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What are the pros and cons of authentication with API key vs client_id+secret? (lemmy.pe1uca.dev)

submitted 1 year ago by pe1uca@lemmy.pe1uca.dev to c/programming@programming.dev

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I have an implementation for an internal API, the requirement is to implement some sort of basic authentication instead of oauth (generating a token).

Do you think there's any difference between using just an API key vs using a client id + secret?
For what I see it'd be just like saying "using a password" vs "using a user and a password".

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[–] fireflash38@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Consider that a 'username+password' is much harder to 'revoke' individually. As in, you can have 3-4 API keys in use, and can revoke any one of them without having to change a password.

You can also change password independently of the keys, or have it linked so keys are revoked on a password change. It also allows traceability as to where accesses are coming from (auditability). If everything is using the same client-id+secret (or usn/pwd), you don't know which 'client' is doing what.