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LTI Integration Setup

Autolab supports a limited integration with Learning Tools Interoperability, or LTI. Specifically, Autolab supports LTI Advantage, with support for linking courses on an LTI platform to Autolab in order to pull roster information and sync the member lists of Autolab with the LTI platform. The LTI Advantage integration features have been built to mainly work with Canvas, but it should be possible to integrate with other platforms such as Moodle, though this has not been tested. Please contact us if you run into any issues with the integration process as this feature is still a work-in-progress.

Definitions

  • For the purposes of LTI Integration, a "platform" is an LMS such as Canvas or Moodle, while Autolab falls under the "tool" category.

Generate a JWK for your Autolab instance

JSON Web Keys (JWKs) make up the backbone of LTI Advantage's security specification. As part of the LTI Advantage Specification, Autolab requires a public-private keypair of RSA JWKs in order to sign and verify any signatures originating from Autolab towards other LTI platforms. To generate a JWK keypair, you may use a website, or a library such as ruby-jwt. Make sure that you specify that the key use is for signatures, using the RS256 algorithm, and include a key-id. An example JWK keypair is below. Save the keypair for later configuration steps.

Public-Private Keypair:

{
    "p": "_VqrjPDQHEce2zwxnzlBVu_6gZwfwBftu8yX8Q1np7nw9StC16e4oi8vKtTHc6hy-byOU-JyKV0Dj9LZXF_r5_HZlCEVCg9J4oopsINAwi1ekWRWj3pGCJaJ6M9QdWTd3Q0zzWVowdeDmwfWGQKesoM7O4JkxzFRV1w-8GqQYyM",
    "kty": "RSA",
    "q": "jzrFTIhNP80RUzqX4lYESsBjBhkyXY7nSsOJXLtUmie0LG_-aqJ0nSRi5Q4hhDsou3VjMWj-7QvwrgYw4GF5ktlDdEN874TuIRY2LeuWa1WlsYg7QN31G89tPFb7IxlxY9D0KG0Tg3NkXkZ1t2OgQZZeY_uTsY5yJ9e1Zb0Lpec",
    "d": "BSZb18GcM7lo72-sB84aOpUrkfhgmECsWBMfXF9fbIv8jsYt7mc5leduANHSf7aFTS39XQtGZUoZ6DLT2b-DhF2_VJCjm0r2P-YnzHV8QJ9iQKu9tEeclRFR7xeFh0HE39f28n_DKSsvUfkMjPY79Jyw7ctYezLoUJFEP1UI9W1zVbJgRn8GHv438qKGzwJWKWfNVMbNuW9eLLkR5ejPZMts_0cLF3e6JLOZCL2x6yrrqwE8bXehUHDIsVnE-YT0yHWiuNge5YZaicHhQDRqEQZ80KYUzLCecstEPCCyB5UPVP-dhuZhkM0xfadwI61oGFaF5HSNjsW-gjxsE7RIHQ",
    "e": "AQAB",
    "use": "sig",
    "kid": "Nm4-PaiSvgIwk7OlFn0wK_64bt402rsHmu5zz8fTOyE",
    "qi": "PFp5xgEbWmzjgtxHBGvsBxm8YXKUf3xhm3fpBiXYIZo7LMf7PERQzIWb4amFqq0CBfShYgm9tFwdt2ldIQXvhqY2n3bp-Jp1M5P_YD89FR5-YJLk9PnFfEOEJnD1fqRILMWXUGJxL1YxLMIXXkbbhozrh2-2C-Rku7MFdIMA4UI",
    "dp": "10SkQPQYj_5qHHPP4e9fMkRjwJ7sZ2atjAVyENKIAX6_W0Gv4NdUzRF0bVswQXiegM4SzPm6cKTkst6_63phUsovSmq1mr-U0tT8SUusyZCNKtJrriuBuChY86S7Q5Q542olWt9QnGvHGgIVi1iriRhySsUnZgzkhWsO225gUqs",
    "alg": "RS256",
    "dq": "LKWoTPQMCIBXDzerks03Z0nTVFpUXd-m76JGVla6x5bqzhNXHkxnx3hJL5eZEQwT5WNxOTy-gov_SW_6mmcoK4N4SGylLFCmnj-7QdM3P1wiW1XZCp5lwnaFWZLPlCBhPTksctGVjJtSxSR3m2P915QU9lu8rVN2-D6AeCdW0y8",
    "n": "jb_PoRxF0KaCMASsZwQyZFtoF6X19geXJJsx8QbAcsQEKt8RX34eAueVXn1K49UaGDkK-G9UCDmLDYTKMgjz1mtFKuV2J6CwowplkBq9rE_fUgkSY0XfLC3pCRSaQ6kjwwUjbFjF7tWVQHFhTgjqQ85HA5Pd3ix1yHnMPaNZ08CwucAx1st_WLauEmqdkmfXNIA65S5CO8EXxo94CVJ-DIZ3X7HDJq0m28SRKMR7sPM1q8A3a3z_n7DzIytjRyQkLcCWQq9oLT5dTuvAHz3Hasb1hqGqy9uS3RCFvjXk3GW3JMonVfhJ7310gUCAojEqsQ06vtoLp0g0QsjTUbADlQ"
}

