Document default JWT token storage location and logout procedure in `using_the_client.md`
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- Dominant language
- Python
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Description
Description
After successful OIDC authentication via rucio whoami, users may want to:
- Locate their JWT token for debugging or external use
- Log out / invalidate their session
- Re-authenticate with different credentials
Currently, this information is not documented in the official Rucio client documentation.
Proposed Documentation Addition
Location: docs/user/using_the_client.md (after the OIDC authentication section)
JWT Token Storage
After successful OIDC authentication, Rucio stores the JWT token locally:
# Default location
/tmp/root/.rucio_<account>/auth_token_for_account_<account>
# Example for 'root' account
cat /tmp/root/.rucio_root/auth_token_for_account_root
Token Format: The file contains a base64-encoded JWT with three parts separated by dots:
<header>.<payload>.<signature>
Decode Token (for debugging):
# View token payload
TOKEN=$(cat /tmp/root/.rucio_root/auth_token_for_account_root)
echo $TOKEN | cut -d'.' -f2 | base64 -d 2>/dev/null | python3 -m json.tool
# Shows: exp (expiration), iat (issued at), sub (subject), iss (issuer), scope, etc.
Logout / Session Management
Logout (delete cached token):
# Remove all cached tokens
rm -rf /tmp/root/.rucio_*/
# Remove specific account token
rm -rf /tmp/root/.rucio_<account>/
# Verify logout
rucio whoami
# Will prompt for re-authentication
Switch Accounts:
# Logout from current account
rm -rf /tmp/root/.rucio_root/
# Authenticate with different account
export RUCIO_ACCOUNT=user
rucio whoami
Custom Token Location:
You can specify a custom token storage location in rucio.cfg:
[client]
auth_token_file_path = /path/to/custom/token/file
Security Note: Token files contain sensitive credentials. Ensure proper file permissions:
chmod 600 /tmp/root/.rucio_root/auth_token_for_account_root
Additional Context
- Token lifetime is controlled by the Identity Provider (typically 1-24 hours)
- Expired tokens are automatically refreshed if
auth_oidc_refresh_active = truein config - Tokens are account-specific (one token per Rucio account)
Files to Update
docs/user/using_the_client.md- Add new section after OIDC examples
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Read the OIDC authentication section in docs/user/using_the_client.md and verify the proposed token paths, logout commands, configuration setting, and security notes against the client documentation. Add the JWT storage and session-management section after the OIDC examples, then build or preview the documentation to confirm the new content renders correctly.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- authentication, documentation
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Estimated time
- Half a day
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 55/100