azure-identity-java

Author's original introduction

Azure Identity library for Java authentication with Azure services. Use when implementing DefaultAzureCredential, managed identity, service principal, or any Azure authentication pattern in Java applications.

SkillPi interpretation

Tasks

azure-identity-java

Audience

Use the scope in the original author introduction.

Inputs and outputs

See the complete source; users must confirm cloud data transfers.

Software, accounts and paid services

This azure-identity-java package contains Microsoft Azure SDK documentation and examples, not a runtime-verified installer. Check SDK names/versions, tenant/subscription and actual endpoints; grant only task-specific least privilege. Never put administrator credentials or real secrets in samples, logs or commits. Connected cloud services may receive selected text, documents, audio, messages, logs or other input and incur charges; confirm scope, redaction and costs first. Ask the user to confirm each resource creation/update/deletion, key/access change or outbound message and test with disposable resources before production. Replace and verify placeholder endpoints and samples. SkillPi checked pinned source, complete attachments and static/antivirus evidence only; it did not run the SDK, verify service compatibility or authorize cloud access.

Limits and differences

Original author introduction preserved; Chinese is a corresponding translation. Examples were not run by SkillPi; versions, compatibility and outcomes are author claims.

Testing

Not tested

Security rating and access scope

caution · Static evidence review; not a runtime safety guarantee.

This azure-identity-java package contains Microsoft Azure SDK documentation and examples, not a runtime-verified installer. Check SDK names/versions, tenant/subscription and actual endpoints; grant only task-specific least privilege. Never put administrator credentials or real secrets in samples, logs or commits. Connected cloud services may receive selected text, documents, audio, messages, logs or other input and incur charges; confirm scope, redaction and costs first. Ask the user to confirm each resource creation/update/deletion, key/access change or outbound message and test with disposable resources before production. Replace and verify placeholder endpoints and samples. SkillPi checked pinned source, complete attachments and static/antivirus evidence only; it did not run the SDK, verify service compatibility or authorize cloud access.

Before use, confirm and authorize actual file access, external services and network destinations in your host. This review grants no runtime permissions.

Original SKILL.md

---
name: azure-identity-java
description: Azure Identity library for Java authentication with Azure services. Use when implementing DefaultAzureCredential, managed identity, service principal, or any Azure authentication pattern in Java applications.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Microsoft
  version: "1.0.0"
  package: com.azure:azure-identity
---

# Azure Identity library for Java

Authentication library for Azure SDK clients using Microsoft Entra ID.

## Installation

```xml
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.azure</groupId>
    <artifactId>azure-identity</artifactId>
    <version>1.15.0</version>
</dependency>
```

## Key Concepts

| Credential | Use Case |
|------------|----------|
| `DefaultAzureCredential` | **Recommended** - Works in dev and production |
| `ManagedIdentityCredential` | Azure-hosted apps (App Service, Functions, VMs) |
| `EnvironmentCredential` | CI/CD pipelines with env vars |
| `ClientSecretCredential` | Service principals with secret |
| `ClientCertificateCredential` | Service principals with certificate |
| `AzureCliCredential` | Local dev using `az login` |
| `InteractiveBrowserCredential` | Interactive login flow |
| `DeviceCodeCredential` | Headless device authentication |

## DefaultAzureCredential (Recommended)

The `DefaultAzureCredential` tries multiple authentication methods in order. See [DefaultAzureCredential overview](https://aka.ms/azsdk/java/identity/credential-chains#defaultazurecredential-overview) for the current credential chain order and defaults.

```java
import com.azure.identity.DefaultAzureCredential;
import com.azure.identity.DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder;

// Simple usage
DefaultAzureCredential credential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build();

// Use with any Azure client
BlobServiceClient blobClient = new BlobServiceClientBuilder()
    .endpoint("https://<storage-account>.blob.core.windows.net")
    .credential(credential)
    .buildClient();

KeyClient keyClient = new KeyClientBuilder()
    .vaultUrl("https://<vault-name>.vault.azure.net")
    .credential(credential)
    .buildClient();
```

### Configure DefaultAzureCredential

```java
DefaultAzureCredential credential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder()
    .managedIdentityClientId("<user-assigned-identity-client-id>")  // For user-assigned MI
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")                                        // Limit to specific tenant
    .excludeEnvironmentCredential()                                 // Skip env vars
    .excludeAzureCliCredential()                                    // Skip Azure CLI
    .build();
```

