What is OAuth? Explained in the Easiest Way!
Imagine you have a secret diary at home that you don’t want anyone to open. But sometimes, you want to let your friend read just a few pages from it, without giving them the whole diary or the key to your diary.
So, instead of giving them your key, you ask your trusted helper, like your mom or dad, to give your friend a special key that only lets them open the specific pages you want them to see — no more, no less!
In the world of computers and the internet, OAuth is like that special key system for your online information. It helps you share only the information you want with websites or apps, without giving them your password.
Here’s how OAuth works:
- You want to use an app (like a new game) that needs to know who you are, or see your profile picture or name.
- Instead of typing in your password for that app, you can log in using a service you already trust, like Google or Facebook.
- When you click on “Log in with Google” or “Log in with Facebook”, it’s like saying, “Hey Google or Facebook, can you help this app know who I am?”
- Google or Facebook checks that it’s really you and then gives the app a temporary key that lets the app use only the information you’ve agreed to share, like your name or profile picture.
- The app can’t see everything about you, just the small things you want to share. It can’t change your password or access your private messages — just the info you allow them to see.
- After a while, the key stops working. The app can’t keep it forever, which helps keep your information safe!
Why Do We Use OAuth?
- Keeps you safe: You don’t have to give your password to every app. The app only gets the specific information you’re okay with.
- Easy to use: You don’t have to remember lots of passwords. You can just use your Google or Facebook login and get started right away!
Example You Can Relate To:
Let’s say you want to play a new game on your phone. The game wants to know your name and profile picture.
Instead of typing a new password, the game lets you log in with Google. Google checks that it’s really you, and then it sends the game a temporary key that lets the game use your name and profile picture, but nothing else.
The game can’t see your emails or anything else in your Google account, it just gets the name and profile picture.
To Sum It Up:
OAuth is like giving apps a temporary magic key that lets them see only the information you want to share, without ever giving them your real password. It helps you stay safe online while still letting you enjoy all your apps and games! 😊
Next – Learn about SAML in most easy way
