When building your own UI using a Single Page Application (SPA) with Ory, it's not always necessary to redirect the browser to the

redirect_browser_to

URL. This is especially relevant for SPAs where you want to avoid full page reloads. According to the Ory documentation, for SPAs and client-side rendered browser applications, you can handle the flow submission in the background through AJAX or fetch requests [Integration basics](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/bring-your-own-ui/custom-ui-basic-integration#submit-flows). Specifically for SPAs, when you encounter a 422 error response (which typically indicates a need for redirection), you can extract the new flow ID from the payload and retrieve the response in the background instead of performing a full redirect. This approach allows you to maintain the SPA experience without reloading the entire application [Advanced integration](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/bring-your-own-ui/custom-ui-advanced-integration#spas-and-the-422-error). Here's an example of what a 422 error response might look like:

json {   error: {     id: "browser_location_change_required",     code: 422,     status: "Unprocessable Entity",     reason: "In order to complete this flow please redirect the browser to: /ui/login?flow=ad574ad7-1a3c-4b52-9f54-ef9e866f3cec",     message: "browser location change required",   },   redirect_browser_to: "/ui/login?flow=ad574ad7-1a3c-4b52-9f54-ef9e866f3cec", }

Instead of redirecting, you can extract the new flow ID and make a background request to continue the flow without a full page reload. Additionally, an Ory team member has confirmed that for SPAs, you can handle redirects within your app rather than relying on server-side configuration [Github Issue Comment](https://github.com/ory/network/issues/51#issuecomment-1013944515). They suggest that you can implement the redirect logic in your app like this:

javascript .then((res) => {   router.push('/whatever you want it to be') })

This approach allows you to maintain control over the navigation within your SPA without requiring full page reloads. In summary, while Ory's default behavior might involve redirects, when building a SPA, you have the flexibility to handle these flows in a way that's more suitable for single-page applications, avoiding full page reloads and maintaining a smooth user experience.

Based on the response you've received, you're dealing with a scenario where the session has expired or is too old to perform privileged actions in the settings flow. Here's how you should handle this in your SPA: 1. You don't need to decode the flow ID from the

return_to

parameter. Instead, you should initiate a new login flow. 2. The

redirect_browser_to

URL contains all the necessary information to start a new login flow with the correct parameters. In your SPA, you should extract this URL and use it to initiate the login flow. 3. Here's how you can handle this in your SPA:

javascript    if (response.error && response.error.id === "session_refresh_required") {      const loginUrl = response.redirect_browser_to;      // Use your SPA router to navigate to the login page      // Pass the loginUrl as a parameter so your login component can use it      router.push('/login', { loginUrl });    }

4. In your login component, you should then use this URL to start the login flow. This ensures that after successful login, the user will be redirected back to the settings flow they were trying to access. 5. You don't need to extract or decode the flow ID yourself. The URL provided in

redirect_browser_to

already contains all the necessary parameters, including the

refresh=true

flag and the

return_to

URL which points back to the original settings flow. This approach aligns with Ory's handling of privileged sessions as described in the [User Settings & Profile Management Documentation](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/self-service/flows/user-settings). The documentation states: "If this endpoint is called with a

Accept: application/json

HTTP header, the response contains the flow without a redirect. In the case of an error, the

error.id

of the JSON response body can be one of: `session_refresh_required`: The identity requested to change something that needs a privileged session. Redirect the identity to the login init endpoint with query parameters

?refresh=true&return_to=<the-current-browser-url>

, or initiate a refresh login flow otherwise." By using the provided

redirect_browser_to

URL, you're following this recommended flow, ensuring that after re-authentication, the user will be properly redirected back to their original settings flow.

