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IdentityServer

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

IdentityServer

IdentityServer Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether IdentityServer is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • IdentityServer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-03

Features & Specs

  1. Open Source Foundation

    IdentityServer is built on an open-source foundation. It has been widely used and developed by a community, ensuring transparency, reliability, and continuous improvements.

  2. Comprehensive Protocol Support

    It supports industry standards such as OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.0, which are essential for authentication and authorization processes.

  3. Customizability

    IdentityServer offers high levels of customizability, allowing developers to tailor authentication and authorization features to specific application needs.

  4. Enterprise-Ready

    Designed to handle complex enterprise scenarios with robust performance and scalability options suitable for large-scale applications.

  5. Strong Security Features

    Includes several security mechanisms to protect sensitive data, such as secure token storage and advanced encryption options.

  6. Comprehensive Documentation

    Provides extensive documentation and resources, helping developers to implement and troubleshoot the server effectively in their systems.

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Videos

Federated Identity: An intro to OAuth2, Open Id Connect & Duende IdentityServer 5 | Anthony Nguyen

There's an IdentityServer in my API project - Anders Abel

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about IdentityServer and what they use it for.
  • Identity server 4
    Its deprecated in favor of Duende Identityserver which introduced a license model. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How does cookie based authentication work?
    Tokens usually have a lifetime and they are separate from the user's authentication principals like username and password. Unless you are rolling your own form of token provider (not something that would be recommended) the token creation is handled for you. Take a look at https://identityserver4.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ or if your organization makes under 1M in income a year the free version of what Identity... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • ImageSharp leaving the .NET Foundation due to licensing change
    I think Duende (Identity Server) handled the situation pretty well. https://duendesoftware.com/products/identityserver > Standard License Pricing. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Why is authentication such a sh*t show with .NET 6?
    He's referring to IdentityServer 3/4, which was open sourced, and was not owned by Microsoft. That 3rd party is commercializing their work (and to be fair, it's a lot of work) as https://duendesoftware.com/products/identityserver , and has a different commercial licensing model. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Show HN: Open-Source Identity Server Written in Go (Ory Kratos)
    I think "Identity Provider" is more correct, no? "IdentityServer" is the name of a specific IdP implemented in .NET (formerly OSS as https://identityserver4.readthedocs.io/en/latest, and now as a more commercial form as Duende IdentityServer: https://duendesoftware.com/products/identityserver). - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • Creating JWT token auth yourself - is it secure?
    I would not recommend it. There is a server named Duende identity server which you can host locally. Source: over 4 years ago
  • API Framework, the moving parts
    The biggest problem here is that there is no real open source solution that could provide this features. Microsoft does not provide something good. There is ASP.Net Identity with no support for OAuth and multi tenancy. So I guess I will go for Duende Identity Server. It's not really free, but open source projects und small companies will not have to pay for it. It is really sad that there is no really open source... - Source: dev.to / almost 5 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of IdentityServer

IdentityServer Review: A Comprehensive Overview of Public Sentiment

IdentityServer, now transitioned to Duende IdentityServer, has long been recognized as a significant player in the Identity and Access Management (IAM) space, specifically within the .NET ecosystem. Early iterations, such as IdentityServer 3 and 4, were open-source solutions widely utilized for providing single sign-on (SSO) capabilities and conforming to standard protocols like OpenID Connect and OAuth 2. However, the shift to Duende IdentityServer has marked a pivotal change, particularly regarding its licensing strategy, which has sparked considerable public discourse.

Historical Admiration and Functional Strengths

IdentityServer was celebrated for its robust functionality and adaptability within the .NET environment. It provided developers a powerful framework for implementing SSO solutions, delivering central authentication and authorization services across multiple applications. Its support for various flows, federated identities, and API authorizations ensured that it could serve a wide array of use cases. Moreover, IdentityServerโ€™s comprehensive documentation and community engagement were commendable, facilitating straightforward deployment and development processes.

The open-source nature of IdentityServer, along with its availability on GitHub, was appreciated by the developer community, as it allowed for deep customizability and transparency. This openness, paired with the robust capabilities of IdentityServer, positioned it favorably against competitors such as Keycloak, DotNetOpenAuth, and Auth0, especially for organizations deeply embedded in .NET technologies.

The Transition to Duende IdentityServer

The migration from IdentityServer 4 to Duende IdentityServer has been met with mixed reactions. The introduction of a commercial license model has stirred debate, especially among open-source purists and businesses operating on tighter budgets. While Duende Software offers a free licensing tier for organizations with an income under $1 million annually, there is a palpable sense of discontent regarding the perceived shift away from the open-source ethos.

Some users expressed disappointment that the .NET ecosystem lacks a fully open-source alternative comparable to solutions in other ecosystems, such as Keycloak in the Java world. This sentiment underscores a broader concern about sustainable open-source identity solutions within the .NET landscape.

Perception of Handling the Transition

Despite the initial friction, some segments of the community have acknowledged the necessity and fairness of Duende's commercial licensing approach. There is recognition that the development and maintenance of a robust, secure identity solution entail significant resources, justifying the path toward monetization. Moreover, many users have lauded Duende for handling the transition transparently and continuing to offer a version accessible to smaller entities.

Conclusion

IdentityServer remains a distinguished component in the IAM domain, particularly for those utilizing .NET technologies. Its evolution into Duende IdentityServer introduces new considerations for potential adopters, particularly surrounding licensing. While it continues to offer compelling functionalities, its reception serves as a testament to the complexities of balancing open-source ideals with the realities of software development and maintenance costs. For many organizations seeking a reputable, compliant identity management solution, Duende IdentityServer remains a formidable choice despite the nuanced public opinion on its licensing evolution.

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Is IdentityServer good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss IdentityServer here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.