Connecting to remote URL which requires authentication using Java

Question

You can set the default authenticator for http requests like this:

Authenticator.setDefault (new Authenticator() {
    protected PasswordAuthentication getPasswordAuthentication() {
        return new PasswordAuthentication ("username", "password".toCharArray());
    }
});

Also, if you require more flexibility, you can check out the Apache HttpClient, which will give you more authentication options (as well as session support, etc.)

There's a native and less intrusive alternative, which works only for your call.

URL url = new URL(“location address”);
URLConnection uc = url.openConnection();
String userpass = username + ":" + password;
String basicAuth = "Basic " + new String(Base64.getEncoder().encode(userpass.getBytes()));
uc.setRequestProperty ("Authorization", basicAuth);
InputStream in = uc.getInputStream();

You can also use the following, which does not require using external packages:

URL url = new URL(“location address”);
URLConnection uc = url.openConnection();

String userpass = username + ":" + password;
String basicAuth = "Basic " + javax.xml.bind.DatatypeConverter.printBase64Binary(userpass.getBytes());

uc.setRequestProperty ("Authorization", basicAuth);
InputStream in = uc.getInputStream();

If you are using the normal login whilst entering the username and password between the protocol and the domain this is simpler. It also works with and without login.

Sample Url: http://user:[email protected]/url

URL url = new URL("http://user:[email protected]/url");
URLConnection urlConnection = url.openConnection();

if (url.getUserInfo() != null) {
    String basicAuth = "Basic " + new String(new Base64().encode(url.getUserInfo().getBytes()));
    urlConnection.setRequestProperty("Authorization", basicAuth);
}

InputStream inputStream = urlConnection.getInputStream();

Please note in the comment, from valerybodak, below how it is done in an Android development environment.

As i have came here looking for an Android-Java-Answer i am going to do a short summary:

1. Use java.net.Authenticator as shown by James van Huis
2. Use Apache Commons HTTP Client, as in this Answer
3. Use basic java.net.URLConnection and set the Authentication-Header manually like shown here

If you want to use java.net.URLConnection with Basic Authentication in Android try this code:

URL url = new URL("http://www.mywebsite.com/resource");
URLConnection urlConnection = url.openConnection();
String header = "Basic " + new String(android.util.Base64.encode("user:pass".getBytes(), android.util.Base64.NO_WRAP));
urlConnection.addRequestProperty("Authorization", header);
// go on setting more request headers, reading the response, etc