Yes, you understand correctly. You can indeed redirect your application to your own login page with the necessary parameters, and you don't have to use the exact

redirect_browser_to

URL provided by Ory. However, there are a few important points to consider: 1. You should include the

refresh=true

parameter in your login URL. This is crucial as it tells Ory to re-authenticate the user even if they have an existing session [Refreshing a session](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/self-service/flows/user-login#refreshing-a-session). 2. Including a

returnTo

parameter with the current URL (including search params) is a good practice. This ensures that after successful re-authentication, the user is redirected back to where they were. 3. While you can ignore the specific content of

redirect_browser_to

, it's important to maintain the flow that Ory expects. Your approach of using

/mylogin?refresh=true&returnTo=currentUrlOnWhichErrorOccuredWithSearchParams

achieves this. Here's an example of how you might implement this in your SPA:

javascript if (response.error && response.error.id === "session_refresh_required") {   const currentUrl = encodeURIComponent(window.location.href);   const loginUrl = `/mylogin?refresh=true&returnTo=${currentUrl}`;   // Use your SPA router to navigate to the login page   router.push(loginUrl); }

This approach gives you more control over the URL structure in your application while still adhering to Ory's expected flow for handling privileged actions that require re-authentication. Remember, the key aspects are: 1. Initiating a new login flow 2. Including the

refresh=true

parameter 3. Providing a way to return to the original location after re-authentication By following these principles, you're correctly implementing the session refresh process as Ory intends, even if you're not using the exact

redirect_browser_to

URL provided in the response [Advanced integration](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/bring-your-own-ui/custom-ui-advanced-integration#login).

Yes, you're correct. After refreshing the login state and redirecting back to your application, you need to load the existing flow and execute it to apply the pending changes. Here's how this process typically works: 1. After successful re-authentication, you'll be redirected back to the URL you specified in the

returnTo

parameter. 2. This URL should contain the original flow ID that was pending before the re-authentication was required. 3. You need to fetch this existing flow using the flow ID. You can do this by making a GET request to the appropriate Ory endpoint. 4. Once you have the flow data, you can then execute it to apply the pending changes. Here's an example of how you might implement this in your SPA:

javascript // Assuming you're back on the settings page after re-authentication const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search); const flowId = urlParams.get('flow');  if (flowId) {   // Fetch the existing flow   sdk.getSettingsFlow({ id: flowId })     .then(({ data: flow }) => {       // Now you have the flow data, you can render your UI       // and submit the form when ready       renderSettingsForm(flow);     })     .catch((error) => {       // Handle any errors       console.error('Error fetching flow:', error);     }); }  // Function to submit the form and apply changes function submitSettingsForm(flowId, formData) {   sdk.updateSettingsFlow({ flow: flowId, updateSettingsFlowBody: formData })     .then((response) => {       // Handle successful update       console.log('Settings updated successfully', response);     })     .catch((error) => {       // Handle errors       console.error('Error updating settings:', error);     }); }

This approach aligns with the Ory documentation on [fetching existing flows](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/bring-your-own-ui/custom-ui-basic-integration#fetch-existing-flows) and [submitting flows](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/bring-your-own-ui/custom-ui-basic-integration#submit-flows). By following this process, you ensure that the pending changes from before the re-authentication are properly applied after the user has refreshed their session.

To determine which

method

to apply to the

UpdateSettingsFlowBody

after re-authenticating and fetching the existing settings flow, you need to examine the flow data returned by Ory. The correct method will be included in the flow's UI nodes. Here's how you can identify and use the correct method: 1. When you fetch the existing settings flow, the response will include a

ui

object with

nodes

that represent the form fields and actions available. 2. Look for a node with

type: "input"

and

attributes.name: "method"

. This node will contain the method you need to use. 3. The

attributes.value

of this node will be the method you should use in your

UpdateSettingsFlowBody

. Here's an example of how to extract and use the correct method:

javascript sdk.getSettingsFlow({ id: flowId })   .then(({ data: flow }) => {     // Find the method node     const methodNode = flow.ui.nodes.find(node =>        node.type === "input" &&        node.attributes.name === "method"     );      if (methodNode) {       const method = methodNode.attributes.value;              // Prepare your form data       const formData = {         method: method,         // Add other necessary fields based on the method         // For example, if method is "profile":         // traits: { ... }       };        // Submit the form with the correct method       return sdk.updateSettingsFlow({          flow: flowId,          updateSettingsFlowBody: formData        });     }   })   .then(response => {     console.log('Settings updated successfully', response);   })   .catch(error => {     console.error('Error updating settings:', error);   });

This approach is based on the structure of the settings flow as described in the [Ory API Reference](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/reference/api#tag/frontend/operation/updateSettingsFlow). The API reference shows that the

method

field is required in the request body, and its value should correspond to the specific settings action being performed (e.g., "password", "profile", "oidc", etc.). By extracting the method from the flow data, you ensure that you're using the correct method for the pending changes, whether they're related to updating the profile, changing the password, or modifying other settings. Remember, the available methods and their corresponding form fields may vary depending on your Ory configuration and the specific settings being updated. Always check the flow data to ensure you're using the correct method and including all necessary fields in your update request.

