API Authentication Articles and Best Practices
A collection of API Authentication articles, including best practices, guides, and tutorials. Stay updated with the latest in API Authentication.
By Adrian Machado - 1/3/2025
Top 7 API Authentication Methods Compared
By Adrian Machado - 7/31/2024Simple HTTP Authentication: A Beginner’s Guide
By Josh Twist - 7/19/2024Tips and Best Practices for API Authentication
By Abdallah Abedraba - 9/26/2023User-level auth in your Supabase API - Supaweek Day 2
By Nate Totten - 9/11/2023Backend for Frontend (BFF) Authentication
By Nate Totten - 7/16/2023Zero Downtime migration of API Authentication
By Josh Twist - 5/11/2022The three pillars of an API program
By Josh Twist - 3/21/2022Basic Authentication and Environment Variables
API Key Authentication Articles
More API Authentication articles, but with a focus on API Key Authentication. View all
JWT API Authentication Articles
More API Authentication articles, but with a focus on JWT API Authentication. View all
Auth0 Articles
More API Authentication articles, but with a focus on Auth0. View all
Clerk Articles
More API Authentication articles, but with a focus on Clerk. View all
API Authentication Frequently Asked Questions
What is API Authentication?
API Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of users or services interacting with your API, ensuring only authorized requests can access protected resources.
Which methods are commonly used for API Authentication?
Popular methods include API Keys, OAuth 2.0, JWT (JSON Web Tokens), and Basic Authentication. Each method has different strengths and is chosen based on security and ease of implementation.
How do I choose the best authentication strategy for my API?
Consider your security requirements, the complexity of your system, and user experience. For internal microservices, simple tokens might suffice, while public APIs often benefit from OAuth or JWT.
What are common pitfalls in API Authentication?
Storing credentials in plain text, failing to use HTTPS, and not rotating secrets regularly can lead to security breaches. Always encrypt sensitive data and follow best practices for key management.