# Get started with the integration
Have you tried it out in sandbox?
We recommend that you test our services with your sandbox account before implementing them in production.
# Initial preparations
The setup descriptions below assume you have completed the following initial preparations:
- Received the needed access as described on the Prerequisites page.
- Signed up to the Signicat Dashboard (opens new window).
- Created a production account and added a domain to this account, as described in the Initial setup instructions.
# Add FTN to the Dashboard
- In the Dashboard, navigate to eID Hub > ID Methods (opens new window).
- To enable the ID method, click Add new in the top right.
- Choose the ID method from the list. Then, click Save.
- Now you can see the ID method listed and enabled with status "Active" in the ID methods list.
# Select a protocol
To establish a connection between Signicat's FTN implementation and your application, you need to use a standard authentication protocol.
Supported protocols
Signicat supports the standard OIDC and SAML 2.0 protocols. In addition, we offer the Signicat Authentication REST API.
Choice of protocol depends on what you prefer and what you want to achieve. The Authentication REST API gives you a lot of flexibility and is easy to set up. Between the other two, we recommend using OIDC, since SAML 2.0 is much more complex to implement on your side and usually requires a federation agent already in place. OIDC is industry standard and you do not need to manage user sessions on your own (like with the Authentication REST API).
For more information about the different protocol types, see the general Authentication protocols section.
# Set up the protocol
For information about how to set up the different protocols, see the Quick start guide.