JWT
SecurityDefinition
JSON Web Token (JWT) is an open standard (RFC 7519) for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. JWTs are self-contained tokens composed of three Base64URL-encoded parts: header, payload, and signature. Widely used for authentication and API authorization.
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Related Terms
OAuth
OAuth 2.0 is an authorization framework that allows applications to obtain limited access to user accounts on HTTP services. OAuth enables "Login with Google/GitHub" flows where a third-party app is granted access to specific user data without receiving the user's password.
API Key
An API key is a unique identifier string passed in requests to authenticate an application or user accessing an API. API keys are simpler than OAuth but provide less security — they are long-lived, not scoped per-user, and must be kept secret.
SSL/TLS
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and its successor TLS (Transport Layer Security) are cryptographic protocols that provide encrypted communication over the internet. TLS is used in HTTPS, email (SMTP/IMAP), VPNs, and any application requiring secure data transmission. SSL is deprecated; TLS 1.3 is current.
Certificate
An SSL/TLS certificate (X.509 certificate) is a digital document that binds a cryptographic public key to an identity (domain name, organization). Certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) and enable HTTPS. Browsers trust certificates signed by recognized CAs.