feat(developers): overhaul signup to auto-register SilverDESK accounts

Users now pick a password and get a SilverDESK account immediately on
submit. The form includes debounced username availability checking,
password fields with validation, and a post-submit link to SilverDESK.
The approval flow no longer creates a SilverDESK user (already exists)
and only provisions Mattermost + Mailcow.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

BlazorApp/Components/Pages/Developers.razor

@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@
                 </div>
                 <h2>Application Submitted</h2>
                 <p>@_resultMessage</p>
-                <a href="/" class="dev-btn dev-btn-secondary">Back to Home</a>
+                <p class="dev-account-note">Your SilverDESK account has been created. You can log in with the credentials you just chose.</p>
+                <div class="dev-success-actions">
+                    <a href="https://silverdesk.silverlabs.uk" target="_blank" class="dev-btn dev-btn-primary">Track Your Application on SilverDESK</a>
+                    <a href="/" class="dev-btn dev-btn-secondary">Back to Home</a>
+                </div>
             </div>
         }
         else
@@ -88,8 +92,21 @@
 
                         <div class="form-group">
                             <label for="username">Desired Username</label>
-                            <InputText id="username" @bind-Value="_application.DesiredUsername" class="form-input" placeholder="janedoe" />
+                            <InputText id="username" @bind-Value="_application.DesiredUsername" class="form-input" placeholder="janedoe"
+                                       @oninput="OnUsernameInput" />
                             <span class="form-hint">This will be your handle across SilverLabs services</span>
+                            @if (_usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Checking)
+                            {
+                                <span class="username-status username-checking">Checking availability...</span>
+                            }
+                            else if (_usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Available)
+                            {
+                                <span class="username-status username-available">&#10003; Username is available</span>
+                            }
+                            else if (_usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Taken)
+                            {
+                                <span class="username-status username-taken">&#10007; Username is already taken</span>
+                            }
                             <ValidationMessage For="() => _application.DesiredUsername" />
                         </div>
 
@@ -101,6 +118,26 @@
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
+                <!-- Password -->
+                <div class="dev-section">
+                    <h2 class="dev-section-title">Create Your Password</h2>
+                    <p class="dev-section-desc">This will be your password for SilverDESK and associated services.</p>
+                    <div class="form-grid">
+                        <div class="form-group">
+                            <label for="password">Password</label>
+                            <InputText id="password" type="password" @bind-Value="_application.Password" class="form-input" placeholder="Min. 8 characters" />
+                            <span class="form-hint">Must include uppercase, lowercase, and a number</span>
+                            <ValidationMessage For="() => _application.Password" />
+                        </div>
+
+                        <div class="form-group">
+                            <label for="confirmPassword">Confirm Password</label>
+                            <InputText id="confirmPassword" type="password" @bind-Value="_application.ConfirmPassword" class="form-input" placeholder="Re-enter your password" />
+                            <ValidationMessage For="() => _application.ConfirmPassword" />
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+
                 <!-- Platforms -->
                 <div class="dev-section">
                     <h2 class="dev-section-title">Devices & Platforms</h2>
@@ -198,8 +235,13 @@
     private string? _resultMessage;
     private string? _errorMessage;
 
+    private UsernameCheckState _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.None;
+    private CancellationTokenSource? _usernameCheckCts;
+
     private readonly string[] _availablePlatforms = { "Windows", "macOS", "Linux", "Android", "iOS", "Other" };
 
+    private enum UsernameCheckState { None, Checking, Available, Taken }
+
     private void SelectRole(ApplicationRole role)
     {
         _application.Role = role;
@@ -213,6 +255,40 @@
             _application.Platforms.Add(platform);
     }
 
