Authentication & Authorization
Authentication and authorization are fundamental security concepts in software development. Authentication verifies a user's identity (e.g., through passwords or biometrics), while authorization determines what resources or actions that authenticated user is permitted to access. Together, they form the core of access control systems in applications and services.
Developers should learn these concepts to implement secure access control in any application handling user data or sensitive operations. They are essential for building login systems, API security, role-based access control (RBAC), and compliance with security standards like OAuth 2.0 or OpenID Connect. Use cases include web applications, mobile apps, microservices, and enterprise software.