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Azure Active Directory for Developers VS Microsoft Azure Active Directory

Compare Azure Active Directory for Developers VS Microsoft Azure Active Directory and see what are their differences

Azure Active Directory for Developers logo Azure Active Directory for Developers

Microsoft identity platform is an evolution of the Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) developer platform.

Microsoft Azure Active Directory logo Microsoft Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory is a comprehensive identity and access management cloud solution that provides a robust set of capabilities to manage users and groups and help secure access to applications including Microsoft online services like Office 365 …
  • Azure Active Directory for Developers Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-21
  • Microsoft Azure Active Directory Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-06

Azure Active Directory for Developers features and specs

  • Integration with Microsoft Services
    Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) integrates seamlessly with Microsoft services, providing a unified identity platform for accessing Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365, and other services.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Azure AD provides robust support for a wide range of platforms, including Windows, iOS, Android, and web applications, making it a versatile choice for developers targeting multiple environments.
  • Scalability
    Azure AD can handle millions of users and billions of authentications per day, making it highly scalable for enterprise applications.
  • Security Features
    It offers advanced security features like multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access, and identity protection, helping developers enhance the security of their applications.
  • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    Developers can implement single sign-on functionality, allowing users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials, improving user experience and security.
  • Comprehensive API Access
    Azure AD exposes a comprehensive set of APIs, enabling developers to integrate identity management and authentication features directly into their applications.
  • B2C and B2B Support
    Azure AD supports both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) identity solutions, offering flexibility in targeting different types of users and clients.

Possible disadvantages of Azure Active Directory for Developers

  • Complexity
    The wide range of features and capabilities can lead to complexity in configuration and management, requiring a learning curve for developers who are new to Azure AD.
  • Cost
    While there are free tiers, many advanced features require premium subscriptions, which can increase costs for organizations, particularly startups or smaller companies.
  • Limited Non-Microsoft Integration
    Integration with third-party, non-Microsoft services can be less straightforward compared to integration with Microsoft services, requiring additional configuration and effort.
  • Latency Concerns
    In some scenarios, particularly for globally distributed applications, latency can be an issue, potentially affecting the responsiveness of authentication and directory access.
  • Feature Overlap
    For organizations already using other identity management solutions, there may be feature overlap, which could lead to redundant systems and inefficient processes.

Microsoft Azure Active Directory features and specs

  • Scalability
    Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) can easily scale to accommodate both small businesses and large enterprises with millions of users, making it suitable for a range of organizational needs.
  • Integrations
    Azure AD integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services such as Office 365, Dynamics 365, and Windows 10, as well as many third-party applications, simplifying user management across platforms.
  • Security Features
    Azure AD provides robust security features like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Conditional Access, and Identity Protection, enhancing the security posture of an organization.
  • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    Azure AD offers Single Sign-On capabilities, allowing users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications without needing to authenticate again.
  • Self-Service Password Reset
    Users can reset their own passwords, reducing the helpdesk workload and improving productivity and user satisfaction.
  • Monitoring and Reporting
    Azure AD includes comprehensive monitoring and reporting tools that help administrators keep track of user activities and potential security threats.
  • Support for Open Standards
    Azure AD supports open standards such as OAuth2, SAML, and OpenID Connect, allowing for flexible integrations with a variety of applications and services.

Possible disadvantages of Microsoft Azure Active Directory

  • Complexity
    Implementing and managing Azure AD can be complex, particularly for organizations without dedicated IT staff or prior experience with Microsoft's cloud ecosystem.
  • Cost
    While it offers a range of features, the cost of Azure AD can add up, particularly for premium features and large-scale implementations, making it potentially expensive for some organizations.
  • Learning Curve
    Administrators new to Azure AD may face a steep learning curve and require training to effectively use and manage the service.
  • Dependency on Internet Connectivity
    As a cloud-based service, Azure AD depends on stable internet connectivity. Any internet outage can disrupt access to applications and services.
  • Limited On-premises Integration
    While hybrid models are supported, integrating Azure AD with on-premises Active Directory can present challenges and may require additional setup and maintenance.
  • Feature Overlap
    Organizations using multiple Microsoft services might find some overlap in features, which can complicate administration and lead to redundant functionalities.
  • Customization Constraints
    Though Azure AD offers many out-of-the-box features, customizing beyond the provided options can be difficult and sometimes limited.

