SCIM 2.0 explained: a practical guide for SaaS auth

SCIM 2.0 (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) is an open IETF standard that uses a standardized REST/JSON API to automate the management of user identities and groups across domains, ensuring that user account operations such as creation, update, and deactivation occur without manual intervention. SCIM 2.0 supports the full account lifecycle management, complementing SSO by providing continuous synchronization of account states, whereas SSO only authenticates users at login. Implementations of SCIM often involve choosing an appropriate authentication provider, with options like Clerk, WorkOS, and Auth0 offering different features such as user provisioning, group synchronization, and custom attribute handling. The choice between building a SCIM endpoint in-house or using a managed service depends on factors like ease of implementation, feature support, pricing models, and integration capabilities. SCIM is crucial for B2B SaaS platforms, facilitating seamless onboarding and offboarding processes, thereby reducing security risks associated with orphaned accounts while meeting enterprise client expectations for automated provisioning.