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What IS OAuth

Open standard and protocol for secure authorization and authentication on the internet.

OAuth, which stands for "Open Authorization," is an open standard and protocol for secure authorization and authentication on the internet. It allows users to grant third-party applications limited access to their resources or data without sharing their login credentials.

OAuth is widely used by web and mobile applications to provide secure access to services and data from other providers (known as "resource servers") on behalf of a user.

Here are the key components and concepts of OAuth:

Resource Owner​

The resource owner is the user who owns the data or resources being accessed. For example, this could be a user's photos on a social media platform or their email messages.

Client​

The client is the application that wants access to the user's resources. This could be a mobile app, a web application, or any software component that interacts with the resource server on behalf of the user.

Authorization Server​

The authorization server is responsible for authenticating the resource owner and granting access tokens to the client. It verifies the identity of the user and ensures they give consent for the client to access their resources.

Resource Server​

The resource server hosts the protected resources that the client wants to access. It can be a web service, an API, or any other data provider.

Access Token​

An access token is a credential that the client uses to access the resource server on behalf of the user. It serves as proof of authorization and is issued by the authorization server. Access tokens are typically short-lived and can have different scopes, indicating the specific permissions granted to the client.

Authorization Grant​

The authorization grant is a credential representing the resource owner's consent for the client to access their resources. It is used by the client to obtain an access token. Common authorization grants include the "authorization code," "implicit," "password," and "client credentials."

Redirect URI​

After the user grants or denies permission, the authorization server redirects the user back to the client application at a predefined redirect URI. This URI is used to deliver the authorization code or access token.

✅ In Summary​

OAuth is often used for scenarios where a user wants to allow a third-party application to access their data from another service without sharing their login credentials. For example, when you use your Google or Facebook account to log in to a third-party app, OAuth is typically used to manage this authentication and authorization process securely.

OAuth has become a fundamental building block for modern web and mobile applications, enabling secure and controlled access to user data and services while protecting user credentials and privacy.

✅ Resources​