OAuth (Open Authorization) is an open standard protocol that provides secure access to protected resources by allowing clients (such as applications or services) to request access tokens from authorization servers on behalf of a user. It is commonly used as an authentication and authorization mechanism for web and mobile applications, as well as for accessing APIs and other web-based services.
The OAuth protocol involves three parties: the client, the resource owner (the user), and the resource server (the service provider). When the client requests access to a protected resource on behalf of the resource owner, it first obtains an authorization grant from the resource owner. The client then uses the authorization grant to request an access token from the authorization server, which can be used to access the protected resource on the resource server.
OAuth provides a number of benefits over traditional authentication methods, such as username/password authentication. It allows for more granular control over access to resources, as the access token can be configured to provide specific levels of access to specific resources. It also allows for secure delegation of access, as the resource owner can grant access to a third-party client without sharing their own credentials.
OAuth has become a widely adopted standard for secure authentication and authorization in web and mobile applications, as well as for accessing APIs and other web-based services. Major tech companies such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have implemented OAuth for their authentication and authorization mechanisms.
