Create Applications

Learn how to set up and configure applications in the Auth0 Dashboard.

You can create an application manually or import it from a Client ID Metadata Document (CIMD) URL in the Auth0 Dashboard.

Create manually

When you manually create an application, Auth0 assigns it a client ID, an alphanumeric string that serves as the application’s unique identifier. You will use this ID in your application code when you call Auth0 APIs. This application registration process is called manual client registration.

Another important piece of information is the Client Secret. It must be kept confidential at all times. If anyone gains access to your application’s client secret, then they can impersonate your application and access protected resources. It is important that you select the correct application type to help Auth0 check for certain security risks.

Register with CIMD

You can register applications by importing an externally hosted Client ID Metadata Document (CIMD) from a URL. CIMD is a JSON file containing client metadata hosted on a secure HTTPS domain controlled by the application. Auth0 supports both manual and dynamic CIMD registration. To learn more, read CIMD Overview.

Manual client registration vs. CIMD registration

The following table compares manual client registration with CIMD registration:

Feature	Manual Client Registration	CIMD Registration
Client ID	Generated by Auth0	HTTPS URL (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/client.json)
Authentication	Client secret or certificate	Asymmetric keys only (no secrets)
Identity verification	None	Domain ownership via HTTPS hosting
Registration trigger	Tenant admin creates the application in the Dashboard or Management API	Tenant admin imports the application manually, or the application registers itself automatically at runtime (dynamic CIMD)
Metadata management	Updated via Dashboard/API	Source of truth is CIMD; refreshed manually or automatically depending on registration mode
Admin review of metadata changes	N/A	Required for manual CIMD; dynamic CIMD applies validated changes automatically, without admin review
Key rotation	Manual, single key	Multiple keys supported in jwks_uri; refreshed manually or resolved automatically depending on registration mode
Application type	All types	Third-party applications only
Typical use cases	First-party apps, internal services	MCP clients, third-party integrations, and high-volume or ephemeral clients such as AI agents

To learn more about the differences between manual and dynamic CIMD registration, read Manual vs. dynamic CIMD registration.

Create application in Auth0

To create an application in Auth0:

1. Go to Dashboard > Applications > Applications.
2. Select Create Application.
3. Select Create it manually or Import from URL.
   • Import from URL: Follow the instructions in Register Applications with CIMD to manually register the application with CIMD. When dynamic CIMD registration is enabled, applications can register themselves via their CIMD URL at runtime.
   • Create it manually: Give your new application a descriptive name. Then, select an app type:
     • Native Applications: These applications include mobile, desktop, or hybrid apps running natively on a device (e.g., iOS, Android).
     • Single-Page Web Applications: These applications include JavaScript apps that perform most of their user interface logic in a web browser, communicating with a web server primarily using APIs (e.g., AngularJS + Node.js or React).
     • Regular Web Applications: These applications are traditional web applications that perform most of their application logic on the server (e.g., Express.js, ASP.NET).
     • Machine-to-Machine Applications: These applications include non-interactive applications, such as command-line tools, daemons, IoT devices, or services running on your back-end.
4. Select Create.

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