Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management service. App registrations allow applications to authenticate users and access Azure resources securely.
Key Concepts
Concept
Description
App Registration
Configuration that allows an app to use Microsoft identity platform
Application (Client) ID
Unique identifier for your application
Tenant ID
Unique identifier for your Azure AD tenant/directory
Client Secret
Password for the application (confidential clients only)
Redirect URI
URL where authentication responses are sent
API Permissions
Access scopes your app requests
Service Principal
Identity created in your tenant when you register an app
Application Types
Type
Use Case
Web Application
Server-side apps, APIs
Single Page App (SPA)
JavaScript/React/Angular apps
Mobile/Native App
Desktop, mobile apps
Daemon/Service
Background services, APIs
Core Workflow
Step 1: Register the Application
Create an app registration in the Azure portal or using Azure CLI.
Portal Method:
Navigate to Azure Portal → Microsoft Entra ID → App registrations
Click "New registration"
Provide name, supported account types, and redirect URI
Click "Register"
CLI Method:
See
references/cli-commands.md
IaC Method:
See
references/BICEP-EXAMPLE.bicep
It's highly recommended to use the IaC to manage Entra app registration if you already use IaC in your project, need a scalable solution for managing lots of app registrations or need fine-grained audit history of the configuration changes.
Step 2: Configure Authentication
Set up authentication settings based on your application type.
Web Apps
Add redirect URIs, enable ID tokens if needed
SPAs
Add redirect URIs, enable implicit grant flow if necessary
Mobile/Desktop
Use
http://localhost
or custom URI scheme
Services
No redirect URI needed for client credentials flow
Step 3: Configure API Permissions
Grant your application permission to access Microsoft APIs or your own APIs.
Common Microsoft Graph Permissions:
User.Read
- Read user profile
User.ReadWrite.All
- Read and write all users
Directory.Read.All
- Read directory data
Mail.Send
- Send mail as a user
Details:
See
references/api-permissions.md
Step 4: Create Client Credentials (if needed)
For confidential client applications (web apps, services), create a client secret, certificate or federated identity credential.
Client Secret:
Navigate to "Certificates & secrets"
Create new client secret
Copy the value immediately (only shown once)
Store securely (Key Vault recommended)
Certificate:
For production environments, use certificates instead of secrets for enhanced security. Upload certificate via "Certificates & secrets" section.
Federated Identity Credential:
For dynamically authenticating the confidential client to Entra platform.
Step 5: Implement OAuth Flow
Integrate the OAuth flow into your application code.
See:
references/oauth-flows.md
- OAuth 2.0 flow details
references/console-app-example.md
- Console app implementation
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: First-Time App Registration
Walk user through their first app registration step-by-step.
Required Information:
Application name
Application type (web, SPA, mobile, service)
Redirect URIs (if applicable)
Required permissions
Script:
See
references/first-app-registration.md
Pattern 2: Console Application with User Authentication
Create a .NET/Python/Node.js console app that authenticates users.
Required Information:
Programming language (C#, Python, JavaScript, etc.)
Authentication library (MSAL recommended)
Required permissions
Example:
See
references/console-app-example.md
Pattern 3: Service-to-Service Authentication
Set up daemon/service authentication without user interaction.
Required Information:
Service/app name
Target API/resource
Whether to use secret or certificate
Implementation:
Use Client Credentials flow (see
references/oauth-flows.md#client-credentials-flow
)
MCP Tools and CLI
Azure CLI Commands
Command
Purpose
az ad app create
Create new app registration
az ad app list
List app registrations
az ad app show
Show app details
az ad app permission add
Add API permission
az ad app credential reset
Generate new client secret
az ad sp create
Create service principal
Complete reference:
See
references/cli-commands.md
Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL)
MSAL is the recommended library for integrating Microsoft identity platform.
Supported Languages:
.NET/C# -
Microsoft.Identity.Client
JavaScript/TypeScript -
@azure/msal-browser
,
@azure/msal-node
Python -
msal
Examples:
See
references/console-app-example.md
Security Best Practices
Practice
Recommendation
Never hardcode secrets
Use environment variables, Azure Key Vault, or managed identity
Rotate secrets regularly
Set expiration, automate rotation
Use certificates over secrets
More secure for production
Least privilege permissions
Request only required API permissions
Enable MFA
Require multi-factor authentication for users
Use managed identity
For Azure-hosted apps, avoid secrets entirely
Validate tokens
Always validate issuer, audience, expiration
Use HTTPS only
All redirect URIs must use HTTPS (except localhost)
Monitor sign-ins
Use Entra ID sign-in logs for anomaly detection
SDK Quick References
Azure Identity
:
Python
|
.NET
|
TypeScript
|
Java
|
Rust
Key Vault (secrets)
:
Python
|
TypeScript
Auth Events
:
.NET
References
OAuth Flows
- Detailed OAuth 2.0 flow explanations
CLI Commands
- Azure CLI reference for app registrations
Console App Example
- Complete working examples
First App Registration
- Step-by-step guide for beginners
API Permissions
- Understanding and configuring permissions
Troubleshooting
- Common issues and solutions
External Resources
Microsoft Identity Platform Documentation
OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect protocols
MSAL Documentation
Microsoft Graph API