Based on the information you've provided, it seems you're looking at the UI nodes for the settings flow after re-authentication. These nodes represent the different methods available for updating settings, but they don't directly indicate what has changed or what needs to be updated. Let me explain how to determine what needs to be updated: 1. The presence of these method nodes ("profile", "password", and "totp") indicates that these are the available options for updating settings, not necessarily what has changed. 2. To determine what actually needs to be updated, you should look at the original action that triggered the need for re-authentication. This information should be preserved in your application state or URL parameters when you were redirected for re-authentication. 3. If you don't have this information preserved, you'll need to compare the current state of the settings with the state before the update was attempted. This would typically be done on your application's side. 4. Once you know what needs to be updated, you choose the appropriate method and submit the form with the necessary data. Here's a general approach you can follow: 1. If you were updating profile information, use the "profile" method:

javascript const updateData = {   method: "profile",   traits: {     // Include the updated profile information here     // For example: email: "<mailto:newemail@example.com|newemail@example.com>"   } };

2. If you were changing the password, use the "password" method:

javascript const updateData = {   method: "password",   password: "newpassword" };

3. If you were setting up or modifying TOTP, use the "totp" method:

javascript const updateData = {   method: "totp",   totp_code: "123456", // The current TOTP code   totp_unlink: false // Set to true if you're removing TOTP };

Then, you would submit this data using the Ory SDK:

javascript sdk.updateSettingsFlow({   flow: flowId,   updateSettingsFlowBody: updateData }) .then(response => {   console.log('Settings updated successfully', response); }) .catch(error => {   console.error('Error updating settings:', error); });

Remember, the exact fields you need to include in your update request depend on what you're updating and your specific Ory configuration. The UI nodes in the settings flow response should include all the necessary input fields for each method. If you're unsure about what exactly triggered the need for re-authentication, you might need to implement a mechanism in your application to preserve this information across the re-authentication process. This could be done by storing the intended update in your application state or by including it as a parameter when redirecting to the login page. [Ory API Reference](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/reference/api#tag/frontend/operation/updateSettingsFlow) provides more detailed information about the structure of the update request for different methods.

To securely maintain the change state and execute the password change after re-login when a user performs a hard reload on the login page, you can follow these steps: 1. Use the Ory session extension mechanism: Instead of relying on client-side state preservation, which can be lost during a hard reload, you can leverage Ory's session extension feature. Before initiating the password change flow, extend the current session using the

extendSession

API endpoint. This will give you more time to complete the flow even if there's a page reload [Ory API Reference](https://www.ory.sh/docs/reference/api#tag/identity/operation/extendSession). 2. Utilize the

return_to

parameter: When redirecting to the login page for re-authentication, include a

return_to

parameter in the URL that points back to your password change page. This parameter should persist even after a hard reload.

javascript
const returnTo = encodeURIComponent('/change-password?flow=' + flowId);
const loginUrl = `/login?refresh=true&return_to=${returnTo}`;

3. After successful re-login: When the user successfully re-authenticates, they will be redirected to the URL specified in the

return_to

parameter. At this point, you can retrieve the flow ID from the URL and continue with the password change process. 4. Fetch and complete the settings flow: Use the flow ID to fetch the existing settings flow and complete the password change:

javascript
const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
const flowId = urlParams.get('flow');

if (flowId) {
  sdk.getSettingsFlow({ id: flowId })
    .then(({ data: flow }) => {
      // Ensure the flow is for password change
      const passwordMethod = flow.ui.nodes.find(node => 
        node.attributes.name === "method" && node.attributes.value === "password"
      );

      if (passwordMethod) {
        // Complete the password change
        return sdk.updateSettingsFlow({
          flow: flowId,
          updateSettingsFlowBody: {
            method: "password",
            password: "new_password" // This should be securely obtained from the user
          }
        });
      }
    })
    .then(response => {
      console.log('Password changed successfully', response);
    })
    .catch(error => {
      console.error('Error changing password:', error);
    });
}

