OpenID Connect
Also known as OIDC
A modern identity layer built on OAuth 2.0, used for signing in to web and mobile applications.
Where OAuth handles authorization, OpenID Connect adds authentication, returning a signed token describing who the user is. It is JSON-based and considerably easier to implement than SAML, which is why newer applications favor it.
Most current cloud services support it, and Entra ID uses it for modern authentication flows.
Where this comes up
OpenID Connect sits inside our identity and access work. If you are trying to work out what this means for your own environment rather than in the abstract, that is the page worth reading next, and a short call will get you a straight answer faster than either.
Related terms
OAuth A standard for granting an application limited access to your data in another service without giving it your password. SAML An XML-based standard that lets an identity provider vouch for a user to an application, enabling single sign-on. Single sign-on Signing in once to an identity provider and reaching many applications without authenticating again to each.