--- title: "Okta API Directory & Integration Guide | Knit Blog" url: "https://lb.getknit.dev/blog/okta-api/" date: "2026-07-22T00:00:00+00:00" modified: "2026-08-23T11:20:29+00:00" type: "post" --- # Okta API Directory & Integration Guide | Knit Blog [Blog](https://lb.getknit.dev/blog) / [API Directory](https://lb.getknit.dev/blogs/api-directory/) / Okta API Directory & Integration Guide | Knit Blog [API Directory](https://lb.getknit.dev/blogs/api-directory/) · July 22, 2026 Okta API Directory & Integration Guide | Knit Blog ====================================================== ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/knit-website-media/2026/08/64c34c8eb1ffc79e7f787ecd_Akshat-3-150x150.png)Akshat Jain 7 min read [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flb.getknit.dev%2Fblog%2Fokta-api%2F) [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Flb.getknit.dev%2Fblog%2Fokta-api%2F&text=Okta%20API%20Directory%20%26%23038%3B%20Integration%20Guide%20%7C%20Knit%20Blog) Table of Contents - [Authentication](#authentication) - [Core objects and endpoints](#core-objects-and-endpoints) - [Common tasks](#common-tasks) - [Rate limits and pagination](#rate-limits-and-pagination) - [Rate limits](#rate-limits) - [Pagination](#pagination) - [Build it yourself vs. use a unified API](#build-it-yourself-vs-use-a-unified-api) - [Knit’s Okta + AI/MCP](#knits-okta-ai-mcp) - [FAQ](#faq) The Okta API is a RESTful management interface for Okta’s identity platform. Developers use it to automate user lifecycle management, sync directory data, manage groups and app assignments, and build SCIM provisioning integrations. It supports two authentication methods — SSWS API tokens and OAuth 2.0 scoped access tokens — and all management endpoints live under `https://{yourOktaDomain}/api/v1/`. Authentication -------------- The Okta API supports two credential types. **SSWS API tokens** are the simpler option for scripts and internal tooling. Generate one in Admin Console → **Security → API → Tokens**, then pass it in every request as `Authorization: SSWS `. Tokens inherit the creating admin’s full privilege level and expire after 30 days of inactivity (the timer resets on each successful API call). See [How to get an Okta API token](/blog/okta-api-key) for the step-by-step guide, common errors, and the one gotcha everyone hits (the scheme is `SSWS`, not `Bearer`). **OAuth 2.0 scoped access tokens** are Okta’s recommended approach for production integrations. Tokens are short-lived (1 hour), limited to explicitly granted scopes, and requested from your org’s authorization server at `/oauth2/v1/authorize`. Scopes follow the `okta..` pattern: `okta.users.read` for GET access to users, `okta.users.manage` for create/update/delete, and so on. Only Super Admin can grant scopes to an OAuth app. For integrations connecting to other organisations’ Okta orgs — a marketplace app or a multi-tenant product — you need OAuth 2.0, not a personal API token. Core objects and endpoints -------------------------- ResourceExample endpointWhat it’s forUsers`GET/POST /api/v1/users`, `GET/PATCH/DELETE /api/v1/users/{id}`CRUD on user accounts; lifecycle operations (activate, deactivate, suspend, unlock)Groups`GET/POST /api/v1/groups`, `PUT /api/v1/groups/{id}/users/{userId}`Manage user groups and group membershipsApplications`GET /api/v1/apps`, `POST /api/v1/apps/{id}/users`List app integrations and manage user/group assignments to themSystem Log`GET /api/v1/logs`Query the org audit log — user sign-ins, admin actions, policy evaluationsUser Factors`GET/POST /api/v1/users/{id}/factors`Enrol, list, and verify MFA factors for a specific userSessions`GET /api/v1/sessions/{sessionId}`Read and revoke active authentication sessionsPolicies`GET/POST /api/v1/policies`Read and manage org-wide authentication and authorisation policies Every endpoint requires `Content-Type: application/json` and `Accept: application/json` on requests that include a body. All timestamps are ISO 8601 (`YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.SSSZ`). Common tasks ------------ - **Sync users from Okta to your product** — poll `GET /api/v1/users?filter=status+eq+"ACTIVE"` on a schedule, or use `GET /api/v1/logs` filtered to `eventType eq "user.lifecycle.*"` to get only changes. - **Provision users into Okta from your app** — `POST /api/v1/users?activate=true` with the user’s profile; assign to an app with `POST /api/v1/apps/{appId}/users`. - **List and sync group memberships** — `GET /api/v1/groups` to list groups, `GET /api/v1/groups/{id}/users` to get members of a specific group. - **Revoke a session on sign-out** — `DELETE /api/v1/users/{userId}/sessions` clears all active Okta sessions for that user. - **Pull the audit log** — `GET /api/v1/logs?since=2026-07-01T00:00:00Z` with date filtering; paginate using the `Link: next` header value. Rate limits and pagination -------------------------- ### Rate limits Okta uses a **bucket-based rate limit system** — limits apply per org per endpoint (or per endpoint per user for authenticated sessions), and vary based on your subscription tier, HTTP method, and whether you have the DynamicScale add-on. There is no single table of numbers that applies to all orgs. Limit scopeDefault limitSSWS API token (per token, adjustable)50% of the endpoint’s org-wide maximumAuthenticated users (Admin Console / End-User Dashboard)40 requests / 10 sec / user / endpointNon-authenticated auth endpoints (`/api/v1/authn`, `/oauth2/v1/token`)4 requests / sec per usernameIdentity Engine endpoints20 requests / 5 sec per user; 10 / 5 sec per state token When a limit is exceeded, Okta returns `HTTP 429 Too Many Requests`. Inspect the response headers to back off correctly: - `X-Rate-Limit-Limit` — total requests allowed in the current window for this bucket - `X-Rate-Limit-Remaining` — requests remaining before the limit is