This approach ensures that even if the user performs a hard reload during the login process, the intent to change the password is maintained through the URL parameters. The flow ID in the URL allows you to retrieve and complete the password change flow after successful re-authentication. Remember to handle potential errors, such as expired flows or invalid states, and provide appropriate feedback to the user throughout the process.

To securely maintain the change state and execute the password change after re-login when a user performs a hard reload on the login page, you can follow these steps: 1. Use the Ory session extension mechanism: Instead of relying on client-side state preservation, which can be lost during a hard reload, you can leverage Ory's session extension feature. Before initiating the password change flow, extend the current session using the

extendSession

API endpoint. This will give you more time to complete the flow even if there's a page reload [Ory API Reference](https://www.ory.sh/docs/reference/api#tag/identity/operation/extendSession). 2. Utilize the

return_to

parameter: When redirecting to the login page for re-authentication, include a

return_to

parameter in the URL that points back to your password change page. This parameter should persist even after a hard reload.

javascript const returnTo = encodeURIComponent('/change-password?flow=' + flowId); const loginUrl = `/login?refresh=true&return_to=${returnTo}`;

3. After successful re-login: When the user successfully re-authenticates, they will be redirected to the URL specified in the

return_to

parameter. At this point, you can retrieve the flow ID from the URL and continue with the password change process. 4. Fetch and complete the settings flow: Use the flow ID to fetch the existing settings flow and complete the password change:

javascript const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search); const flowId = urlParams.get('flow');  if (flowId) {   sdk.getSettingsFlow({ id: flowId })     .then(({ data: flow }) => {       // Ensure the flow is for password change       const passwordMethod = flow.ui.nodes.find(node =>          node.attributes.name === "method" && node.attributes.value === "password"       );        if (passwordMethod) {         // Complete the password change         return sdk.updateSettingsFlow({           flow: flowId,           updateSettingsFlowBody: {             method: "password",             password: "new_password" // This should be securely obtained from the user           }         });       }     })     .then(response => {       console.log('Password changed successfully', response);     })     .catch(error => {       console.error('Error changing password:', error);     }); }

This approach ensures that even if the user performs a hard reload during the login process, the intent to change the password is maintained through the URL parameters. The flow ID in the URL allows you to retrieve and complete the password change flow after successful re-authentication. Remember to handle potential errors, such as expired flows or invalid states, and provide appropriate feedback to the user throughout the process. For more details on handling settings flows and session management, refer to the [Ory Kratos User Settings & Profile Management Documentation](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/self-service/flows/user-settings) and the [Session Management Documentation](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/session-management/session-lifespan#privileged-sessions).

I apologize for the misunderstanding. You're right, and I see now that I didn't address your specific concern about automatically transmitting the new password after re-login without user interaction. To be clear, automatically transmitting a password without user interaction is not a secure practice and is not supported by Ory Kratos for good security reasons. Passwords should always be entered by the user to maintain security. According to the [Ory Kratos User Settings & Profile Management Documentation](https://www.ory.sh/docs/kratos/self-service/flows/user-settings), sensitive operations like changing a password require a privileged session, which is why re-authentication is necessary. After re-authentication, the user needs to input their new password again for security reasons. There isn't a secure way to automatically transmit the new password after re-login without user interaction. This is by design to protect user accounts from potential security vulnerabilities. Instead, the recommended approach is to: 1. Inform the user that they need to re-enter their new password after re-authentication. 2. After successful re-login, redirect the user back to the password change form. 3. Have the user input their new password again. 4. Submit the new password to complete the change. This process ensures that the password change is intentional and secure, even if there's a page reload or session expiration during the process. I apologize again for not addressing your specific concern earlier. If you have any other questions about securely handling password changes within Ory Kratos' security model, please feel free to ask.