Azure Active Directory
Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management service, providing authentication, authorization, and identity governance for applications and resources. It enables single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conditional access policies to secure access to cloud and on-premises resources. It serves as the backbone for identity management in Microsoft 365, Azure, and thousands of SaaS applications.
Developers should learn Azure AD when building applications that require secure user authentication, authorization, and identity management in cloud or hybrid environments, especially for enterprise scenarios. It is essential for integrating with Microsoft ecosystems (e.g., Microsoft 365, Azure services), implementing SSO for SaaS apps, and enforcing security policies like MFA and conditional access to protect against unauthorized access.