Identity and Access Management vs Federated Identity

Developers should learn IAM when building applications that require user authentication, authorization, or compliance with security standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2 meets developers should learn federated identity when building applications that need to integrate with external services, support enterprise sso, or manage user identities across platforms, such as in cloud-based saas products or multi-tenant architectures. Here's our take.

Identity and Access Management

Nice Pick

Developers should learn IAM when building applications that require user authentication, authorization, or compliance with security standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2

Pros

• It is essential for implementing secure login systems, role-based access control (RBAC), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and managing user permissions in cloud environments, enterprise software, or any system handling sensitive data
• Related to: authentication, authorization

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Federated Identity

Developers should learn Federated Identity when building applications that need to integrate with external services, support enterprise SSO, or manage user identities across platforms, such as in cloud-based SaaS products or multi-tenant architectures

Pros

• It enhances security by centralizing authentication, reduces password fatigue for users, and simplifies compliance with regulations like GDPR by delegating identity management to specialized providers
• Related to: saml, oauth

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Identity and Access Management if: You want it is essential for implementing secure login systems, role-based access control (rbac), multi-factor authentication (mfa), and managing user permissions in cloud environments, enterprise software, or any system handling sensitive data and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Federated Identity if: You prioritize it enhances security by centralizing authentication, reduces password fatigue for users, and simplifies compliance with regulations like gdpr by delegating identity management to specialized providers over what Identity and Access Management offers.

The Bottom Line

Identity and Access Management wins

Developers should learn IAM when building applications that require user authentication, authorization, or compliance with security standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2