Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ASP.NET Identity VS IndieAuth

Compare ASP.NET Identity VS IndieAuth and see what are their differences

ASP.NET Identity logo ASP.NET Identity

ASP.NET Identity is a membership-based software system designed for the authentication and authorization of the users via building an ASP.NET application.

IndieAuth logo IndieAuth

IndieAuth is a way to use your own domain name to sign in to websites.
  • ASP.NET Identity Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-07
  • IndieAuth Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-04-19

ASP.NET Identity features and specs

  • Integrated with ASP.NET Framework
    ASP.NET Identity is seamlessly integrated into the ASP.NET framework, making it easier to implement authentication and authorization in ASP.NET applications.
  • Supports Multiple Authentication Methods
    It supports various authentication methods, including two-factor authentication, social logins (such as Facebook, Google), and traditional username/password combinations.
  • Customizable
    Developers have the flexibility to customize the identity system according to their needs, for example, by extending user information and roles.
  • Role and Claim-based Authorization
    ASP.NET Identity supports role-based and claims-based authorization, allowing for fine-grained access control.
  • Entity Framework Integration
    Built with Entity Framework, making it easy to persist identity data in a database and leverage Entity Framework's capabilities for ORM.
  • Ease of Use
    Designed to be straightforward to set up and use, with many features working out of the box with minimal configuration.

Possible disadvantages of ASP.NET Identity

  • Complexity for Small Applications
    For small applications with simple authentication needs, ASP.NET Identity might be overly complex and result in unnecessary overhead.
  • Database Dependency
    The default setup requires a database to store user and role information, which may not be suitable for applications where a database-less solution is preferred.
  • Learning Curve
    There can be a learning curve for newcomers to fully understand its architecture and how to implement advanced features.
  • Performance Overhead
    The flexible and feature-rich design of ASP.NET Identity might introduce performance overhead, especially if not properly optimized.
  • Migration Challenges
    Migrating existing applications from older identity systems to ASP.NET Identity can be challenging and time-consuming.

IndieAuth features and specs

  • Decentralization
    IndieAuth is built on open web standards, allowing users to maintain control over their identity. It doesn't rely on centralized identity providers, reducing dependence on major tech companies and avoiding their potential limitations or policies.
  • User Control
    Users authenticate by using their own domain, preserving their autonomy and ownership over their online identity. This personal control aligns with the principles of the IndieWeb movement, promoting self-hosted identity solutions.
  • Interoperability
    IndieAuth is compatible with existing OAuth 2.0 standards, enabling seamless integration with various applications and services while supporting new, decentralized protocols.
  • Simplicity
    It simplifies the authentication process for both users and developers by using straightforward standards and protocols, making the implementation relatively user-friendly and less complex.

Possible disadvantages of IndieAuth

  • Limited Adoption
    Despite its advantages, IndieAuth has not been widely adopted compared to major authentication providers, which can limit its utility and presence in mainstream applications.
  • Technical Complexity for End Users
    For users without technical expertise, setting up and managing an IndieAuth-enabled identity can be challenging, as it may require domain ownership and configuration knowledge.
  • Lack of Ecosystem Features
    Compared to large identity providers like Google or Facebook, IndieAuth does not offer an extensive network or additional services (e.g., user analytics, security features), which some developers might find limiting.
  • Security Reliance on User Setup
    The security of an IndieAuth identity is often dependent on the user's domain and server configuration, which can vary widely in quality and robustness, potentially introducing vulnerabilities.

ASP.NET Identity videos

Understand ASP.NET Identity Core

IndieAuth videos

OSB2014 - Aaron Parecki - OAuth, IndieAuth, and the Future of Authorization APIs

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ASP.NET Identity and IndieAuth)
Network & Admin
69 69%
31% 31
Identity And Access Management
Security & Privacy
57 57%
43% 43
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, IndieAuth seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ASP.NET Identity mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of ASP.NET Identity yet. Tracking of ASP.NET Identity recommendations started around Jul 2021.

IndieAuth mentions (2)

  • Democratizing social media, with the freedom of moving around platforms freely
    IndieAuth[1] is a slick DNS-based approach. Maybe offering that as a service would be a nice alternative. I point my DNS to you, and you handle authentication for everything that uses IndieAuth. If you go away or I don't like what you're doing then I can point my DNS to someone else offering that service and I retain the same DNS identity, and ability to use it to login anywhere I've set it up as my identity.... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Show HN: Login with HN (Unofficially)
    This is interesting but doing it the other way around - HN using something like IndieAuth[0] to verify user account identities without holding PII on the site itself - might be even more useful. [0]https://indieauth.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ASP.NET Identity and IndieAuth, you can also consider the following products

ASP.NET SAML - ASP.NET SAML is an open-source authentication utility that has been used for exchanging authentication and authorization data between the channels.

humanID - humanID is a one-click anonymous SSO that provides users with an anonymous identity layer.

DotNetOpenAuth - DotNetOpenAuth is a free-to-use compiled library that comes with the real support to your site visitor to login with the help of openIDs via getting control of the ASP.NET control onto the page.

OpenID - OpenID is a safe, faster and easier way to log in to web sites.

IdentityServer - An open-source, standards-compliant, and flexible OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.x framework for ASP.NET Core

Portier - An email-based, passwordless authentication service that you can host yourself.