Better Auth Skill

Better Auth is comprehensive, framework-agnostic authentication/authorization framework for TypeScript with built-in email/password, social OAuth, and powerful plugin ecosystem for advanced features.

Implementing auth in TypeScript/JavaScript applications Adding email/password or social OAuth authentication Setting up 2FA, passkeys, magic links, advanced auth features Building multi-tenant apps with organization support Managing sessions and user lifecycle Working with any framework (Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Remix, Astro, Hono, Express, etc.)

Quick Start

Installation

npm install better-auth # or pnpm/yarn/bun add better-auth

Environment Setup

Create .env:

BETTER_AUTH_SECRET=<generated-secret-32-chars-min>
BETTER_AUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000

Basic Server Setup

Create auth.ts (root, lib/, utils/, or under src/app/server/):

import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";

export const auth = betterAuth({
database: {
// See references/database-integration.md
},
emailAndPassword: {
enabled: true,
autoSignIn: true
},
socialProviders: {
github: {
clientId: process.env.GITHUB_CLIENT_ID!,
clientSecret: process.env.GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET!,
}
}
});


Database Schema

npx @better-auth/cli generate # Generate schema/migrations npx @better-auth/cli migrate # Apply migrations (Kysely only)

Mount API Handler

Next.js App Router:

// app/api/auth/[...all]/route.ts import { auth } from "@/lib/auth"; import { toNextJsHandler } from "better-auth/next-js";

export const { POST, GET } = toNextJsHandler(auth);


Other frameworks: See references/email-password-auth.md#framework-setup

Client Setup

Create auth-client.ts:

import { createAuthClient } from "better-auth/client";

export const authClient = createAuthClient({
baseURL: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_BETTER_AUTH_URL || "http://localhost:3000"
});


Basic Usage

// Sign up await authClient.signUp.email({ email: "user@example.com", password: "secure123", name: "John Doe" });

// Sign in
await authClient.signIn.email({
email: "user@example.com",
password: "secure123"
});

// OAuth
await authClient.signIn.social({ provider: "github" });

// Session
const { data: session } = authClient.useSession(); // React/Vue/Svelte
const { data: session } = await authClient.getSession(); // Vanilla JS


Feature Selection Matrix

Feature	Plugin Required	Use Case	Reference
Email/Password	No (built-in)	Basic auth	email-password-auth.md
OAuth (GitHub, Google, etc.)	No (built-in)	Social login	oauth-providers.md
Email Verification	No (built-in)	Verify email addresses	email-password-auth.md
Password Reset	No (built-in)	Forgot password flow	email-password-auth.md
Two-Factor Auth (2FA/TOTP)	Yes (twoFactor)	Enhanced security	advanced-features.md
Passkeys/WebAuthn	Yes (passkey)	Passwordless auth	advanced-features.md
Magic Link	Yes (magicLink)	Email-based login	advanced-features.md
Username Auth	Yes (username)	Username login	email-password-auth.md
Organizations/Multi-tenant	Yes (organization)	Team/org features	advanced-features.md
Rate Limiting	No (built-in)	Prevent abuse	advanced-features.md
Session Management	No (built-in)	User sessions	advanced-features.md

Auth Method Selection Guide

Choose Email/Password when:

• Building standard web app with traditional auth
• Need full control over user credentials
• Targeting users who prefer email-based accounts

Choose OAuth when:

• Want quick signup with minimal friction
• Users already have social accounts
• Need access to social profile data

Choose Passkeys when:

• Want passwordless experience
• Targeting modern browsers/devices
• Security is top priority

Choose Magic Link when:

• Want passwordless without WebAuthn complexity
• Targeting email-first users
• Need temporary access links

Combine Multiple Methods when:

• Want flexibility for different user preferences
• Building enterprise apps with various auth requirements
• Need progressive enhancement (start simple, add more options)

Core Architecture

Better Auth uses client-server architecture:

1. Server (better-auth): Handles auth logic, database ops, API routes
2. Client (better-auth/client): Provides hooks/methods for frontend
3. Plugins: Extend both server/client functionality

Implementation Checklist

• Install better-auth package
• Set environment variables (SECRET, URL)
• Create auth server instance with database config
• Run schema migration (npx @better-auth/cli generate)
• Mount API handler in framework
• Create client instance
• Implement sign-up/sign-in UI
• Add session management to components
• Set up protected routes/middleware
• Add plugins as needed (regenerate schema after)
• Test complete auth flow
• Configure email sending (verification/reset)
• Enable rate limiting for production
• Set up error handling

BETTER_AUTH_SECRET must be at least 32 characters and kept secure Never expose BETTER_AUTH_SECRET in client-side code Always enable rate limiting in production to prevent brute force attacks Regenerate database schema after adding/removing plugins Use HTTPS in production for all auth endpoints Implement email verification for email/password auth in production

Reference Documentation

Core Authentication

• Email/Password Authentication - Email/password setup, verification, password reset, username auth
• OAuth Providers - Social login setup, provider configuration, token management
• Database Integration - Database adapters, schema setup, migrations

Advanced Features

• Advanced Features - 2FA/MFA, passkeys, magic links, organizations, rate limiting, session management

Scripts

• scripts/better_auth_init.py - Initialize Better Auth configuration with interactive setup

Resources

• Docs: https://www.better-auth.com/docs
• GitHub: https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth
• Plugins: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/plugins
• Examples: https://www.better-auth.com/docs/examples