How does Joomla load user data in login when I've disabled it's authentication plugin?

Question

I built a Joomla authentication plugin which authenticates the users through web services I made in Java, and the user data are stored in an Oracle database which is different from the Joomla's own database both in structure and data.

I've also create a user component which so far does the registration, again through web services, but also register a user object on Joomla too, which for the project is not important at all but for now it can stay.

I've now disabled Joomla's own authentication plugin and enabled only mine.

What happens:

1. User registers successfully
2. Their data is saved both in an Oracle database through web services and in Joomla's db.
3. On user login i authenticate the user through web services only.
4. Once the user logs in successfully I can see their "Joomla" data on the site.

Now the question is: How can Joomla know which user did log in if the authentication is not done by Joomla? Does it load the user data, on successful authentication, by selecting the username?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

As you stated in pt. 2, the user data is - independent from any authentication method - stored in Joomla!'s own user repository. This repositiory (database table) is still used to keep all user relevant data. The only difference is the authentication itself, ie., the determination whether the credentials are valid or not.