OAuth diagrams in most docs are dense arrow-and-box images that are hard to read at a glance. This one is interactive — click a step and read exactly what it does and why, in plain language.
What Is the OAuth Flow Visualizer?
OAuth Flow Visualizer is one of the tools in WebdevToolbox’s Security & Crypto category. It walks through the current best-practice flow for browser and mobile apps — the Authorization Code flow with PKCE — one step at a time.
How to Use It
- Open the tool at /tools/oauth-visualizer.
- Click through each of the 7 steps in order.
- Read the “from → to” line and the plain-language explanation for what that request actually carries and why.
Key Features
- Covers the recommended flow, not the deprecated one — Authorization Code + PKCE, not the Implicit flow that modern OAuth guidance advises against.
- Explains PKCE specifically — the code_verifier/code_challenge exchange that protects the authorization code from interception.
- Distinguishes access_token from id_token — a common source of confusion between OAuth 2.0 authorization and OpenID Connect authentication.
- Purely educational and static — no real network requests are made; it’s a reference diagram, not a live OAuth client.
When to Use the OAuth Flow Visualizer
- Onboarding a new engineer to your auth system’s login flow.
- Debugging an OAuth integration — confirm which step in the flow you’re stuck on.
- Refreshing your own understanding before implementing or auditing an OAuth/OIDC integration.
Try It Now
Open OAuth Flow Visualizer directly from anywhere on the site using ⌘K and typing the tool name.
Part of the Security & Crypto collection on WebdevToolbox — free, browser-based developer tools with no login required.