## Managed Identity

For Azure-hosted applications (App Service, Functions, AKS, VMs).

```java
import com.azure.identity.ManagedIdentityCredential;
import com.azure.identity.ManagedIdentityCredentialBuilder;

// System-assigned managed identity
ManagedIdentityCredential credential = new ManagedIdentityCredentialBuilder()
    .build();

// User-assigned managed identity (by client ID)
ManagedIdentityCredential credential = new ManagedIdentityCredentialBuilder()
    .clientId("<user-assigned-client-id>")
    .build();

// User-assigned managed identity (by resource ID)
ManagedIdentityCredential credential = new ManagedIdentityCredentialBuilder()
    .resourceId("/subscriptions/<sub>/resourceGroups/<rg>/providers/Microsoft.ManagedIdentity/userAssignedIdentities/<name>")
    .build();
```

## Service Principal with Secret

```java
import com.azure.identity.ClientSecretCredential;
import com.azure.identity.ClientSecretCredentialBuilder;

ClientSecretCredential credential = new ClientSecretCredentialBuilder()
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .clientSecret("<client-secret>")
    .build();
```

## Service Principal with Certificate

```java
import com.azure.identity.ClientCertificateCredential;
import com.azure.identity.ClientCertificateCredentialBuilder;

// From PEM file
ClientCertificateCredential credential = new ClientCertificateCredentialBuilder()
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .pemCertificate("<path-to-cert.pem>")
    .build();

// From PFX file with password
ClientCertificateCredential credential = new ClientCertificateCredentialBuilder()
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .pfxCertificate("<path-to-cert.pfx>", "<pfx-password>")
    .build();

// Send certificate chain for SNI
ClientCertificateCredential credential = new ClientCertificateCredentialBuilder()
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .pemCertificate("<path-to-cert.pem>")
    .sendCertificateChain(true)
    .build();
```

## Environment Credential

Reads credentials from environment variables.

```java
import com.azure.identity.EnvironmentCredential;
import com.azure.identity.EnvironmentCredentialBuilder;

EnvironmentCredential credential = new EnvironmentCredentialBuilder().build();
```

### Required Environment Variables

**For service principal with secret:**

```bash
AZURE_TENANT_ID=<tenant-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<client-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET=<client-secret>
```

**For service principal with certificate:**

```bash
AZURE_TENANT_ID=<tenant-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<client-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PATH=/path/to/cert.pem
AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD=<optional-password>
```

## Azure CLI Credential

For local development using `az login`.

```java
import com.azure.identity.AzureCliCredential;
import com.azure.identity.AzureCliCredentialBuilder;

AzureCliCredential credential = new AzureCliCredentialBuilder()
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")  // Optional: specific tenant
    .build();
```

## Interactive Browser

For desktop applications requiring user login.

```java
import com.azure.identity.InteractiveBrowserCredential;
import com.azure.identity.InteractiveBrowserCredentialBuilder;

InteractiveBrowserCredential credential = new InteractiveBrowserCredentialBuilder()
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .redirectUrl("http://localhost:8080")  // Must match app registration
    .build();
```

## Device Code

For headless devices (IoT, CLI tools).

```java
import com.azure.identity.DeviceCodeCredential;
import com.azure.identity.DeviceCodeCredentialBuilder;

DeviceCodeCredential credential = new DeviceCodeCredentialBuilder()
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .challengeConsumer(challenge -> {
        // Display to user
        System.out.println(challenge.getMessage());
    })
    .build();
```

## Chained Credential

Create custom authentication chains.

```java
import com.azure.identity.ChainedTokenCredential;
import com.azure.identity.ChainedTokenCredentialBuilder;

ChainedTokenCredential credential = new ChainedTokenCredentialBuilder()
    .addFirst(new ManagedIdentityCredentialBuilder().build())
    .addLast(new AzureCliCredentialBuilder().build())
    .build();
```

