SAML vs OpenID Connect

Developers should learn SAML when building or integrating applications that require secure, federated identity management, such as enterprise software, cloud services, or government systems meets developers should learn and use openid connect when building applications that require secure user authentication and identity verification, such as enterprise sso systems, consumer-facing apps with social login, or any service needing to integrate with identity providers like google, microsoft, or okta. Here's our take.

SAML

Nice Pick

Developers should learn SAML when building or integrating applications that require secure, federated identity management, such as enterprise software, cloud services, or government systems

Pros

• It is essential for implementing single sign-on (SSO) solutions, reducing password fatigue, and ensuring compliance with security standards like those in healthcare or finance
• Related to: single-sign-on, oauth

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

OpenID Connect

Developers should learn and use OpenID Connect when building applications that require secure user authentication and identity verification, such as enterprise SSO systems, consumer-facing apps with social login, or any service needing to integrate with identity providers like Google, Microsoft, or Okta

Pros

• It simplifies authentication flows by standardizing token-based identity verification, reducing the need for custom authentication code and enhancing security through built-in features like token validation and user consent management
• Related to: oauth-2.0, json-web-tokens

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. SAML is a concept while OpenID Connect is a protocol. We picked SAML based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

SAML wins

Based on overall popularity. SAML is more widely used, but OpenID Connect excels in its own space.