Authentication
Also: authenticate
Proving who you are, for example by logging in.
The fuller definition
Authentication verifies who or what is making a request, using credentials such as passwords, tokens, or certificates.
- Claim
Identity presented
- Proof
Credential checked
- Identity
Recognized caller
A simplified relationship, not a screenshot or a complete design.
A concrete example
A service validates a signed access token before accepting a request.
The distinction that matters
Authentication establishes identity; authorization determines what that identity may do.
Related terms
Authorization
Checking what someone who has logged in is allowed to do.
APIs & softwareAPI key
A secret password that proves a program is allowed to use a service. Keep it private.
APIs & softwareOAuth
A standard way to let one app use another on your behalf without giving it your password.
Where it is taught
APIs and JSON: connect a model to a small programSource and further reading
MDN · Web technology glossaryThe definition and example are written for this library. The link gives background, official documentation or legal authority as labelled. Legal scope depends on the jurisdiction and current text; product features depend on release and settings.