Public key:

{
    "kty": "RSA",
    "e": "AQAB",
    "use": "sig",
    "kid": "Nm4-PaiSvgIwk7OlFn0wK_64bt402rsHmu5zz8fTOyE",
    "alg": "RS256",
    "n": "jb_PoRxF0KaCMASsZwQyZFtoF6X19geXJJsx8QbAcsQEKt8RX34eAueVXn1K49UaGDkK-G9UCDmLDYTKMgjz1mtFKuV2J6CwowplkBq9rE_fUgkSY0XfLC3pCRSaQ6kjwwUjbFjF7tWVQHFhTgjqQ85HA5Pd3ix1yHnMPaNZ08CwucAx1st_WLauEmqdkmfXNIA65S5CO8EXxo94CVJ-DIZ3X7HDJq0m28SRKMR7sPM1q8A3a3z_n7DzIytjRyQkLcCWQq9oLT5dTuvAHz3Hasb1hqGqy9uS3RCFvjXk3GW3JMonVfhJ7310gUCAojEqsQ06vtoLp0g0QsjTUbADlQ"
}

Set up Autolab as a tool on the LTI platform

In order for Autolab to interface with LTI platforms, it will need to have a client_id generated for it by the platform. Canvas sometimes calls their client_ids as "developer keys".

Generating a client_id on Canvas

To generate a developer key, follow the guide provided by Canvas and the instructions below. NOTE: You must be a Canvas Administrator in order to generate a developer key.

During the process, fill in the JSON below with your Autolab domain, and also include your public JWK generated in the previous step. Then, in the step "Select Configuration Method" use the "Paste JSON" method and paste in this JSON object.

Save your configuration, and then save the client_id generated by Canvas. This will be used to fill in the configuration file on Autolab's end as well.

