sf-connected-apps: Salesforce Connected Apps & External Client Apps

Use this skill when the user needs OAuth app configuration in Salesforce: Connected Apps, External Client Apps (ECAs), JWT bearer setup, PKCE decisions, scope design, or migration from older Connected App patterns to newer ECA patterns.

When This Skill Owns the Task

Use sf-connected-apps when the work involves:

• .connectedApp-meta.xml or .eca-meta.xml files
• OAuth flow selection and callback / scope setup
• JWT bearer auth, device flow, client credentials, or auth-code decisions
• Connected App vs External Client App architecture choices
• consumer-key / secret / certificate handling strategy

Delegate elsewhere when the user is:

• configuring Named Credentials or runtime callouts → sf-integration
• analyzing access / permission policy assignments → sf-permissions
• writing Apex token-handling code → sf-apex
• deploying metadata to orgs → sf-deploy

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First Decision: Connected App or External Client App

If the need is...	Prefer
simple single-org OAuth app	Connected App
new development with better secret handling	External Client App
multi-org / packaging / stronger operational controls	External Client App
straightforward legacy compatibility	Connected App

Default guidance:

• choose ECA for new regulated, packageable, or automation-heavy solutions
• choose Connected App when simplicity and legacy compatibility matter more
• Spring ’26 note: creation of new Connected Apps is disabled by default in orgs. For new integrations, prefer External Client Apps unless Connected App compatibility is explicitly required.

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Required Context to Gather First

Ask for or infer:

• app type: Connected App or ECA
• OAuth flow: auth code, PKCE, JWT bearer, device, client credentials
• client type: confidential vs public
• callback URLs / redirect surfaces
• required scopes
• distribution model: local org only vs packageable / multi-org
• whether certificates or secret rotation are required

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Recommended Workflow

1. Choose the app model

Decide whether a Connected App or ECA is the better long-term fit.

2. Choose the OAuth flow

Use case	Default flow
backend web app	Authorization Code
SPA / mobile / public client	Authorization Code + PKCE
server-to-server / CI/CD	JWT Bearer
device / CLI auth	Device Flow
service account style app	Client Credentials (typically ECA)

3. Start from the right template

Use the provided assets instead of building from scratch:

• assets/connected-app-basic.xml
• assets/connected-app-oauth.xml
• assets/connected-app-jwt.xml
• assets/external-client-app.xml
• assets/eca-global-oauth.xml
• assets/eca-oauth-settings.xml
• assets/eca-policies.xml

4. Apply security hardening

Favor:

• least-privilege scopes
• explicit callback URLs
• PKCE for public clients
• certificate-based auth where appropriate
• rotation-ready secret / key handling
• IP restrictions when realistic and maintainable

5. Validate deployment readiness

Before handoff, confirm:

• metadata file naming is correct
• scopes are justified
• callback and auth model match the real client type
• secrets are not embedded in source

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High-Signal Security Rules

Avoid these anti-patterns:

Anti-pattern	Why it fails
wildcard / overly broad callback URLs	token interception risk
Full scope by default	unnecessary privilege
PKCE disabled for public clients	code interception risk
consumer secret committed to source	credential exposure
no rotation / cert strategy for automation	brittle long-term ops

Default fix direction:

• narrow scopes
• constrain callbacks
• enable PKCE for public clients
• keep secrets outside version control
• use JWT certificates or controlled secret storage where appropriate

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Metadata Notes That Matter

Connected App

Usually lives under:

• force-app/main/default/connectedApps/

External Client App

Typically involves multiple metadata files, including:

• base ECA header
• global OAuth settings
• instance OAuth settings
• optional policy metadata

Important file-name gotcha:

• the global OAuth suffix is .ecaGlblOauth, not .ecaGlobalOauth

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Output Format

When finishing, report in this order:

1. App type chosen
2. OAuth flow chosen
3. Files created or updated
4. Security decisions
5. Next deployment / testing step

Suggested shape:

App: <name>
Type: Connected App | External Client App
Flow: <oauth flow>
Files: <paths>
Security: <scopes, PKCE, certs, secrets, IP policy>
Next step: <deploy, retrieve consumer key, or test auth flow>

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Cross-Skill Integration

Need	Delegate to	Reason
Named Credential / callout runtime config	sf-integration	runtime integration setup
deploy app metadata	sf-deploy	org validation and deployment
Apex token or refresh handling	sf-apex	implementation logic
permission review after deployment	sf-permissions	access governance

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Reference Map

Start here

• references/oauth-flows-reference.md
• references/security-checklist.md
• references/testing-validation-guide.md

Migration / examples

• references/migration-guide.md
• references/example-usage.md
• assets/

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Score Guide

Score	Meaning
80+	production-ready OAuth app config
54–79	workable but needs hardening review
< 54	block deployment until fixed