OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow Diagram
Visualize the OAuth 2.0 authorization code grant between client, server, and resource API.
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This diagram maps the OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow, the most common pattern for delegated access. It shows how a user grants a client application limited access to their data without sharing a password. The key actors are the resource owner, the client application, the authorization server that issues codes and tokens, and the resource server that validates access tokens before returning protected data.
Developers, security architects, and API teams reach for this OAuth flow diagram when designing third-party login, building API integrations, or documenting token exchange for audits. It is ideal for onboarding engineers, clarifying the authorization code grant during design reviews, and explaining how access tokens and refresh tokens move through the system.
Great for
- API integration design docs
- Engineering onboarding
- Security architecture reviews
- Developer documentation
- Auth compliance audits
Make your own version with AI
Prefer to start from your own content? Describe it in one sentence and Infogiph generates a oauth 2.0 authorization code flow diagram you can edit and animate. For example:
“OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow Diagram showing Resource Owner (User), Client Application, Authorization Endpoint, Token Endpoint, Access Token and Refresh Token”
Try it in the AI diagram generator, or read Flow chart examples, including a login flow.
How to customize this template
- Open it in the canvas with Use this template.
- Tag each component with its trust zone, for example Browser (internet), Gateway (edge) or Ledger (internal), so boundary crossings stand out.
- Name each token where it appears, such as authorization code, access token, refresh token or ID token, and note how long it lives.
- Add PKCE to OAuth flows for mobile and single-page apps, since those clients cannot keep a client secret.
- In the RBAC Permission Model Diagram, list the real permissions each role gets, such as read, write or delete. Keep admin rights in one clearly marked role.
- Export a PNG or SVG for docs and slides, or a GIF or MP4 to keep the animation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow?+
It is a token-based flow where a user authorizes a client app at the authorization server, which returns a short-lived code. The client exchanges that code for an access token used to call protected APIs.
What are the main components of an OAuth flow diagram?+
The resource owner (user), the client application, the authorization server (with authorization and token endpoints), and the resource server that validates access tokens before serving data.
What is the difference between an access token and a refresh token?+
An access token is short-lived and grants API access. A refresh token is longer-lived and lets the client obtain new access tokens without prompting the user to log in again.
Why use the authorization code grant instead of implicit flow?+
The authorization code grant keeps tokens off the browser URL and supports PKCE, making it far more secure. The implicit flow is now discouraged for most applications.
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