Creating an account

An Origin Account is a handle and a passkey. This page shows how to create one, with an invitation, and how to start from a GitHub or Google account instead.

Before you start

• A browser that supports passkeys, such as a recent Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Edge, with scripts allowed.
• A device or password manager that keeps passkeys: your phone or computer, a password manager, or a security key.
• An invitation link. SourceOrigin only lets people sign up with an invitation for now. To ask for one, write to [email protected].

Create an account with a passkey

1. Open the invitation link you received. It opens Create your account at auth.sourceorigin.dev/register, with the Invitation field already filled in.
2. Under Handle, choose your handle: 3 to 32 lowercase letters, numbers, or single hyphens between them.
3. Under Passkey name, name the passkey after where it is kept, such as iPhone or 1Password. You can rename it later.
4. On Android, choose where to save the passkey under Save this passkey with. Keep Passkey or security key unless you want Google Password Manager on this device.
5. Select Create account with a passkey, then follow your browser’s prompt to create the passkey.

SourceOrigin creates the account, signs you in and opens your settings. Your display name starts as your handle; you can change it on the Profile tab.

An invitation works once. After it creates an account, or once it expires, it no longer works.

Create an account with GitHub or Google

You can start from a GitHub or Google account. Your Origin Account still needs a passkey: it is created only once you add one.

1. Open auth.sourceorigin.dev/login and select GitHub or Google.
2. Sign in at the provider and allow SourceOrigin.
3. Back on SourceOrigin, Create your account says Finish creating your account to add GitHub sign-in (or Google). Fill in Handle and Passkey name as above. The Invitation field is empty on this path: paste the code from your invitation link, the part after invitation=. Then select Create account with a passkey.

The account is created with its passkey, and GitHub or Google is linked to it, so either signs you in from then on. Your profile picture there becomes your SourceOrigin picture, when SourceOrigin can fetch it. If the provider shares your email address, SourceOrigin adds it: an address the provider hosts, such as a Gmail address, arrives confirmed, and any other gets a confirmation link first.

Finish in the same browser within 10 minutes. After that, the provider’s sign-in is forgotten and you start again.

Check that it works

Your settings open at auth.sourceorigin.dev/settings. The Sign-in methods tab lists your passkey, and GitHub or Google if you started with it. Next, sign in from another device, or add a second passkey so you can always get back in.

Troubleshooting

• The Create account button stays disabled. The page says your browser can’t use passkeys here. Open it in a browser that supports passkeys, with scripts allowed, over https://.
• “A valid invitation is required.” The Invitation field is empty or wrong. Open the invitation link again rather than typing the invitation. If you started with GitHub or Google, paste only the code after invitation= instead: opening the link would start a new account without them.
• “This invitation has expired or has already been used.” Ask for a new invitation.
• “This handle is taken. Choose another one.” Another account has it. Handles that look alike, or that belonged to another account, are refused too, and the page says which.
• The provider sends you to “Add this sign-in method?” instead. Your GitHub or Google email address belongs to an existing Origin Account. Sign in to that account with its passkey to link the provider, or select Cancel linking.