Securing authentication is crucial in today's API-driven ecosystem, and choosing the right API authentication method is essential. JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) and OAuth are two popular options, but they serve different purposes and have distinct security implications. JWTs are a token format used to securely transmit data, while OAuth is an authorization framework designed to delegate access. Understanding their architectural differences, security vulnerabilities, and practical use cases is crucial for making informed decisions about authentication. By evaluating requirements against factors like scalability, performance, and security, developers can select the best approach or create a hybrid solution combining JWTs and OAuth to build secure, scalable, and adaptable authentication systems.