enforce RBAC.

Laravel Passport Docs

2. Laravel Sanctum

What: Lightweight API authentication for SPAs, mobile apps, and simple token needs. Less heavy than Passport.
JWT: Out-of-the-box, tokens are not JWT but you can integrate Sanctum JWT packages.
Use Case: Good for central Auth microservice with session/token-based auth.

Laravel Sanctum Docs

3. Spatie Laravel Permission

What: The gold standard for RBAC in Laravel. Provides flexible roles and permissions, and supports multi-guard and multi-tenant.
Works with: Both Passport and Sanctum.
Features: Assign multiple roles, permissions, restrict access, middleware for permissions.

Spatie Permission GitHub

4. Laravel Breeze, Jetstream, or Fortify (Starter Kits)

What: Laravel’s official authentication “starter kits” for fast prototyping, including login, registration, password reset, and even 2FA/MFA.
Jetstream: Supports API tokens, teams, profile management, and can be extended with Passport or Sanctum for full OAuth2/JWT support.
Fortify: Backend-only authentication features (can be used headless).

Jetstream | Fortify | Breeze

5. Prebuilt “Microservices Auth” Boilerplates/Starters

A. Laravolt Auth

Modern user, group, and permission management.
Supports roles, permissions, and API.
Can be extended for SSO and central auth.

B. Laravel Microservices Skeleton

Prebuilt with separate auth service, resource service, uses JWT.
Includes example for Passport/Sanctum and Spatie Permission.

C. Laravel API Boilerplate JWT

Implements full JWT-based auth, user roles, permissions, RBAC-ready.
Can be customized for microservices or API Gateway use.

D. SaaS or Multi-Tenancy Starter Kits

Many SaaS/multi-tenant starter kits come with robust user/role management, often designed for “central auth” patterns.

6. API Gateway Solutions

You can front your Laravel microservices with an API gateway (like Kong, KrakenD, Tyk, or even Nginx) and delegate auth/token validation there.
Kong has plugins for JWT, OAuth2, and rate limiting.
Combine this with Laravel Auth microservice for a full solution.

7. Federated Identity / SSO Integration

Use Socialite for Google, Azure AD, Facebook login.
For advanced SSO: laravel-saml2 for SAML support (e.g., Azure AD, Okta).
Passport supports OIDC provider integration with custom code.

How to Piece It Together?

Central Auth Service:
Use Laravel (with Passport or Sanctum) + Spatie Permission for user, role, and RBAC logic.
Resource Microservices:
Laravel APIs that trust JWT, call Auth/Authorization microservice for sensitive operations.
API Gateway:
Kong, KrakenD, or Nginx, validating JWT before forwarding to resource microservices.
User Management:
Handled in Auth microservice; propagate claims/tokens to apps.
External SSO:
Use Socialite or SAML plugins.

Practical Example Architecture

Central Auth Service: Laravel Passport + Spatie Permission
API Gateway: Kong with JWT/OAuth2 plugin
Resource Services: Laravel APIs (Patients, Doctors, Hospitals) – stateless, validate JWT
User/Role DB: Centralized, shared via Auth microservice
Mobile/Web Apps: All login/register flows go via Auth service and receive tokens

You Do NOT Need to Build All From Scratch!

With Passport/Sanctum + Spatie Permission + an API Gateway (even Nginx),
you can implement 90% of this architecture without building your own auth or RBAC engine.

Need a detailed starter kit suggestion, or codebase links for each?

Or want an integration plan for your current Laravel services?

Just let me know your preferred setup and I’ll provide a step-by-step guide or codebase links!

RajeshKumar1

Absolutely! Here’s a detailed starter kit suggestion for building a centralized authentication/authorization microservice architecture with RBAC in Laravel, using mature open-source components and best practices.

🛠️ Laravel RBAC Auth Microservices Starter Kit

Objective:
Provide a robust, ready-to-use foundation for:

Centralized user authentication (OAuth2/JWT)
Role-based access control (RBAC)
API-first (web/mobile) applications
Easy integration with external SSO (Google, Azure AD, etc.)
Ready for separation of patient/doctor/hospital/nurse resource services

Recommended Starter Kit Components

| Component | Recommendation | Purpose |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Auth API Microservice | Laravel + Passport + Spatie Permission | Login, registration, token, RBAC |
| User Management | Laravel CRUD, included in Auth service | User/role/profile/password/assignment |
| RBAC Engine | spatie/laravel-permission | Assign/check roles/permissions |
| API Gateway | Kong (OSS), or NGINX with JWT module | Token validation, routing, CORS, throttling |
| Resource Microservices | Laravel API projects | Patient, Doctor, Hospital, etc. |
| SSO/Federation (optional) | Laravel Socialite / SAML2 | Google, Azure AD, etc. |

