Public Access for Start Event Form Asking for Credentials in Camunda 8

Camunda 8 Topics
1

Hello Camunda Community,
I’m trying to make a public form accessible through a Start Event in Camunda 8, so that anyone with the link can fill out the form and start the process. However, when I or someone access the form link, it always asks for authentication/credentials…

My expectation is that the Start Event form should be available without requiring a login (like a public form), but it seems to be restricted to authenticated Tasklist/Web Modeler users.

Is there a way to configure the Start Event form to be truly publicly accessible without authentication?Or do I need to set up a custom backend/frontend solution to expose the form to the public?

2

Hello!

I can help clarify the situation with public Start Event forms in Camunda 8. The behavior you’re experiencing depends on which version of Camunda 8 you’re using.

Camunda 8 SaaS - Public Forms ARE Supported :white_check_mark:

If you’re using Camunda 8 SaaS, you can indeed make Start Event forms publicly accessible without authentication. Here’s how:

  1. Link a form to your Start Event in the Web Modeler
  2. Enable “public access” for the form in the Web Modeler
  3. This generates a public URL that anyone can access without login
  4. Users can fill out and submit the form to start new process instances

The public form feature is specifically designed for scenarios where you want external users (who don’t have Camunda accounts) to initiate processes.

:open_book: Documentation: Publish processes via a form and Publish via a public form

Camunda 8 Self-Managed - Public Forms NOT Supported :cross_mark:

If you’re using Camunda 8 Self-Managed, this explains why you’re always being asked for credentials. Public start forms are not available in Self-Managed installations. Forms can only be accessed via Tasklist, which requires authentication.

Next Steps

Could you please confirm which version of Camunda 8 you’re using?

  • If SaaS: I can help you configure the public access properly
  • If Self-Managed: You would indeed need to build a custom solution using the Camunda APIs to create a public-facing form that submits to your process

Let me know your setup and I’ll provide more specific guidance!

:books: Additional Resource: Start Your Camunda Process from an External Form - This blog post covers both scenarios and implementation approaches.