Firebase Authentication vs OAuth2: What are the differences?

Introduction

Firebase Authentication and OAuth2 are both authentication frameworks used to authenticate users on websites and applications. While they have similar functionalities, they have several key differences that set them apart.

1. Security Model: Firebase Authentication is a user authentication and management service provided by Firebase, while OAuth2 is an authorization framework. Firebase Authentication provides user authentication and token-based security, while OAuth2 focuses on authorization of third-party applications to access user resources.

2. Integration Complexity: Firebase Authentication provides a simple and seamless integration process, with easy-to-use SDKs and a comprehensive set of APIs. In contrast, integrating OAuth2 requires additional development effort, as it involves interacting with multiple components, such as authorization servers and resource servers.

3. User Data Management: Firebase Authentication offers built-in user data management functionalities like user profile creation, email verification, and password reset. OAuth2 does not provide built-in user data management and relies on the resource server to authenticate and authorize user access.

4. Supported Identity Providers: Firebase Authentication offers support for multiple identity providers like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others, allowing users to choose how they want to authenticate. OAuth2, on the other hand, relies on external identity providers, which can vary depending on the implementation and the chosen authentication flow.

5. Scopes and Granularity: OAuth2 provides fine-grained control over access using scopes, allowing users to grant limited permissions to third-party applications. Firebase Authentication does not have the same level of granularity and primarily focuses on user authentication and authorization for the Firebase services.

6. Data Ownership: Firebase Authentication stores user data within the Firebase ecosystem, giving developers control and ownership over the user data. In OAuth2, the resource owner, which is often the user, retains ownership of the data, and third-party applications gain temporary access with the user's consent.

In Summary, Firebase Authentication focuses on user authentication and data management with a simpler integration process, while OAuth2 is a more flexible authorization framework with more granular control over the access permissions of third-party applications.