OpenID Connect: An Overview

OpenID Connect serves as an identity layer atop the OAuth 2.0 protocol, facilitating secure and seamless user authentication for modern digital applications. It allows users to log in using existing credentials from trusted providers like Google, enhancing convenience and security by reducing password fatigue and centralizing credential management. This protocol is versatile, supporting various application types and offering user privacy control by letting users decide what personal information to share. OpenID Connect operates through a series of interactions between the user, the application requiring authentication, and the OpenID provider, using standard protocols to authenticate users, retrieve profile information, and handle logout requests. It improves upon its predecessor, OpenID 2.0, by addressing past implementation challenges and offering support for mobile applications and user profile data sharing. Unlike SAML and OAuth, which focus on different aspects of authentication and authorization, OpenID Connect provides a comprehensive solution by integrating user identity verification with OAuth's authorization framework, making it a robust tool for developers in managing user access and identity.