How do I authenticate a Dropbox app and use the API without leaving the webpage?

Question

I need users to grant my app permission to access their Dropbox, but I would very much like for them to not have to leave my website and then come back. The authentication API that I know of requires that the user be logged into their Dropbox account, and that they authenticate the app on the Dropbox website.

Is there some way around this?

--Edit--

So I know that we can use Google/Facebook's authentication API such that the user is prompted to allow/deny the app within the same window (SO does this). If we can do something of this sort with the Dropbox API, that would be awesome.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The Dropbox API does currently require that the authorization be processed with OAuth via the Dropbox site. You can use the 'oauth_callback' parameter to redirect the user back to your site after authorization. Docs here: https://www.dropbox.com/developers/reference/api#authorize

You can even use this within a single tab for the whole process (which is what StackOverflow with Google's login seems to do.) That is, redirect the user's current page to the authorize page, and use 'oauth_callback' param with the necessary action/information to return to your site and indicate the user is coming back from authorization.