MyMapUML Sequence Diagram - API Authentication
A UML sequence diagram illustrating a REST API authentication flow between a client application, API gateway, authentication service, and database.
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“Create a UML sequence diagram for a REST API authentication flow with client, API gateway, auth service, and database”
About the framework
UML Sequence Diagrams for API Design
A UML sequence diagram captures the time-ordered exchange of messages between participants in a system. This template models a REST API authentication flow — one of the most critical interaction patterns in modern web and mobile applications.
The diagram traces a login request from a client application through an API gateway to an authentication service and backing database. It shows the full lifecycle: credential submission, database lookup, password verification, JWT token generation, and the response chain back to the client. Alternative fragments (alt) handle the error path when credentials are invalid, giving developers a complete picture of both success and failure scenarios.
This template is valuable during API design reviews, security audits, and developer onboarding. It clarifies which service owns which responsibility, where tokens are generated versus validated, and how errors propagate. Customize it by adding OAuth flows, refresh token logic, or multi-factor authentication steps.
What's included
What you get
- Lifelines for client, API gateway, auth service, and database
- Request-response message pairs with HTTP methods and payloads
- Token generation and validation flow
- Error handling with alt/opt fragments
- Activation bars showing processing duration
UML Sequence Diagram - API Authentication
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Frequently asked questions
Common questions
How do I customize this sequence diagram for OAuth or SSO?
Ask the AI to extend the flow — for example, 'Add an OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow with a third-party identity provider.' It will add the redirect steps, authorization code exchange, and token endpoint calls while preserving the existing structure.
What do the alt and opt fragments represent?
Alt fragments represent conditional branching (like if/else) — for example, valid vs. invalid credentials. Opt fragments represent optional behavior that may or may not execute. Both are standard UML combined fragments used to model control flow within sequence diagrams.
Can I add more participants to the diagram?
Yes. You can ask the AI to add participants like a rate limiter, cache layer, logging service, or external identity provider. Each new participant gets its own lifeline and message exchanges are added accordingly.
How can I share this diagram with my engineering team?
Export the diagram as PNG, SVG, or PDF. SVG works well in Confluence, Notion, or GitHub wikis. You can also share a direct link to the template for teammates to view or fork their own copy.
UML Sequence Diagram - API Authentication
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