Using the BiometricAuthenticator object

JavaScript introduces the BiometricAuthenticator object which provides methods and properties to handle various biometric authentication events. To use this object, you need to request the necessary permissions, check if biometric authentication is supported, and then register the event listeners.

First, you will need to request permission from the user to access their biometric data using the navigator.permissions API:

if ('permissions' in navigator) {
  navigator.permissions
    .request({ name: 'biometric-authentication' })
    .then((permissionStatus) => {
      if (permissionStatus.state === 'granted') {
        // Biometric authentication permission granted
        // Register the event listeners here
      } else {
        // Permission denied, handle accordingly
      }
    });
} else {
  // Permissions API not supported, handle accordingly
}

Once the permission is granted, you can check if the user’s device supports biometric authentication using the BiometricAuthenticator API:

if ('BiometricAuthenticator' in window) {
  // Biometric authentication is supported
  const authenticator = new BiometricAuthenticator();
  // Register the event listeners here
} else {
  // Biometric authentication is not supported, handle accordingly
}

Registering biometric authentication event listeners

With the BiometricAuthenticator object instantiated, you can now register event listeners to handle the biometric authentication events. There are two main events you can listen for: success and error.

authenticator.addEventListener('success', (event) => {
  // Biometric authentication successful, handle accordingly
  const userCredentials = event.credentials;
  // Perform necessary actions with the credentials
});

authenticator.addEventListener('error', (event) => {
  // Biometric authentication failed, handle accordingly
  const errorMessage = event.error.message;
  // Display an error message to the user
});

In the success event listener, you can access the user’s credentials, which may include data such as the user’s unique identifier or biometric token. You can then use this information to authenticate the user or grant them access to certain parts of your application.

The error event listener provides information about any errors that occurred during the biometric authentication process. You can use the error message to display a meaningful error to the user or log the error for further analysis.

Conclusion

Integrating biometric authentication into your JavaScript applications has become easier thanks to the introduction of the BiometricAuthenticator object and its corresponding event listeners. By requesting the necessary permissions, checking if biometric authentication is supported and registering the event listeners, you can create a seamless and secure authentication experience for your users. Leverage the power of biometric authentication in your JavaScript applications and provide your users with a modern and convenient way to verify their identity.

#biometricauthentication #javascript