Step 1: Start With a Boilerplate Repo

Option 1: Laravel API Boilerplate JWT (Easy Start, Modular)

GitHub: https://github.com/francescomalatesta/laravel-api-boilerplate-jwt
Features:
- JWT authentication
- User, roles, and permissions out-of-the-box
- RBAC via tymon/jwt-auth
- Ready to add Spatie Permission for advanced RBAC

Option 2: Your Own Laravel Project with Passport + Spatie

Install Laravel:

  composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-auth-service

Install Passport:

  composer require laravel/passport
  php artisan migrate
  php artisan passport:install

Install Spatie Permission:

  composer require spatie/laravel-permission
  php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\Permission\PermissionServiceProvider"
  php artisan migrate

Add Socialite for Google/Azure SSO:

  composer require laravel/socialite

Step 2: Basic Project Structure

services/
 ├── auth-service/   # Laravel app (Passport, Spatie, Socialite)
 ├── patient-service/   # Laravel API resource
 ├── doctor-service/    # Laravel API resource
 ├── hospital-service/  # Laravel API resource
 └── api-gateway/   # Kong config / Nginx reverse proxy

Step 3: Configure Auth Service

Login/Register/Password reset endpoints (/api/login, /api/register, etc.)
Token issuing via Passport (/oauth/token)
Assign roles/permissions with Spatie (e.g., roles: 'patient', 'doctor', 'hospital', 'nurse')
User claims in JWT: Passport supports custom claims if needed.

Example: Role Assignment

use Spatie\Permission\Models\Role;

$user = User::find(1);
$user->assignRole('doctor');

RBAC Middleware Example

Route::middleware(['role:doctor'])->group(function () {
    Route::get('/doctor/dashboard', 'DoctorController@dashboard');
});

Step 4: Resource Microservices

Each service (patient, doctor, hospital) is a Laravel API project.
DO NOT handle authentication; only validate JWT on incoming requests.
Delegate RBAC to the Auth API (e.g., via API call or by decoding JWT claims with roles).

Step 5: API Gateway (Kong/NGINX)

Kong:
- Kong JWT Plugin
- Validates JWT issued by Auth Service before forwarding request.
NGINX:
- nginx-jwt

Example Kong Route for Doctor API

routes:
  - name: doctor-api
    paths:
      - /api/doctor/
    service: doctor-service
    plugins:
      - name: jwt

Step 6: SSO Integration (Optional)

Use Socialite to add Google, Facebook, Azure AD login to your Auth Service.
Map external users to internal roles on first login.

Step 7: Best Practices

Stateless JWT: Always use Bearer tokens for web/mobile APIs.
Short-lived access tokens, refresh tokens for long-lived sessions.
Audit logs: Log all login, RBAC decisions.
Zero trust: Every request validated.
Principle of least privilege: Only assign minimum roles/permissions.

Step 8: Useful References

Pro Tip: Ready-Made SaaS/Multi-Tenant Starters

If you want a more “batteries included” SaaS-style setup, check:

Wave by TheDevDojo (with roles, subscriptions, social login)
Laravel Boilerplate (roles, permissions, API)
Laravolt Auth

Summary Table

| Feature | Out-of-the-box With Kit? | What To Add/Customize |
| --------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------- |
| User Auth (JWT) | Yes (Passport/JWT) | None |
| RBAC | Yes (Spatie) | Custom roles per business |
| SSO | Yes (Socialite) | SAML/Azure: Add plugin |
| Central DB | Yes | Migrate/merge your users |
| Audit Log | Minimal | Add custom logging |
| API Gateway | Not in Laravel | Use Kong/NGINX separately |
| Mobile Ready | Yes (Token auth) | - |

Want a Full Sample Repo?

Let me know your preferred features, and I can assemble an open-source repo link or step-by-step “clone-and-go” guide for your use case!

Typical Next Steps for You

Clone or scaffold a Laravel API project with Passport + Spatie + Socialite.
Spin up sample resource microservices.
Set up Kong or NGINX as your API gateway.
Start integrating! (users, RBAC, mobile/web apps).

Want code snippets for a specific use case (e.g., SSO with Google, role assignment API, JWT config for Kong)? Or a full integration blueprint?
Just ask!