Azure Active Directory for Developers videos

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Microsoft Azure Active Directory videos

What is Azure Active Directory B2C? | Azure Active Directory

More videos:

  • Review - Advanced use cases with Azure Active Directory B2C | Azure Active Directory

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Azure Active Directory for Developers and Microsoft Azure Active Directory)
Identity And Access Management
Identity Provider
5 5%
95% 95
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
SSO
4 4%
96% 96

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Azure Active Directory for Developers and Microsoft Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory for Developers Reviews

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Microsoft Azure Active Directory Reviews

The Top 10 Single Sign-On Solutions For Business
Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is one of the most widely used Single Sign-On applications, enabling users to log into multiple accounts with their Office 365 user details. The platform is a cloud based identity and access management service, which allows employees to sign-in to Office 365, the Azure portal (Azure being Microsoft’s cloud application services) and...
10 Best Auth0 Alternatives and Similar Platforms
Administrators may also deploy the tool to map the user experience and manage authentication. Through APIs, Azure Active Directory may connect to a variety of third-party services, including Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and more.
Best Identity Management Software
Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is a cloud-based identity and IAM solution that can manage users, printers and GPOs. Azure AD is used for employees and Azure AD B2B for guest users and external partners. AD B2C controls how you sign up, sign in and manage your profile when you use your applications.
The 6 Best Identity Access Management Tools
Microsoft Azure Active Directory – From the makers of the most used operating system platform, which means it can easily be implemented on most networks and integrates well with existing access control systems.
20 Identity Management Solutions You Should Know
With a single sign on, Microsoft Azure’s Active Directory allows users to access more than 2,800 SaaS apps, from Salesforce to Canvas — provided they’re cleared to access them, of course. Azure AD also lets IT personnel customize access to sensitive materials and outline conditional access protocols. (For example: “This user should have access to this app only while...
Source: builtin.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Microsoft Azure Active Directory should be more popular than Azure Active Directory for Developers. It has been mentiond 15 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.

Azure Active Directory for Developers mentions (6)

  • Is it possible to have an custom connector API for a login in Powerapps?
    2) having a custom connector and using it inside for accessing an API or any other services that require auth => possible. There are many ways how to authenticate users in this case. MS Identity platform . Source: over 3 years ago
  • Access Permissions for a SharePoint Site/List within a PowerApp?
    The catch is Authentication. You will have to handle it. MS Identity platform gives us quite a bit of choices so you can read here .MS Identity. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Performance Improvements in .NET 6
    Who is "them"? Microsoft? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • SAML Is Insecure by Design
    Https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/ this is the correct link if you want to develop something with the identity platform, the other link is more or less admin documentation... - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Blazor Webassembly App + Windows Authentication
    Microsoft Identity Platform, when you start a Blazor project in Visual Studio? Https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/. Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

Microsoft Azure Active Directory mentions (15)

  • AWS Users, Roles, and Identity Center Demystified
    Human users using Roles can leverage IAM Identity Center (formerly AWS SSO) which offers a pretty good experience, whether we're federating from Active Directory (a popular choice for enterprises) or managing users within Identity Center (fine for individuals or small team). We get an easy console sign-in experience and similarly frictionless command line access. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Stack Exchange Moderators Are Going On Strike
    The question is tagged Azure-Active-Directory, which is an IAM/IDP product. That provides plenty of context. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • How to choose the right API Gateway
    Because the configuration is a highly critical feature, we need to authenticate via an API key or by means of other auth methods. For example, most API Gateway providers such as Apache APISIX enabled token-based access to Admin API and they highly advise generating your own token and regularly changing it. Or Azure API Management relies on Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), which includes optional features such as... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Case Study: Connecting Azure AD SSO with AWS
    I will not explain too much about Azure AD. I'll recommend reading the documentation and the home page of the Azure AD. In short, Azure AD (Azure Active Directory) is a cloud-based identity and access management service. You can use the identity provided by Azure AD for connecting various applications or services, including AWS. If you want to learn more about Azure AD, please visit the documentation. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Around 83.4% of Fortune 500 have Azure Active Directory
    It is a directory with a lot of functionality. There's actually a number of products under the Azure AD name, including: * Azure AD, their employee/workforce solution. It's a directory, authentication and authorization system. Think Okta or AWS SSO. I imagine this is mostly what the survey was tracking. * Azure AD B2C, their CIAM solution. Think Auth0, Cognito or FusionAuth (disclosure, I'm a FusionAuth employee).... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Azure Active Directory for Developers and Microsoft Azure Active Directory, you can also consider the following products

Okta - Enterprise-grade identity management for all your apps, users & devices

JumpCloud - Cloud-based directory services. Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

Auth0 - Auth0 is a program for people to get authentication and authorization services for their own business use.

Oracle Identity Manager - Oracle Identity Management enables oganizations to effectively manage the end-to-end lifecycle of user identities across all enterprise resources.

OneLogin - On-demand SSO, directory integration, user provisioning and more

Ping Identity - Ping Identity provides cloud-based, single sign-on and identity management solutions with their SAML SSO.