IdentityServer4 to Open.IdentityServer

Prerequisites¶

• .NET 10.0 SDK or later

• A working IdentityServer4 project

• Access to your database (if using Entity Framework stores)

Migration Steps¶

1. Back up your database

   Before making any changes, take a full backup of your IdentityServer4 database. This migration requires schema modifications that are not easily reversible.

   # Example for SQL Server
   sqlcmd -S localhost -Q "BACKUP DATABASE [IdentityServer] TO DISK = '/backups/identityserver_backup.bak'"
   

2. Migrate the database schema

   The Open.IdentityServer schema includes additional columns and tables compared to IdentityServer4. Migration scripts are available for common database providers:

   • Migration scripts on GitHub

   Select the script appropriate for your database provider (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.) and run it against your database:

   # Example for SQL Server
   sqlcmd -S localhost -d IdentityServer -i ids4_to_openids_sqlserver.sql
   

   Warning

   Review the migration scripts before running them. If you have customised your schema or added additional columns, you may need to adjust the scripts accordingly.

3. Update your target framework

   IdentityServer4 targeted .NET Core 3.1 or .NET 5. Open.IdentityServer requires .NET 10.0 or later. Update your project file:

   <PropertyGroup>
       <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
   </PropertyGroup>
   

4. Replace NuGet packages

   Remove the IdentityServer4 packages and install the Open.IdentityServer equivalents:

   dotnet remove package IdentityServer4
   dotnet remove package IdentityServer4.EntityFramework
   dotnet remove package IdentityServer4.AspNetIdentity
   
   dotnet add package Open.IdentityServer
   dotnet add package Open.IdentityServer.EntityFramework
   dotnet add package Open.IdentityServer.AspNetIdentity
   

   Note

   Open.IdentityServer has no IdentityModel or AccessTokenValidator packages. Here is a guide on what is still available within the Open.IdentityServer packages and alternatives you can use where needed.

5. Update namespaces

   Replace all IdentityServer4 namespaces with Open.IdentityServer throughout your project. A find-and-replace across the solution is the quickest approach:

   Old Namespace	New Namespace
   IdentityServer4	Open.IdentityServer
   IdentityServer4.Models	Open.IdentityServer.Models
   IdentityServer4.Services	Open.IdentityServer.Services
   IdentityServer4.Stores	Open.IdentityServer.Stores
   IdentityServer4.EntityFramework	Open.IdentityServer.EntityFramework
   IdentityServer4.Extensions	Open.IdentityServer.Extensions

   After replacing, attempt a build. Any remaining references will surface as compile errors, making them easy to locate and fix.

6. Update service registration

   The service registration in Startup.cs or Program.cs remains similar, but verify your configuration:

   builder.Services.AddIdentityServer()
       .AddConfigurationStore(options =>
       {
           options.ConfigureDbContext = b =>
               b.UseSqlServer(connectionString);
       })
       .AddOperationalStore(options =>
       {
           options.ConfigureDbContext = b =>
               b.UseSqlServer(connectionString);
       });
   

7. Test your application

   Run your application and verify:

   • The discovery document loads correctly at /.well-known/openid-configuration

   • Client authentication works as expected

   • Token issuance and validation function correctly

   • Any custom grant types or profile services operate normally

Troubleshooting¶

Database errors at runtime

Ensure the migration scripts ran successfully and that your connection string is correct. Compare your schema against the expected schema in the Open.IdentityServer Entity Framework migrations.

Token validation failures

If downstream APIs reject tokens after migration, ensure that the signing key configuration is correct and that APIs are referencing the updated discovery endpoint.

Contact support@identityserver.com if you require assistance.