Devise vs OpenID Connect: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Devise and OpenID Connect

1. Authentication Process: Devise is a Ruby gem that provides authentication functionality to Rails applications, while OpenID Connect is an authentication protocol that enables users to authenticate across multiple websites or applications using a single set of credentials. While Devise handles authentication within a single application, OpenID Connect facilitates authentication across multiple platforms.

2. Single Sign-On vs Individual Applications: Devise is primarily used for authentication within a single application, meaning users need to create separate accounts for each application they use. On the other hand, OpenID Connect enables a single sign-on experience, allowing users to authenticate once and access multiple applications without the need for separate accounts.

3. Integration and Compatibility: Devise provides a straightforward way to integrate authentication into a Ruby on Rails application, as it is tailored specifically for this framework. OpenID Connect, on the other hand, is a protocol that can be implemented across different programming languages and frameworks, making it more versatile and compatible with various platforms.

4. Standardization and Community Support: Devise is a widely used gem within the Rails community and has an active user base, which means it has extensive documentation, support, and a large number of plugins available. OpenID Connect, being an industry-standard authentication protocol, has a larger community backing it, resulting in more development tools, libraries, and support.

5. Scalability and Flexibility: Devise offers many built-in features and options, making it easier for developers to implement and customize authentication within Rails applications. OpenID Connect, on the other hand, provides a more scalable and flexible solution, as it allows for authentication across various platforms and applications, regardless of the programming language or framework being used.

6. Security and Trust: Devise follows industry best practices for authentication, providing mechanisms for password encryption and secure sessions. OpenID Connect, on the other hand, relies on modern cryptographic protocols and provides additional security features like identity and token validation, making it more secure and reliable for cross-platform authentication.

In Summary, Devise is a Ruby gem that provides authentication within a single Rails application, while OpenID Connect is an authentication protocol that enables single sign-on and authentication across multiple platforms, with wider compatibility and community support, increased scalability and flexibility, and enhanced security features.