Access Tokens vs Session Cookies
Developers should learn about access tokens when building or integrating with secure systems that require user authentication or API authorization, such as web applications, mobile apps, or microservices meets developers should use session cookies when building web applications that require state management during a user's visit, such as e-commerce sites for shopping carts, authentication systems for login sessions, or multi-step forms to retain input data. Here's our take.
Access Tokens
Developers should learn about access tokens when building or integrating with secure systems that require user authentication or API authorization, such as web applications, mobile apps, or microservices
Access Tokens
Nice PickDevelopers should learn about access tokens when building or integrating with secure systems that require user authentication or API authorization, such as web applications, mobile apps, or microservices
Pros
- +They are essential for implementing secure, token-based authentication flows, like in single sign-on (SSO) or third-party API integrations, to avoid storing sensitive credentials and to manage permissions efficiently
- +Related to: oauth-2.0, openid-connect
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
Session Cookies
Developers should use session cookies when building web applications that require state management during a user's visit, such as e-commerce sites for shopping carts, authentication systems for login sessions, or multi-step forms to retain input data
Pros
- +They are crucial for creating seamless user experiences by avoiding the need to re-enter information and enabling server-side applications to identify and respond to individual users across multiple HTTP requests
- +Related to: http-cookies, authentication
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
The Verdict
Use Access Tokens if: You want they are essential for implementing secure, token-based authentication flows, like in single sign-on (sso) or third-party api integrations, to avoid storing sensitive credentials and to manage permissions efficiently and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.
Use Session Cookies if: You prioritize they are crucial for creating seamless user experiences by avoiding the need to re-enter information and enabling server-side applications to identify and respond to individual users across multiple http requests over what Access Tokens offers.
Developers should learn about access tokens when building or integrating with secure systems that require user authentication or API authorization, such as web applications, mobile apps, or microservices
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