##### This blog post will walk you through how the unique access link works for logging in and following feeds. ## Introduction We started testing an app that featured a private feed reader/publisher, and it emailed out a magic link to subscribers when new messages were added to a private group chat. Clicking the link would authenticate the "client" user to the host's feed reader/publisher web app, using the email address. After the client logged in, they would then see an HTML view of a private feed of messages. At this point the authenticated "client" user could click to copy a private feed URL with a unique-to-them key in it. But there was a problem, it was confusing to log into someone else's feed reader just to copy a feed URL and then navigate back to your own feed reader app. ## Unique access link The unique access link makes three connections on behalf of the recipient: 1) Identifies the client to the host's feed reader/publisher app 2) Forwards the client's unique feed URL to a feed-reader-provider (Social Web or other) 3) Forwards the client's unique feed URL to their feed reader/publisher installation The end result is that the "host" sends a link and it returns the "client" to their own feed reader with a notification that they have added a new feed subscription. ## Config setting Step 2 of the three-part routine forwards the client's browser to a feed-reader-provider, the default is Social Web, and there is a config setting in Social Web to override this. The email address of the client is also forwarded to the feed-reader-provider, for the purpose of creating a recognizable host name. ## Url parameters 1) The parameter name in the forwarded URL is "email" for the email address 2) The parameter name is "feedLink" for the client's unique feed URL
