We frequently hear this complaint from journal managers using OJS: “Our users keep requesting password resets, but they haven’t actually forgotten their passwords!”
The root cause is simple: OJS requires a username to login. However, almost every website today allows login with an email address. Users naturally enter their email address in OJS and receive the “Invalid username or password” error.
This results in:
- 📧 Unnecessary password reset requests
- 😤 User frustration
- ⏰ Wasted time for journal managers
The Solution: Email Login Plugin
We developed the Email Login Plugin to solve this problem. With this plugin, users can now login using either their username or email address.
How It Works
- User enters their email address in the login field
- The plugin automatically finds the username associated with that email
- Login proceeds normally
The user doesn’t notice any difference – they can simply login with their email address now!
Features
✅ Email login – Users can now login with their email address
✅ Username support – Existing behavior unchanged, username login still works
✅ Automatic form update – Login form label changes to “Username or Email”
✅ Secure – SQL injection protection and input validation
✅ No core modifications – No issues with OJS updates
✅ Bilingual support – English and Turkish
Installation
Installation takes just a few minutes:
- Download the
.tar.gzfile from GitHub releases - Go to Settings → Website → Plugins in OJS admin panel
- Click Upload A New Plugin
- Select the downloaded file
- Enable “Email Login” under Generic Plugins
That’s it! Your users can now login with their email addresses.
Compatibility
| Requirement | Version |
|---|---|
| OJS | 3.3.0 – 3.3.0.22+ |
| PHP | 7.3 or higher |
Security
Security was a priority during development:
- Prepared Statements protect against SQL injection attacks
- Email addresses are validated and sanitized before database queries
- Disabled accounts cannot login via email
- Error messages don’t reveal whether an email exists in the system
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will existing username login continue to work?
A: Yes, nothing changes. Users can login with either username or email.
Q: Will the plugin break when I update OJS?
A: No, the plugin doesn’t modify core files. It’s unaffected by OJS updates.
Q: What happens if the same email is used for multiple accounts?
A: OJS already prevents the same email from being used for multiple accounts.
Download
📥 Download Email Login Plugin v1.1.0
Support
For questions or issues with the plugin:
- Open an issue on GitHub
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