Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OAuth2 VS SimpleSAMLphp

Compare OAuth2 VS SimpleSAMLphp and see what are their differences

OAuth2 logo OAuth2

Application and Data, Application Utilities, and User Management and Authentication

SimpleSAMLphp logo SimpleSAMLphp

SimpleSAMLphp is an OAuth authentication application written in native PHP.
  • OAuth2 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-18
  • SimpleSAMLphp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-07

OAuth2 features and specs

  • Delegated Access
    OAuth2 allows users to grant third-party applications limited access to their resources without sharing their credentials.
  • Enhanced Security
    By using access tokens with defined scopes and expiration times, OAuth2 reduces the risk of exposing user credentials and allows precise control over resource access.
  • Scalability
    OAuth2 is suitable for a wide range of applications, from mobile and web apps to connected devices, allowing seamless integration across platforms.
  • User Experience
    OAuth2 enhances user experience by enabling single sign-on (SSO) capabilities, allowing users to authenticate across multiple services with a single set of credentials.

Possible disadvantages of OAuth2

  • Complex Implementation
    Implementing OAuth2 can be complex, especially for developers new to the protocol, as it involves understanding various flows, token management, and security considerations.
  • Security Challenges
    If not implemented correctly, OAuth2 can introduce security vulnerabilities, such as authorization code interception, token leakage, or improper redirect URI handling.
  • Fragmentation
    The OAuth2 specification allows for a lot of flexibility, which can lead to fragmentation and inconsistent implementations across different providers.
  • Token Management
    OAuth2 requires careful management of tokens, including their expiration, revocation, and storage, which can add complexity to application development.

SimpleSAMLphp features and specs

  • Interoperability
    SimpleSAMLphp offers broad compatibility with different identity providers and service providers, making it an ideal choice for implementing SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) solutions across diverse systems.
  • Extensibility
    The platform supports custom modules and extensions, allowing developers to enhance its functionality and tailor it to specific authentication or integration requirements.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source solution, SimpleSAMLphp allows organizations to implement and customize the software without licensing costs, fostering a collaborative improvement environment through user contributions.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    The software is well-documented, which facilitates easier implementation, configuration, and maintenance for administrators and developers.
  • Wide Adoption
    SimpleSAMLphp is widely adopted within the community, which means there is a wealth of community support and resources available for troubleshooting and best practice sharing.

Possible disadvantages of SimpleSAMLphp

  • Complex Configuration
    Setting up SimpleSAMLphp can be complex, particularly for users who are new to SAML or do not possess extensive experience with PHP, potentially leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Security Management
    Administrators must be diligent about applying security updates and configuring the system correctly, as improper setup could introduce vulnerabilities in the authentication process.
  • Performance Overheads
    The software can introduce performance overheads, especially in high-traffic environments, necessitating careful consideration of system resources and optimization practices.
  • Limited Protocol Support
    While it excels at SAML, SimpleSAMLphp has limited support for other authentication protocols such as OpenID Connect or OAuth2, which might be a limitation for some use cases.
  • PHP Dependence
    Being PHP-dependent, the platform may face limitations related to PHP's scalability and performance in large-scale enterprise environments, compared to other languages.

OAuth2 videos

Understanding How OAuth2 Works

SimpleSAMLphp videos

No SimpleSAMLphp videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OAuth2 and SimpleSAMLphp)
Identity And Access Management
Identity Provider
62 62%
38% 38
SSO
0 0%
100% 100
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SimpleSAMLphp seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 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.

OAuth2 mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of OAuth2 yet. Tracking of OAuth2 recommendations started around Mar 2021.

SimpleSAMLphp mentions (4)

  • Weekly "ask anything" thread
    Https://simplesamlphp.org and you can use azure oauth2 or saml2. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How to connect PHPBB forum to existing database
    IDP - Identity Provider - A small program that attaches to your current user database. This is what gets your software to talk with other SAML2 systems. Simplesamlphp is a good plugin. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Why I'm working on Open Source full time
    I've long been impressed by https://simplesamlphp.org/ which is led by UNINETT, a state-owned company responsible for Norway's National Research and Education Network. It's a serious competitor to Shibboleth in the SAML space. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Are there PHP-based SSO / OAuth / SAML / CAS providers that I can easily self-host and manage graphically on cPanel shared hosting ?
    I only know SimpleSAMLphp, which is written in PHP. I personally use Keycloak because it is incredibly powerful, extensible and easy to manage. As for your services, you always have to check if they support OAuth 2 / OpenID Connect or SAML 2.0. But that should not be a problem for most of them. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OAuth2 and SimpleSAMLphp, you can also consider the following products

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

Keycloak - Open Source Identity and Access Management for modern Applications and Services.

Spring Security - The Spring portfolio has many projects, including Spring Framework, Spring IO Platform, Spring Cloud, Spring Boot, Spring Data, Spring Security...

Shibboleth - standards based, open source software for web single sign-on across or within organizational...

Firebase Authentication - Application and Data, Application Utilities, and User Management and Authentication

CAS - Apereo CAS - Enterprise Single Sign On for the Web