hit - `X-Rate-Limit-Reset` — Unix timestamp (UTC) when the window resets Monitor live usage through the **Rate Limit Dashboard** in Admin Console → Reports → Rate Limits, or query the System Log for `system.operation.rate_limit.warning` and `system.operation.rate_limit.violation` events ([Okta Docs, Rate limits](https://developer.okta.com/docs/reference/rate-limits/)). ### Pagination All list endpoints that return collections support cursor-based pagination. Pass `limit` to control page size, and use the `after` cursor from the `Link` response header to fetch the next page — do not construct the next-page URL yourself, as cursor formats can change without notice. ``` GET /api/v1/users?limit=200 → HTTP 200 Link: ; rel="self" Link: ; rel="next" ``` The end of the list is signalled by the absence of a `rel="next"` link — except for the System Log, which always returns a `next` link to support continuous polling. Build it yourself vs. use a unified API --------------------------------------- If you’re connecting one Okta org for internal use, the API is straightforward. The complexity scales when you’re connecting Okta alongside BambooHR, Workday, or other HRIS/directory tools in a product — each has its own auth model, user schema, group structure, and lifecycle event format. Knit’s [unified HRIS API](/integration-categories/hrms-api) handles Okta’s auth token management, rate-limit backoff, and cursor pagination for you, and normalises users, groups, and directory data across all connected HRIS and directory connectors behind one schema. You integrate once and add connectors from a list rather than re-engineering for each one. See the [Okta integration page](/integration/okta-hris/) for what Knit syncs, or [talk to a human](/book-demo) to see it against your own Okta org. You can also [sign up free](https://dashboard.getknit.dev/signup) and test with a sandbox. Knit’s Okta + AI/MCP -------------------- If your team is building AI agents or workflows that need to query Okta user and group data, Knit exposes the Okta connector as an LLM tool and MCP server — letting agents call normalised HRIS APIs without handling Okta-specific auth or pagination. See Knit LLM Tools for Okta for details. FAQ --- **What is the Okta API used for?** **‍**The Okta API is used to programmatically manage users, groups, applications, MFA factors, sessions, and policies in an Okta org. Common use cases include user provisioning and deprovisioning, syncing directory data to a product’s database, automating group-based app access, and querying the audit log for compliance reporting. **How do I authenticate to the Okta API?** **‍**The Okta API supports two authentication methods. SSWS API tokens are the simpler option — generate one in the Admin Console and include it as `Authorization: SSWS ` on every request. OAuth 2.0 scoped access tokens are Okta’s recommended approach for production; they’re short-lived and limited to specific scopes granted to an OAuth app. See [How to get an Okta API token](/integration/okta/api-key) for step-by-step instructions on both. **What is the base URL for Okta API calls?** **‍**All management API calls go to `https://{yourOktaDomain}/api/v1/`, where `{yourOktaDomain}` is your org’s subdomain — for example, `https://yourcompany.okta.com/api/v1/`. Some organisations use a custom domain instead. The HTTPS scheme is required; HTTP is not supported. **Does the Okta API support webhooks?** **‍**Okta uses Event Hooks and Inline Hooks rather than traditional webhooks. Event Hooks (`POST /api/v1/eventHooks`) deliver batched System Log events to an external endpoint. Inline Hooks intercept Okta workflows (e.g., the registration flow) and call your endpoint synchronously. Both are configured through the Admin Console or the API under `/api/v1/eventHooks` and `/api/v1/inlineHooks`. **How does Okta API pagination work?** **‍**Okta uses cursor-based pagination. List endpoints accept a `limit` parameter and return a `Link: ; rel="next"` response header pointing to the next page. Always follow the URL from the header rather than constructing it yourself — cursor formats can change. The end of a result set is signalled by the absence of a `rel="next"` link, except for the System Log which always returns one for continuous polling. **Sources:** - [Core Okta API — Okta Developer Docs](https://developer.okta.com/docs/reference/core-okta-api/) - [Create an API token — Okta Developer Docs](https://developer.okta.com/docs/guides/create-an-api-token/main/) - [Implement OAuth for Okta — Okta Developer Docs](https://developer.okta.com/docs/guides/implement-oauth-for-okta/main/) - [Rate limits overview — Okta Developer Docs](https://developer.okta.com/docs/reference/rate-limits/) - [Additional rate limits — Okta Developer Docs](https://developer.okta.com/docs/reference/rl2-limits/) ‍ ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/knit-website-media/2026/08/64c34c8eb1ffc79e7f787ecd_Akshat-3-150x150.png)Written by Akshat Jain Coding chaos into innovation and building from zero to scale Keep Reading ------------ ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/knit-website-media/2026/08/blog-banner-yellow-scaled-640x400.png) [API Directory](https://lb.getknit.dev/blogs/api-directory/) ### [Get Started with Darwinbox API: Complete Integration Guide](https://lb.getknit.dev/blog/a-to-z-of-integrating-with-darwinbox-api/) Solve all your doubts about integrating with Darwinbox API with this guide August 13, 2026 · 4 min read ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/knit-website-media/2026/08/blog-banner-green-640x400.png) [API Directory](https://lb.getknit.dev/blogs/api-directory/) ### [Get Started with SuccessFactors API](https://lb.getknit.dev/blog/get-started-with-successfactors-api/) Read this before you integrate with SuccessFactors API. 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