docs: clarify PKCE vs client authentication and refresh tokens#448
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docs: clarify PKCE vs client authentication and refresh tokens#448dhensby wants to merge 1 commit into
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Documents the conclusions from the PKCE/refresh standards review so the recurring confusion doesn't return: - guide/pkce.md: new section explaining that code_verifier applies only to the authorization_code exchange (never refresh), that PKCE is not a substitute for client_secret, and how to allow public clients to refresh without a secret. - Model#getClient JSDoc: clientSecret is absent for public clients and for PKCE authorization_code requests even when the client has a secret, so the model must reject a confidential client that omits it. - requireClientAuthentication (server.js JSDoc + index.d.ts): disabling a grant turns off the client_secret presence check for the whole grant (all clients), so per-client enforcement belongs in getClient. Regenerated docs/api/model.md and docs/api/server.md. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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What
Documentation-only clarifications from the PKCE / refresh standards review (#288), making the behaviour explicit so the same confusion doesn't recur.
Changes
docs/guide/pkce.md— new "PKCE, client authentication and refresh tokens" section:code_verifierapplies only to theauthorization_codeexchange (not refresh); PKCE is not a substitute forclient_secret; and how to let public clients refresh without a secret (with the caveat that it relaxes the presence check for the whole grant).Model#getClientJSDoc —clientSecretis absent for public clients and for PKCEauthorization_coderequests even when the client has a secret, so the model must reject a confidential client that omits it.requireClientAuthenticationJSDoc (server.js+index.d.ts) — setting a grant tofalsedisables theclient_secretpresence check for the whole grant (all clients), so per-client (public vs confidential) enforcement belongs ingetClient.docs/api/model.mdanddocs/api/server.md.Context
Follows the standards review on #288 (closed as works-per-spec). The deeper per-client public/confidential distinction remains tracked in #81; this PR just documents the current, correct behaviour and the model's responsibilities. Docs only — no code/behaviour change;
npm run lintpasses.🤖 Generated with Claude Code