## Workload Identity (AKS)

For Azure Kubernetes Service with workload identity.

```java
import com.azure.identity.WorkloadIdentityCredential;
import com.azure.identity.WorkloadIdentityCredentialBuilder;

// Reads from AZURE_TENANT_ID, AZURE_CLIENT_ID, AZURE_FEDERATED_TOKEN_FILE
WorkloadIdentityCredential credential = new WorkloadIdentityCredentialBuilder().build();

// Or explicit configuration
WorkloadIdentityCredential credential = new WorkloadIdentityCredentialBuilder()
    .tenantId("<tenant-id>")
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .tokenFilePath("/var/run/secrets/azure/tokens/azure-identity-token")
    .build();
```

## Token Caching

Enable persistent token caching for better performance.

```java
// Enable token caching (in-memory by default)
DefaultAzureCredential credential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder()
    .enableAccountIdentifierLogging()
    .build();

// With shared token cache (for multi-credential scenarios)
SharedTokenCacheCredential credential = new SharedTokenCacheCredentialBuilder()
    .clientId("<client-id>")
    .build();
```

## Sovereign Clouds

```java
import com.azure.identity.AzureAuthorityHosts;

// Azure Government
DefaultAzureCredential govCredential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder()
    .authorityHost(AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_GOVERNMENT)
    .build();

// Azure China
DefaultAzureCredential chinaCredential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder()
    .authorityHost(AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_CHINA)
    .build();
```

## Error Handling

```java
import com.azure.identity.CredentialUnavailableException;
import com.azure.core.exception.ClientAuthenticationException;

try {
    DefaultAzureCredential credential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build();
    AccessToken token = credential.getToken(new TokenRequestContext()
        .addScopes("https://management.azure.com/.default"));
} catch (CredentialUnavailableException e) {
    // No credential could authenticate
    System.out.println("Authentication failed: " + e.getMessage());
} catch (ClientAuthenticationException e) {
    // Authentication error (wrong credentials, expired, etc.)
    System.out.println("Auth error: " + e.getMessage());
}
```

## Logging

Enable authentication logging for debugging.

```java
// Via environment variable
// AZURE_LOG_LEVEL=verbose

// Or programmatically
DefaultAzureCredential credential = new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder()
    .enableAccountIdentifierLogging()  // Log account info
    .build();
```

## Environment Variables

```bash
# DefaultAzureCredential configuration
AZURE_TENANT_ID=<tenant-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<client-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET=<client-secret>

# Managed Identity
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<user-assigned-mi-client-id>

# Workload Identity (AKS)
AZURE_FEDERATED_TOKEN_FILE=/var/run/secrets/azure/tokens/azure-identity-token

# Logging
AZURE_LOG_LEVEL=verbose

# Authority host
AZURE_AUTHORITY_HOST=https://login.microsoftonline.com/
```

## Best Practices

1. **Use DefaultAzureCredential** - Works seamlessly from dev to production
2. **Managed Identity in Production** - No secrets to manage, automatic rotation
3. **Azure CLI for Local Dev** - Run `az login` before running your app
4. **Least Privilege** - Grant only required permissions to service principals
5. **Token Caching** - Enabled by default, reduces auth round-trips
6. **Environment Variables** - Use for CI/CD, not hardcoded secrets

## Credential Selection Matrix

| Environment | Recommended Credential |
|-------------|----------------------|
| Local Development | `DefaultAzureCredential` (uses Azure CLI) |
| Azure App Service | `DefaultAzureCredential` (uses Managed Identity) |
| Azure Functions | `DefaultAzureCredential` (uses Managed Identity) |
| Azure Kubernetes Service | `WorkloadIdentityCredential` |
| Azure VMs | `DefaultAzureCredential` (uses Managed Identity) |
| CI/CD Pipeline | `EnvironmentCredential` |
| Desktop App | `InteractiveBrowserCredential` |
| CLI Tool | `DeviceCodeCredential` |

## Trigger Phrases

- "Azure authentication Java", "DefaultAzureCredential Java"
- "managed identity Java", "service principal Java"
- "Azure login Java", "Azure credentials Java"
- "AZURE_CLIENT_ID", "AZURE_TENANT_ID"

Copyright and license notice

    MIT License

    Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.

    Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
    of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
    in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
    to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
    copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
    furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

    The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
    copies or substantial portions of the Software.

    THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
    IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
    AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
    LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
    OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
    SOFTWARE