context-mod/docs/botAuthentication.md

Note: This is for bot operators. If you are a subreddit moderator check out the Getting Started Guide

Before you can start using your bot on reddit there are a few steps you must take:

• Create your bot account IE the reddit account that will be the "bot"
• Create a Reddit application
• Authenticate your bot account with the application

At the end of this process you will have this info:

• clientId
• clientSecret
• refreshToken
• accessToken
• redirectUri

Note: If you already have this information you can skip this guide but make sure your redirect uri is correct if you plan on using the web interface.

Table Of Contents

• Creating an Application
• Authenticate Your Bot
  • Using CM OAuth Helper
  • Using Aardvark OAuth Helper
• Provide Credentials to CM

Create Application

Visit your reddit preferences and at the bottom of the page go through the create an(other) app process.

• Give it a name
• Choose web app
• If you know what you will use for redirect uri go ahead and use it, otherwise use http://localhost:8085/callback

Click create app.

Then write down your Client ID, Client Secret, and Redirect Uri somewhere (or keep this webpage open)

Authenticate Your Bot Account

There are two ways you can authenticate your bot account. It is recommended to use the CM oauth helper.

CM OAuth Helper (Recommended)

This method will use CM's built in oauth flow. It is recommended because it will ensure your bot is authenticated with the correct oauth permissions.

Start CM with Client ID/Secret and Operator

Start the application and provide these to your configuration:

• Client ID
• Client Secret
• Redirect URI
• Operator

It is important you define Operator because the auth route is protected. You must login to the application in order to access the route.

Refer to the operator config guide if you need help with this.

Examples:

• CLI - node src/index.js --clientId=myId --clientSecret=mySecret --redirectUri="http://localhost:8085/callback" --operator=FoxxMD
• Docker - docker run -e "CLIENT_ID=myId" -e "CLIENT_SECRET=mySecret" -e "OPERATOR=FoxxMD" -e "REDIRECT_URI=http://localhost:8085/callback" foxxmd/context-mod

Create An Auth Invite

Then open the CM web interface (default is http://localhost:8085) and login.

After logging in you should be automatically redirected the auth page. If you are not then visit http://localhost:8085/auth/helper)

Follow the directions in the helper to create an auth invite link. Open this link and then follow the directions to authenticate your bot. At the end of the process you will receive an Access Token and Refresh Token

Aardvark OAuth Helper

This method should only be used if you cannot use the CM OAuth Helper method because you cannot access the CM web interface.

• Visit https://not-an-aardvark.github.io/reddit-oauth-helper/ and follow the instructions given.
  • Note: You will need to update your redirect uri.
• Input your Client ID and Client Secret in the text boxes with those names.
• Choose scopes. It is very important you check everything on this list or CM may not work correctly
  • edit
  • flair
  • history
  • identity
  • modcontributors
  • modflair
  • modposts
  • modself
  • mysubreddits
  • read
  • report
  • submit
  • wikiread
  • wikiedit (if you are using Toolbox User Notes)
• Click Generate tokens, you will get a popup asking you to approve access (or login) -- the account you approve access with is the account that Bot will control.
• After approving an Access Token and Refresh Token will be shown at the bottom of the page. Save these to use with CM.

Provide Credentials to CM

At the end of the last step you chose you should now have this information saved somewhere:

• clientId
• clientSecret
• refreshToken
• accessToken
• redirectUri

This is all the information you need to run your bot with CM.

Using these credentials follow the operator config guide to finish setting up your CM instance.