Keycloak Just-In-Time Action Approval

Keycloak’s Just-In-Time Action Approval lets you define checks that trigger during authentication or other user flows, halting progress until specific conditions are met. It’s not a passive policy; it is a live approval step. Users are confronted with a decision request, and the system enforces the outcome instantly.

At its core, this feature extends Keycloak’s authentication flows with custom actions. You can require manager approval, compliance verification, or multi-factor confirmation before granting resource access. These actions happen in real time, inside the login session, ensuring that access control is dynamic and context-aware.

Unlike static rules, Just-In-Time Action Approval responds to changing conditions. A high-risk login attempt? Require explicit confirmation. Sensitive account changes? Demand human approval mid-process. Keycloak executes the action, waits for approval, and resumes only when the gate is cleared.

Implementation starts by defining a custom Authenticator in Keycloak. Attach it to the desired flow—like login or user profile update—and build the logic to request and process approvals. Use Keycloak’s REST APIs or service provider interfaces (SPI) to integrate with external systems that can notify approvers and capture decisions. Store state securely, handle timeouts, and track audit events for compliance.

For production readiness, design the approval UI to be responsive, secure, and unambiguous. Configure the flow to fail gracefully if no approval is received. This ensures security without degrading user experience. Monitor metrics on action triggers, approval times, and rejection rates to refine your policies.

Keycloak Just-In-Time Action Approval is best used when you need adaptable, fine-grained control without rewriting core identity workflows. It brings approvals into the same process that authenticates and authorizes, giving you precision without latency.

If you want to see this approach deployed without weeks of setup, check out hoop.dev. You can launch a live Keycloak Just-In-Time Action Approval demo in minutes and watch controlled access happen in real time.