This document provides technical guidance for using the Java Software Development Kit (SDK) for PingFederate. Developers can use this Guide, in conjunction with the installed Javadocs, to extend the functionality of the PingFederate server.

Intended Audience

The SDK Developer's Guide is intended for application developers and system administrators responsible for extending PingFederate, including development of:

  • Authentication adapters needed to integrate web applications or identity-management systems (when not already available: see the PingFederate SSO Integration Overview , described under Additional Documentation.)
  • Authentication selectors used to direct SSO authentication to instances of authentication adapters based on specified conditions
  • WS-Trust Security Token Service (STS) token translators, including token processors needed to consume and validate security tokens and token generators needed to create security tokens
  • Custom data source drivers
  • Password credential validators
  • Identity store provisioners

The reader should be familiar with Java software-development principles and practices.

Additional Documentation

  • Javadocs provide detailed reference information for developers. The Javadocs are located in the <pf_install>/pingfederate/sdk/doc directory.
  • The PingFederate SSO Integration Overview describes the types of prebuilt authentication adapters Ping Identity provides for integrating web applications and identity-management systems with PingFederate. Since these adapters are based on the SDK, you may want to review this document before building your own adapter to see if your needs have already been met.
  • The PingFederate Administrator's Manual provides background information and user-interface (UI) configuration details needed to integrate implementation(s) of PingFederate interfaces.
  • The user guides for the Java, .NET, and PHP integration kits show examples of SDK implementations.