    {
      "title": "Autolab Integration",
      "description": "Autolab is an open-source autograding service developed by students, for students",
      "oidc_initiation_url":"https://<your-autolab-domain>/lti_launch/oidc_login/",
      "target_link_uri":"https://<your-autolab-domain>/lti_launch/launch/",
      "scopes": [
        "https://purl.imsglobal.org/spec/lti-nrps/scope/contextmembership.readonly"
      ],
     "extensions":[
        {
          "tool_id": "autolab-integration",
          "platform": "canvas.instructure.com",
          "domain": "<your-autolab-domain>",
          "privacy_level": "public",
          "settings": {
          "text":"Launch Autolab Integration",
          "icon_url":"<your-icon>",
            "placements": [
              {
                "text":"Autolab",
                "enabled": true,
                "placement":"course_navigation",
                "message_type": "LtiResourceLinkRequest",
                "target_link_uri": "https://<your-autolab-domain>/lti_launch/launch/",
                "icon_url":"<your-icon>",
                "windowTarget": "_blank"
               }
            ]
          }
        }
      ],
      "public_jwk":{
        "kty": "RSA",
        "e": "AQAB",
        "use": "sig",
        "kid": "vLkAvsYBQk5KF3lRxYaUgOWodo_-PL5WrzKLNMcwke0",
        "alg": "RS256",
        "n": "iHN9QvbOTCTlyQwiyUKCAF5iLyAMGPZSnS46okSH5EZv0k3B65k0DdQr8b454RfwOABp7FgXKOEG4oMG62GiFoWebf1nKVBF5O80QOHZquTZLXYPMBKW9FVB0oDol-pzzNmqX0iDPBnCsoII3S8_sDn5V4ur3LUKM2j7oBBphhAPiin8Oh64gnAPS5nlnJmaV8VIbOdpQgzLLHPH4jIfjFhvIKzwRf1kqQGZsUaGYhrGZTusPOLJ0nBHlNh5cEEjbfp0oEvsNJoMzF0COZaMt2d89G7-oaVE64vcEc4rRbW4g1nL4NbeO8xh1Vkhp4rsqL8Zw__DHNue-8kJQt2LUw"
      }
    }

Add Autolab to your Course on Canvas

Once Autolab has been configured and a client_id has been generated, Instructors are then able to add Autolab via the client_id.

Go to "Settings", and click on the "Apps" tab, then click on "+ App". Select Configuration Type "By Client ID", and paste in the client_id generated in the previous step.

You should receive a confirmation pop-up similar to

"Tool "Autolab Integration Tool" found for client ID . Would you like to install it?"

Click "Install". Refresh your Course page and Autolab should appear on the Course Navigation Panel on the left-hand side.

Canvas Course Navigation

Set up Autolab's LTI configuration settings

Setting up Autolab to function as an LTI Advantage Tool requires setting up lti_settings.yml and your instance's .env file

  1. If you do not have a .env file in your Autolab root yet (it may not be present on older installations), create it by running the following script from the Autolab root directory:

    cp .env.template .env
./bin/initialize_secrets.sh

  2. Open up .env in your favorite editor, and update LTI_TOOL_PRIVATE_KEY to use the JWK Private Key generated previously, however you must convert the private key from JWK format to PEM format. An example is provided in .env.template. You can covert JWK objects to PEM format using tools such as the Node library jwkToPem and running it locally or on an online codespace

    LTI_TOOL_PRIVATE_KEY=-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\n<your-private-key>\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\n

  3. Create your LTI config file. This file will essentially tell Autolab how to connect to the LTI Advantage platform

    cp config/lti_settings.yml.template config/lti_settings.yml

  4. Fill in lti_settings.yml with your platform-specific information. For example, you should paste in the client_id created by your platform into the developer_key field. To find the right values for iss, auth_url, platform_public_key, platform_oauth2_access_token_url, and platform_public_jwks_url please consult your respective platforms' guides on LTI integration. For example, for Canvas please consult "Configuring Canvas in the Tool" on this page.

    A summary of some of the values needed for configuring a Canvas integration in Autolab are provided below:

    iss: "https://canvas.instructure.com"
auth_url: "https://<your-canvas-domain>/api/lti/authorize_redirect"
platform_oauth2_access_token_url: "https://<your-canvas-domain>/login/oauth2/token"
platform_public_jwks_url: "https://<your-canvas-domain>/api/lti/security/jwks"

    There is a choice of using the platform_public_key field or the platform_public_jwks_url field depending on which is defined. However, it is highly recommended to use platform_public_jwks_url as most platforms use multiple private keys to sign their JWTs, which is not supported when using platform_public_key.

  5. Once all settings are initialized, Autolab must be restarted. Afterwards, it should be possible to launch Autolab from your specified platform, given your configuration is correct.

    For Canvas, click on "Autolab" on the Course Navigation section

    Canvas Course Navigation

  6. You should be redirected to Autolab. If you are not already logged in, please log in, and try to launch Autolab from your LTI platform again. If successful, you will be redirected on a page in Autolab that allows you to choose an Autolab course to connect with your platform's course. LTI Linking Page