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Collect credentials via Kernel’s hosted page, then use the authenticated session in your automations. This is the recommended approach for most applications. Use the Hosted UI when:
  • You need users to provide their credentials
  • You want the simplest integration with minimal code
  • You want Kernel to handle 2FA and multi-step login flows

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Getting started

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1. Create a Connection

A Managed Auth Connection links a profile to a domain you want to keep authenticated. 
const auth = await kernel.auth.connections.create({
  domain: 'linkedin.com',
  profile_name: 'linkedin-profile',
});

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2. Start a Login Session

Start a Managed Auth Session to get the hosted login URL. 
const login = await kernel.auth.connections.login(auth.id);

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3. Collect Credentials

Send the user to the hosted login page: 
window.location.href = login.hosted_url;
The user will:
  1. See the login page for the target website
  2. Enter their credentials
  3. Complete 2FA if needed

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4. Poll for Completion

On your backend, poll until authentication completes: 
let state = await kernel.auth.connections.retrieve(auth.id);

while (state.flow_status === 'IN_PROGRESS') {
  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));
  state = await kernel.auth.connections.retrieve(auth.id);
}

if (state.status === 'AUTHENTICATED') {
  console.log('Authentication successful!');
}
Poll every 2 seconds. The session expires after 5 minutes if not completed.

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5. Use the Profile

Create browsers with the profile and navigate to the site—the session is already authenticated: 
const browser = await kernel.browsers.create({
  profile: { name: 'linkedin-profile' },
  stealth: true,
});

// Navigate to the site—you're already logged in
await page.goto('https://linkedin.com');
Use stealth: true when creating browsers for authenticated sessions.

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Complete Example

import Kernel from '@onkernel/sdk';

const kernel = new Kernel();

// Create connection
const auth = await kernel.auth.connections.create({
  domain: 'doordash.com',
  profile_name: 'doordash-user-123',
});

// Start authentication
const login = await kernel.auth.connections.login(auth.id);

// Send user to hosted page
console.log('Login URL:', login.hosted_url);

// Poll for completion
let state = await kernel.auth.connections.retrieve(auth.id);
while (state.flow_status === 'IN_PROGRESS') {
  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));
  state = await kernel.auth.connections.retrieve(auth.id);
}

if (state.status === 'AUTHENTICATED') {
  const browser = await kernel.browsers.create({
    profile: { name: 'doordash-user-123' },
    stealth: true,
  });
  
  // Navigate to the site—you're already logged in
  await page.goto('https://doordash.com');
}

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Adding Features

The basic flow above gets you started. Add these features as needed:

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Credentials and Auto-Reauth

Credentials are saved automatically on successful login, enabling automatic re-authentication when the session expires—no user interaction needed. To opt out of credential saving, set save_credentials: false when creating the connection. See Credentials for more on automated authentication.

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Custom Login URL

If the site’s login page isn’t at the default location, specify it when creating the connection: 
const auth = await kernel.auth.connections.create({
  domain: 'example.com',
  profile_name: 'my-profile',
  login_url: 'https://example.com/auth/signin',
});

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SSO/OAuth Support

For sites with “Sign in with Google/GitHub/Microsoft”, add the OAuth provider’s domains to allowed_domains: 
const auth = await kernel.auth.connections.create({
  domain: 'example.com',
  profile_name: 'my-profile',
  allowed_domains: ['accounts.google.com', 'google.com'],
});
The user can click the SSO button on the hosted page, complete OAuth with the provider, and the authenticated session is saved to the profile.

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Post-Login URL

After successful authentication, retrieve the connection to get post_login_url—the page where the login landed. Use this to start your automation from the right place: 
const managedAuth = await kernel.auth.connections.retrieve(auth.id);

if (managedAuth.post_login_url) {
  await page.goto(managedAuth.post_login_url);
  // Start automation from the dashboard/home page
}