+    private async Task OnUsernameInput(ChangeEventArgs e)
+    {
+        var username = e.Value?.ToString() ?? "";
+        _application.DesiredUsername = username;
+
+        _usernameCheckCts?.Cancel();
+
+        if (username.Length < 3)
+        {
+            _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.None;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.Checking;
+        _usernameCheckCts = new CancellationTokenSource();
+        var token = _usernameCheckCts.Token;
+
+        try
+        {
+            await Task.Delay(500, token);
+            var available = await ApplicationService.CheckUsernameAsync(username);
+
+            if (!token.IsCancellationRequested)
+            {
+                _usernameCheckState = available ? UsernameCheckState.Available : UsernameCheckState.Taken;
+                StateHasChanged();
+            }
+        }
+        catch (TaskCanceledException)
+        {
+            // Debounce cancelled — newer keystroke took over
+        }
+    }
+
     private async Task HandleSubmit()
     {
         _errorMessage = null;
@@ -220,7 +296,7 @@
 
         try
         {
-            var (success, message) = await ApplicationService.SubmitApplicationAsync(_application);
+            var (success, message, token) = await ApplicationService.SubmitApplicationAsync(_application);
 
             if (success)
             {

BlazorApp/Endpoints/DeveloperEndpoints.cs

@@ -9,11 +9,17 @@ public static class DeveloperEndpoints
     {
         var group = app.MapGroup("/api/developers");
 
+        group.MapGet("/check-username/{username}", async (string username, DeveloperApplicationService service) =>
+        {
+            var available = await service.CheckUsernameAsync(username);
+            return Results.Ok(new { available });
+        });
+
         group.MapPost("/apply", async (DeveloperApplication application, DeveloperApplicationService service) =>
         {
-            var (success, message) = await service.SubmitApplicationAsync(application);
+            var (success, message, token) = await service.SubmitApplicationAsync(application);
             return success
-                ? Results.Ok(new { message })
+                ? Results.Ok(new { message, token })
                 : Results.Problem(message, statusCode: 502);
         });
 

BlazorApp/Models/DeveloperApplication.cs

@@ -28,6 +28,14 @@ public class DeveloperApplication
 
     public string? Skills { get; set; }
 
+    [Required(ErrorMessage = "Password is required")]
+    [StringLength(100, MinimumLength = 8, ErrorMessage = "Password must be at least 8 characters")]
+    public string Password { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [Required(ErrorMessage = "Please confirm your password")]
+    [Compare("Password", ErrorMessage = "Passwords do not match")]
+    public string ConfirmPassword { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
     [Required(ErrorMessage = "Please tell us why you want to join")]
     [StringLength(2000, MinimumLength = 20, ErrorMessage = "Motivation must be between 20 and 2000 characters")]
     public string Motivation { get; set; } = string.Empty;

BlazorApp/Services/DeveloperApplicationService.cs

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+using System.Net.Http.Headers;
+using System.Net.Http.Json;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using SilverLabs.Website.Models;
@@ -15,13 +17,54 @@ public class DeveloperApplicationService
         _logger = logger;
     }
 
-    public async Task<(bool Success, string Message)> SubmitApplicationAsync(DeveloperApplication application)
+    public async Task<bool> CheckUsernameAsync(string username)
     {
         try
         {
-            var ticketBody = FormatTicketBody(application);
+            var response = await _httpClient.GetAsync($"/api/auth/check-username/{Uri.EscapeDataString(username)}");
+            if (!response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
+                return false;
 
-            var payload = new
+            var result = await response.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<JsonElement>();
+            return result.TryGetProperty("available", out var available) && available.GetBoolean();
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            _logger.LogError(ex, "Error checking username availability for {Username}", username);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    public async Task<(bool Success, string Message, string? Token)> SubmitApplicationAsync(DeveloperApplication application)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            // 1. Register user on SilverDESK
+            var registerPayload = new
+            {
+                username = application.DesiredUsername,
+                email = application.Email,
+                password = application.Password,
+                fullName = application.FullName
+            };
+
+            var registerResponse = await _httpClient.PostAsJsonAsync("/api/auth/register", registerPayload);
+
+            if (!registerResponse.IsSuccessStatusCode)
+            {
+                var errorBody = await registerResponse.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
+                _logger.LogError("SilverDESK registration failed: {StatusCode} - {Body}", registerResponse.StatusCode, errorBody);
+
+                var friendlyMessage = ParseRegistrationError(errorBody);
+                return (false, friendlyMessage, null);
+            }
+
+            var authResult = await registerResponse.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<JsonElement>();
+            var token = authResult.GetProperty("token").GetString();
+
+            // 2. Create ticket using the user's own JWT
+            var ticketBody = FormatTicketBody(application);
+            var ticketPayload = new
             {
                 Subject = $"[Developer Program] {application.Role} Application - {application.FullName}",
                 Description = ticketBody,
@@ -29,28 +72,54 @@ public class DeveloperApplicationService
                 Category = "Developer Program"
             };
 
