Identity · User Management
Every user account, governed from one place
We design how identities are created, described, verified and retired in Keycloak — a declarative user profile, sensible required actions, self-service for end users and automation for the team that supports them.
- Declarative User Profile with validation
- LDAP / AD federation or full import
- Runs on upstream Keycloak 26.x
Standards & integrations
- Declarative User Profile
- LDAP / Active Directory
- Kerberos
- Admin REST API
- Argon2 / PBKDF2
- Terraform / OpenTofu
Overview
User management is a data model, not a screen
Keycloak can store, federate and validate user data, but its defaults rarely match your product. Which attributes exist, who can edit them, what a new account must complete before it's usable, and how records move in from a legacy system are design decisions. We make them deliberately, capture them as configuration, and give your support team the tools to act on them.
What we deliver
- User profile configuration with attributes, validators and permissions
- Registration and required-action policy per realm
- Themed account console and account emails
- LDAP / AD federation mappers or bulk import scripts
- Admin REST API scripts for bulk changes, export and deletion
- Support runbook for everyday user administration
Capabilities
What User Management covers
Configured, tested and documented on upstream Keycloak — then handed over or operated by us.
Declarative user profile
Attributes, validators, attribute groups and per-attribute view and edit permissions defined once and enforced on registration, the account console and the Admin API alike.
Required actions that fit your flow
Verify email, update password, accept terms, configure OTP or register a passkey — attached to new accounts by default or set on individual users by an admin.
Self-service account console
Users update their details, manage credentials, review signed-in devices and linked accounts without raising a ticket, in a console themed to match your product.
Groups that carry access
Group hierarchies hold role mappings and attributes, so access follows membership instead of being assigned user by user.
Federation or migration
Keep LDAP or Active Directory authoritative through user federation, or import users with their existing password hashes. Formats Keycloak doesn't support natively get a custom password hash provider.
Automated lifecycle tasks
Admin REST API scripts for bulk changes, user data export on request and account deletion, alongside self-service deletion from the account console where you allow it.
How it works
From first call to production
Model your user record
We agree which attributes you need, where each one comes from, who may see or change it and which validations apply — then express that as a user profile configuration.
Build onboarding and lifecycle flows
Registration, required actions, email verification and account recovery are configured and themed; offboarding and data requests are scripted against the Admin REST API.
Migrate and hand over
Existing users arrive by federation, bulk import or migration on first login, verified against a sample set first, with a runbook your support team can follow.
Use cases
Where teams put it to work
Customer accounts at scale
Self-registration with verified email, profile fields collected when they're needed and a self-service console, so support handles exceptions rather than routine changes.
Workforce directory in front of AD
Active Directory stays the system of record; Keycloak reads users and groups from it and adds modern protocols, MFA and self-service on top.
Consolidating legacy user stores
Several home-grown databases or an outgoing identity provider merged into one Keycloak realm, with duplicates resolved and passwords carried over where the hash format allows.
FAQ
User Management questions, answered
Can we migrate users without forcing a password reset?
Often, yes. Keycloak imports users with their existing password hashes when it supports the algorithm, such as PBKDF2 variants and Argon2. For other formats, like bcrypt, we add a password hash provider or migrate users gradually on their next login through a custom user storage provider.
Do we have to replace LDAP or Active Directory?
No. User federation lets Keycloak read from your directory and, if you choose, write changes back to it. Many teams keep AD authoritative for staff while customer accounts live in Keycloak's own database.
Can different attributes have different edit rights?
Yes. The declarative user profile sets view and edit permissions per attribute for users and admins, so a user can update their phone number while an employee ID stays admin-only.
How do we handle user data export and deletion requests?
Keycloak can let users delete their own account from the account console. For data export and admin-driven deletion we script the Admin REST API, so every request is handled the same way and leaves an admin event behind.
Ready to roll out User Management?
Walk us through your requirements on a free strategy call. We'll come back with an architecture, a delivery plan and a fixed scope.