How to Handle Google reCAPTCHA v3 in Angular: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you tired of dealing with pesky bots and spam submissions on your Angular application? Do you want to ensure that only genuine users can interact with your website? Look no further! Google reCAPTCHA v3 is here to save the day. In this article, we’ll take you by the hand and guide you through the process of integrating reCAPTCHA v3 in your Angular application.

What is Google reCAPTCHA v3?

Google reCAPTCHA v3 is a powerful security tool that helps protect your website from spam and abuse. It’s an invisible captcha that uses machine learning to detect and block suspicious traffic. Unlike its predecessors, reCAPTCHA v3 doesn’t require users to solve puzzles or enter codes. Instead, it silently monitors user behavior and scores them based on their likelihood of being a human or a bot.

Why Use reCAPTCHA v3 in Angular?

reCAPTCHA v3 is an excellent choice for Angular applications because it:

• Provides an additional layer of security against spam and abuse
• Reduces the risk of fake accounts and credential stuffing attacks
• Improves the overall user experience by eliminating the need for puzzles and codes
• Is easy to integrate and customize to fit your application’s needs

Setting Up reCAPTCHA v3 in Angular

To get started with reCAPTCHA v3 in Angular, you’ll need to create a reCAPTCHA account and obtain a site key and secret key. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the reCAPTCHA dashboard and create a new site.

2. Choose the “reCAPTCHA v3” option and enter your website’s domain.

3. Copy the site key and secret key, you’ll need them later.

Installing the reCAPTCHA Library

To use reCAPTCHA v3 in your Angular application, you’ll need to install the `@ngx/captcha` library. Run the following command in your terminal:

npm install @ngx/captcha

Importing the reCAPTCHA Module

In your Angular module, import the `RecaptchaModule` and add it to the imports array:

import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
import { RecaptchaModule } from '@ngx/captcha';

@NgModule({
  declarations: [AppComponent],
  imports: [
    BrowserModule,
    RecaptchaModule
  ],
  providers: [],
  bootstrap: [AppComponent]
})
export class AppModule {}

Configuring reCAPTCHA

Create a new component to handle reCAPTCHA configuration:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { RecaptchaSettings } from '@ngx/captcha';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-recaptcha',
  template: '
'
})
export class RecaptchaComponent {
  siteKey = 'YOUR_SITE_KEY';

  constructor(private recaptchaSettings: RecaptchaSettings) {
    this.recaptchaSettings.setSiteKey(this.siteKey);
  }
}

Implementing reCAPTCHA in Your Form

Add the `recaptcha` directive to your form component:

<form>
  <input type="text" placeholder="Username">
  <input type="password" placeholder="Password">
  <button type="submit">Login</button>
  <recaptcha></recaptcha>
</form>

Handling reCAPTCHA Scores

When the user submits the form, reCAPTCHA will return a score that indicates the likelihood of the user being a human or a bot. You can handle this score in your component:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { RecaptchaService } from '@ngx/captcha';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-login',
  template: '
Login
'
})
export class LoginComponent {
  constructor(private recaptchaService: RecaptchaService) {}

  onSubmit() {
    this.recaptchaService.execute('YOUR_SITE_KEY').subscribe((token) => {
      // Send the token to your server for verification
      this.verifyToken(token);
    });
  }

  verifyToken(token: string) {
    // Make a request to your server to verify the token
    // and get the reCAPTCHA score
    const score = 0.5; // Replace with the actual score from your server

    if (score >= 0.5) {
      // The user is likely human, proceed with the login process
      console.log('User is human');
    } else {
      // The user is likely a bot, block the login attempt
      console.log('User is bot');
    }
  }
}

Server-Side Verification

On your server-side, you’ll need to verify the reCAPTCHA token and return the score to your Angular application. Here’s an example using Node.js and Express:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.post('/verify-token', (req, res) => {
  const token = req.body.token;
  const secretKey = 'YOUR_SECRET_KEY';

  const verifyUrl = `https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/siteverify?secret=${secretKey}&response=${token}`;
  axios.post(verifyUrl)
    .then((response) => {
      const score = response.data.score;
      res.json({ score });
    })
    .catch((error) => {
      res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to verify token' });
    });
});

Common Issues and Solutions

If you encounter any issues while implementing reCAPTCHA v3 in your Angular application, refer to the following troubleshooting guide:

Issue	Solution
Error: “reCAPTCHA cannot be loaded in an iframe”	Make sure to add the `async defer` attributes to the reCAPTCHA script tag.
Error: “Unknown property ‘ executed’.”	Update the `@ngx/captcha` library to the latest version.
Error: “Failed to execute ‘postMessage’ on ‘DOMWindow’.”	Ensure that the reCAPTCHA script is loaded before the `execute` method is called.

Conclusion

Integrating reCAPTCHA v3 in your Angular application is a straightforward process that can help you protect your website from spam and abuse. By following this guide, you’ll be able to implement reCAPTCHA v3 and start enjoying the benefits of improved security and a better user experience.

Remember to stay vigilant and keep an eye on your reCAPTCHA scores to ensure that your application remains secure and protected from malicious actors.

Happy coding!

Frequently Asked Question

Got stuck while handling Google reCAPTCHA v3 in your Angular project? Worry not, we’ve got you covered! Here are some frequently asked questions to help you out: