---
title: Trees
description: The following table summarizes the high-level tasks required to create and configure authentication trees:
component: pingam
version: 8.1
page_id: pingam:am-authentication:auth-trees
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/8.1/am-authentication/auth-trees.html
keywords: ["Authentication", "Nodes & Trees", "Setup & Configuration"]
page_aliases: ["configure-authentication-trees.adoc", "authentication-guide:auth-trees.adoc"]
---

# Trees

The following table summarizes the high-level tasks required to create and configure authentication trees:

| Task                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Resources                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Design your user authentication journey**Authentication trees are flexible. For example, the same tree can branch for different use cases, or users can be forced to loop though branches until they're able to present the required credentials.It's easy to create a massive tree that's difficult to understand, read, and maintain in the UI. For this reason, AM lets you nest trees within trees.The best way to tackle the design decision is to write down a list of required steps users would need to take to sign on to your environment. Then, check the list of nodes available in AM.

You can install sample authentication trees to show how you can connect nodes to achieve a specific authentication scenario.

To get a copy of the sample trees you can import into your instance, read How do I access and build the sample code provided for PingAM?.

You can find information about importing sample tree JSON files using Amster in Import configuration data. | * [Node versions](node-versions.html), to understand how node versions work and how to update nodes in your trees.

* [Node reference](auth-nodes-reference.html), for a list of nodes delivered with AM.

* [Ping Identity Marketplace](https://marketplace.pingone.com/browse?products=pingAm\&contentType=journeyNodes) for additional certified nodes.

* [Multi-factor authentication](authn-mfa.html), to understand how multi-factor authentication (MFA) works with trees.

* [Social authentication](social-registration.html), to understand how social authentication works with trees. |
| **Decide if you need custom nodes**If the nodes available in AM or in the Marketplace don't meet your needs, you can create your own scripted node types or build your own nodes in Java.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | - [Custom scripted nodes](node-designer.html)

- [Custom Java nodes](../auth-nodes/preface.html)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| **Create your authentication trees**Use the authentication tree designer to quickly create a tree or use the REST API.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | * [Create a tree in the UI](create-auth-trees.html#create-authn-tree-ui)

* [Create a tree over REST](create-auth-trees.html#create-authn-tree-rest)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **Configure your authentication trees**Learn how to enable and disable trees, specify resource types, set the session time for a tree, and so on.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | - [Configure authentication trees](configure-auth-trees.html)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **Configure webhooks, if required**Use webhooks to send contextual information about authenticated sessions on predefined events, for example, logging out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | * [Configure webhooks](auth-tree-webhooks.html)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| **Configure tree hooks, if required**Use tree hooks to perform post-authentication tasks, like setting persistent cookies or logging detailed audit events.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | - [Create tree hooks](post-authn-plugins-treehook.html)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Configure logout hooks, if required**Use logout hooks to perform tasks like redirecting the user on logout or adding information to the logout response that's sent to the client.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | * [Create logout hooks](create-logout-hook.html)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |