sf-connected-apps: Salesforce Connected Apps & External Client Apps
Use this skill when the user needs OAuth app configuration in Salesforce: Connected Apps, External Client Apps (ECAs), JWT bearer setup, PKCE decisions, scope design, or migration from older Connected App patterns to newer ECA patterns.
When This Skill Owns the Task
Use sf-connected-apps when the work involves:
.connectedApp-meta.xmlor.eca-meta.xmlfiles- OAuth flow selection and callback / scope setup
- JWT bearer auth, device flow, client credentials, or auth-code decisions
- Connected App vs External Client App architecture choices
- consumer-key / secret / certificate handling strategy
Delegate elsewhere when the user is:
- configuring Named Credentials or runtime callouts → sf-integration
- analyzing access / permission policy assignments → sf-permissions
- writing Apex token-handling code → sf-apex
- deploying metadata to orgs → sf-deploy
First Decision: Connected App or External Client App
| If the need is... | Prefer |
|---|---|
| simple single-org OAuth app | Connected App |
| new development with better secret handling | External Client App |
| multi-org / packaging / stronger operational controls | External Client App |
| straightforward legacy compatibility | Connected App |
Default guidance:
- choose ECA for new regulated, packageable, or automation-heavy solutions
- choose Connected App when simplicity and legacy compatibility matter more
- Spring ’26 note: creation of new Connected Apps is disabled by default in orgs. For new integrations, prefer External Client Apps unless Connected App compatibility is explicitly required.
Required Context to Gather First
Ask for or infer:
- app type: Connected App or ECA
- OAuth flow: auth code, PKCE, JWT bearer, device, client credentials
- client type: confidential vs public
- callback URLs / redirect surfaces
- required scopes
- distribution model: local org only vs packageable / multi-org
- whether certificates or secret rotation are required
Recommended Workflow
1. Choose the app model
Decide whether a Connected App or ECA is the better long-term fit.
2. Choose the OAuth flow
| Use case | Default flow |
|---|---|
| backend web app | Authorization Code |
| SPA / mobile / public client | Authorization Code + PKCE |
| server-to-server / CI/CD | JWT Bearer |
| device / CLI auth | Device Flow |
| service account style app | Client Credentials (typically ECA) |
3. Start from the right template
Use the provided assets instead of building from scratch:
assets/connected-app-basic.xmlassets/connected-app-oauth.xmlassets/connected-app-jwt.xmlassets/external-client-app.xmlassets/eca-global-oauth.xmlassets/eca-oauth-settings.xmlassets/eca-policies.xml
If you need source-controlled ECA OAuth security metadata, retrieve it from an org first and treat the retrieved file as the schema source of truth:
sf project retrieve start --metadata ExtlClntAppOauthSecuritySettings:<AppName> --target-org <alias>
4. Apply security hardening
Favor:
- least-privilege scopes
- explicit callback URLs
- PKCE for public clients
- certificate-based auth where appropriate
- rotation-ready secret / key handling
- IP restrictions when realistic and maintainable
5. Validate deployment readiness
Before handoff, confirm:
- metadata file naming is correct
- scopes are justified
- callback and auth model match the real client type
- secrets are not embedded in source
High-Signal Security Rules
Avoid these anti-patterns:
| Anti-pattern | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| wildcard / overly broad callback URLs | token interception risk |
Full scope by default | unnecessary privilege |
| PKCE disabled for public clients | code interception risk |
| consumer secret committed to source | credential exposure |
| no rotation / cert strategy for automation | brittle long-term ops |
Default fix direction:
- narrow scopes
- constrain callbacks
- enable PKCE for public clients
- keep secrets outside version control
- use JWT certificates or controlled secret storage where appropriate
Metadata Notes That Matter
Connected App
Usually lives under:
force-app/main/default/connectedApps/
External Client App
Current source-supported ECA metadata uses multiple top-level source directories, not a single externalClientApps/ folder:
force-app/main/default/externalClientApps/→ExternalClientApplication(.eca-meta.xml)force-app/main/default/extlClntAppGlobalOauthSets/→ExtlClntAppGlobalOauthSettings(.ecaGlblOauth-meta.xml)force-app/main/default/extlClntAppOauthSettings/→ExtlClntAppOauthSettings(.ecaOauth-meta.xml)force-app/main/default/extlClntAppOauthSecuritySettings/→ExtlClntAppOauthSecuritySettings(.ecaOauthSecurity-meta.xml)force-app/main/default/extlClntAppOauthPolicies/→ExtlClntAppOauthConfigurablePolicies(.ecaOauthPlcy-meta.xml)force-app/main/default/extlClntAppPolicies/→ExtlClntAppConfigurablePolicies(.ecaPlcy-meta.xml)
Important file-name gotchas:
- the global OAuth suffix is
.ecaGlblOauth, not.ecaGlobalOauth - the general policy suffix is
.ecaPlcy, not.ecaPolicy - use
.ecaOauthSecurityforExtlClntAppOauthSecuritySettings
Output Format
When finishing, report in this order:
- App type chosen
- OAuth flow chosen
- Files created or updated
- Security decisions
- Next deployment / testing step
Suggested shape:
App: <name>
Type: Connected App | External Client App
Flow: <oauth flow>
Files: <paths>
Security: <scopes, PKCE, certs, secrets, IP policy>
Next step: <deploy, retrieve consumer key, or test auth flow>Cross-Skill Integration
| Need | Delegate to | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Named Credential / callout runtime config | sf-integration | runtime integration setup |
| deploy app metadata | sf-deploy | org validation and deployment |
| Apex token or refresh handling | sf-apex | implementation logic |
| permission review after deployment | sf-permissions | access governance |
Reference Map
Start here
- references/oauth-flows-reference.md
- references/security-checklist.md
- references/testing-validation-guide.md
Migration / examples
Score Guide
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 80+ | production-ready OAuth app config |
| 54–79 | workable but needs hardening review |
| < 54 | block deployment until fixed |