Skip to content

Use HTTP API to Manage User Data

For authentication data stored in the built-in database, you can use the EMQX Dashboard or HTTP API to create, update, delete, list, and import user credentials.

This applies to:

User Management API Endpoints

User management endpoints vary depending on the authentication chain scope.

  • Global MQTT authentication chain

    /api/v5/authentication/{id}/users
  • MQTT listener-specific authentication chain

    /api/v5/listeners/{listener_id}/authentication/{id}/users
  • Global gateway protocol authentication chain

    /api/v5/gateway/{protocol}/authentication/{id}/users
  • Gateway protocol listener-specific authentication chain

    /api/v5/gateway/{protocol}/listeners/{listener_id}/authentication/{id}/users

See REST API for identifier conventions and parameter descriptions.

Import Users

User import is supported only for the password_based:built_in_database authenticator.

This feature allows batch importing users into a running EMQX instance.

The following endpoints are available:

  • /api/v5/authentication/{id}/import_users
  • /api/v5/gateway/{protocol}/authentication/import_users
  • /api/v5/gateway/{protocol}/listeners/{listener_id}/import_users

The request must be a multipart/form-data POST.

Example:

bash
curl -v -u admin:public -X 'POST' \
    -H 'Content-Type: multipart/form-data' \
    -F 'filename=@/tmp/myusers.csv' \
    'http://localhost:18083/api/v5/authentication/password_based%3Abuilt_in_database/import_users'

Supported File Formats

The file format is determined by its extension. The following formats are supported:

  • .csv

    Header-based CSV file:

    txt
    user_id,password_hash,salt,is_superuser
    myuser3,b6c743545a7817ae8c8f624371d5f5f0373234bb0ff36b8ffbf19bce0e06ab75,de1024f462fb83910fd13151bd4bd235,true
    myuser4,ee68c985a69208b6eda8c6c9b4c7c2d2b15ee2352cdd64a903171710a99182e8,ad773b5be9dd0613fe6c2f4d8c403139,false

    Required fields:

    • user_id
    • password_hash

    Optional fields:

    • salt (defaults to empty string)
    • is_superuser (defaults to false)
  • .json

    JSON array of objects:

    json
    [
      {
          "user_id":"myuser1",
          "password_hash":"c5e46903df45e5dc096dc74657610dbee8deaacae656df88a1788f1847390242",
          "salt": "e378187547bf2d6f0545a3f441aa4d8a",
          "is_superuser": true
      },
      {
          "user_id":"myuser2",
          "password_hash":"f4d17f300b11e522fd33f497c11b126ef1ea5149c74d2220f9a16dc876d4567b",
          "salt": "6d3f9bd5b54d94b98adbcfe10b6d181f",
          "is_superuser": false
      }
    ]

    Field requirements are the same as for CSV.