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

# Authentication Implementation Guide

> Detailed steps for implementing OAuth 2.0 authentication

For a general overview of authentication, see the [Authentication Overview](/api-reference/authentication).

## Detailed Authentication Steps

### For Web Applications (Authorization Code Flow)

1. [Get Authorization Code](/api-reference/endpoint/authentication/authorize) - Redirect users to authorization page
2. [Exchange for Access Token](/api-reference/endpoint/authentication/token) - Exchange the code for tokens
3. [Make API Requests](/api-reference/endpoint/authentication/requests) - Use JWT access token to authenticate requests
4. [Refresh Token](/api-reference/endpoint/authentication/refresh) - Get new access tokens when old ones expire

### For Machine-to-Machine APIs (Client Credentials Flow)

1. [Get Access Token Directly](/api-reference/endpoint/authentication/token) - Request tokens using client credentials
2. [Make API Requests](/api-reference/endpoint/authentication/requests) - Use JWT access token to authenticate requests

The client credentials flow is simpler because it:

* Doesn't require user interaction
* Skips the authorization code step
* Provides direct access token generation

## Token Lifecycle Management

* Access tokens expire after 24 hours
* Refresh tokens can be used to obtain new access tokens
* Store tokens securely in your server-side application
* For security reasons, refresh tokens are rotated with each use

## Implementation Examples

\[Code examples for different programming languages could go here]