API Key Authentication vs JWT Authentication
Developers should use API Key Authentication when building or consuming APIs that require straightforward, stateless authentication without complex user sessions, such as for machine-to-machine interactions, microservices, or public APIs with limited access tiers meets developers should use jwt authentication when building stateless apis, microservices, or single-page applications (spas) that require scalable, cross-domain authentication without server-side session storage. Here's our take.
API Key Authentication
Developers should use API Key Authentication when building or consuming APIs that require straightforward, stateless authentication without complex user sessions, such as for machine-to-machine interactions, microservices, or public APIs with limited access tiers
API Key Authentication
Nice PickDevelopers should use API Key Authentication when building or consuming APIs that require straightforward, stateless authentication without complex user sessions, such as for machine-to-machine interactions, microservices, or public APIs with limited access tiers
Pros
- +It's ideal for scenarios where scalability and simplicity are priorities, but it should be combined with HTTPS to prevent key exposure and may be supplemented with rate limiting or IP whitelisting for enhanced security
- +Related to: oauth-2, jwt-authentication
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
JWT Authentication
Developers should use JWT Authentication when building stateless APIs, microservices, or single-page applications (SPAs) that require scalable, cross-domain authentication without server-side session storage
Pros
- +It's particularly useful for scenarios like mobile app logins, third-party API integrations, and real-time applications where tokens can be easily validated and contain custom claims for authorization
- +Related to: oauth-2.0, openid-connect
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
The Verdict
Use API Key Authentication if: You want it's ideal for scenarios where scalability and simplicity are priorities, but it should be combined with https to prevent key exposure and may be supplemented with rate limiting or ip whitelisting for enhanced security and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.
Use JWT Authentication if: You prioritize it's particularly useful for scenarios like mobile app logins, third-party api integrations, and real-time applications where tokens can be easily validated and contain custom claims for authorization over what API Key Authentication offers.
Developers should use API Key Authentication when building or consuming APIs that require straightforward, stateless authentication without complex user sessions, such as for machine-to-machine interactions, microservices, or public APIs with limited access tiers
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