-            var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(payload);
-            var content = new StringContent(json, Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
+            var ticketRequest = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Post, "/api/tickets");
+            ticketRequest.Headers.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", token);
+            ticketRequest.Content = JsonContent.Create(ticketPayload);
 
-            var response = await _httpClient.PostAsync("/api/tickets", content);
+            var ticketResponse = await _httpClient.SendAsync(ticketRequest);
 
-            if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
+            if (!ticketResponse.IsSuccessStatusCode)
             {
-                _logger.LogInformation("Developer application submitted for {Email} as {Role}", application.Email, application.Role);
-                return (true, "Application submitted successfully! We'll review it and get back to you soon.");
+                var errorBody = await ticketResponse.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
+                _logger.LogError("Failed to create ticket: {StatusCode} - {Body}", ticketResponse.StatusCode, errorBody);
+                // User was created but ticket failed — still return success with a note
+                return (true, "Your account has been created, but we had trouble submitting your application ticket. Please log in to SilverDESK and create a support ticket.", token);
             }
 
-            var errorBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
-            _logger.LogError("Failed to create ticket: {StatusCode} - {Body}", response.StatusCode, errorBody);
-            return (false, "Something went wrong submitting your application. Please try again later.");
+            _logger.LogInformation("Developer application submitted for {Email} as {Role} — user registered and ticket created",
+                application.Email, application.Role);
+
+            return (true, "Application submitted successfully! Your SilverDESK account has been created.", token);
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
             _logger.LogError(ex, "Error submitting developer application for {Email}", application.Email);
-            return (false, "Unable to connect to the application service. Please try again later.");
+            return (false, "Unable to connect to the application service. Please try again later.", null);
         }
     }
 
+    private static string ParseRegistrationError(string errorBody)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var error = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<JsonElement>(errorBody);
+            if (error.TryGetProperty("message", out var message))
+            {
+                var msg = message.GetString() ?? "";
+                if (msg.Contains("Username already exists", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                    return "That username is already taken. Please choose a different one.";
+                if (msg.Contains("Email already exists", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                    return "An account with that email already exists.";
+                if (msg.Contains("Password", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                    return msg;
+                return msg;
+            }
+        }
+        catch { }
+
+        return "Something went wrong creating your account. Please try again later.";
+    }
+
     private static string FormatTicketBody(DeveloperApplication app)
     {
         var sb = new StringBuilder();

BlazorApp/Services/ProvisioningService.cs

@@ -20,17 +20,15 @@ public class ProvisioningService
         var results = new List<string>();
         var allSuccess = true;
 
-        // 1. Create SilverDESK user
-        var (deskOk, deskMsg) = await CreateSilverDeskUserAsync(username, email, fullName);
-        results.Add($"SilverDESK: {deskMsg}");
-        if (!deskOk) allSuccess = false;
+        // SilverDESK user already exists (created at application time)
+        // Only provision external services
 
-        // 2. Create Mattermost user
+        // 1. Create Mattermost user
         var (mmOk, mmMsg) = await CreateMattermostUserAsync(username, email, fullName);
         results.Add($"Mattermost: {mmMsg}");
         if (!mmOk) allSuccess = false;
 
-        // 3. Create Mailcow mailbox
+        // 2. Create Mailcow mailbox
         var (mailOk, mailMsg) = await CreateMailcowMailboxAsync(username, fullName);
         results.Add($"Mailcow: {mailMsg}");
         if (!mailOk) allSuccess = false;