OIDC vs OAuth

Web developers frequently encounter the terms OIDC (OpenID Connect) and OAuth, which are protocols used for authentication and authorization, respectively, each with distinct purposes. OAuth is an authorization protocol allowing applications to access resources on behalf of users, commonly used in social media integration, calendar access, and payment processing. OIDC, on the other hand, is built on top of OAuth 2.0 and serves as an identity layer to authenticate users and provide basic profile information, often replacing traditional username and password systems in scenarios like single sign-on for enterprise apps and mobile app authentication. The primary difference lies in OAuth's focus on authorization, granting access to resources, while OIDC emphasizes authentication, confirming user identity. Understanding these differences enables developers to effectively implement and integrate authentication and authorization solutions in their applications.