Just-in-Time (JIT) Provisioning

Frictionless On-Demand Access

Just-in-Time (JIT) Provisioning is the practice of creating or updating a user account at the exact moment of their first successful login. Instead of pre-syncing thousands of users who may never use the application, JIT uses the “Identity Payload” (claims or assertions) sent during an SSO event (OIDC or SAML) to dynamically build the user profile. This eliminates the operational overhead of manual account creation and ensures that users have immediate access to the tools they need, exactly when they need them.

JIT

On-Demand Creation

Core Mission

Eliminating Pre-Provisioning Friction. Moving the account creation logic into the authentication flow, ensuring that user data is always fresh and accounts only exist for users who have actually accessed the service.

Like a Temporary Guest Pass: Imagine a luxury high-rise. Pre-provisioning is like printing a physical key for every potential visitor in advance and keeping them in a massive cabinet. JIT provisioning is like an automated kiosk at the door—the moment you scan your verified ID, the kiosk instantly 3D-prints a keycard just for you, programmed with your specific access rights. No one had to prepare for you; the system reacted to your presence.

SaaS Onboarding / B2B Partnerships / Low-Frequency Apps

Provisioning Strategy Comparison

Choosing between JIT and API-based sync (SCIM) depends on your requirements for data breadth and revocation speed.

Strategic Method Matrix

Feature	JIT (On-Demand)	SCIM (API-Sync)
Trigger	User logs in (Browser redirect).	Backend sync / Event bus.
Account Creation	First login only.	Pre-creation (Before login).
Revocation	Manual cleanup or idle timeout.	Instant / Automated.
Data Scope	Limited to SSO claims.	Full profile synchronization.
UX Friction	Absolute Zero.	High (App must exist first).

The JIT Activation Flow

JIT provisioning transforms an authentication event into a full user lifecycle event in three distinct moves.

1

Identify & Verify

The user authenticates at the IDP. The IDP redirects the user to the app with a signed token (OIDC) or assertion (SAML) containing user attributes.

2

Map & Persist

The app receives the token, validates the signature, and checks if the user exists. If not, it maps the incoming claims (email, name, role) to its local database and creates the record.

3

Authorize & Log

The app signs the user in immediately. Default permissions are assigned based on the mapped attributes, and the "First Login" event is recorded in the audit log.

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Technical JIT Implementation Guides

Master the patterns for high-speed, secure user onboarding.

Provisioning Overview

Understanding the broader context of lifecycle management and account orchestration.

Claim Mapping

Techniques for translating standard OIDC/SAML claims into application-specific user models.

SCIM Integration

Using SCIM alongside JIT for the "best of both worlds"—on-demand creation and instant revocation.

Birthright Roles

Designing default permission sets that are automatically granted during the JIT creation process.

Next Steps

• Explore Deprovisioning Patterns for managing the cleanup of JIT-created accounts.
• Review Security Hardening to prevent JIT-based account takeover through malicious IDP redirects.
• Check Multi-Tenant JIT for creating tenant-specific users in a shared SaaS environment.