Guardian vs OpenID Connect: What are the differences?

1. Authentication Protocol: The key difference between Guardian and OpenID Connect lies in their authentication protocol. Guardian uses JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for authentication, which provides a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties. On the other hand, OpenID Connect utilizes OAuth 2.0, which is an authorization framework that enables third-party applications to obtain limited access to a HTTP service.

2. User Identity Verification: Guardian primarily focuses on verifying a user's identity and granting access based on the provided authentication token. In contrast, OpenID Connect goes a step further by providing an identity layer on top of OAuth 2.0, enabling clients to verify the user's identity directly from the ID token provided by the OpenID Connect provider.

3. Token Issuance: Another significant difference is in how tokens are issued between Guardian and OpenID Connect. Guardian issues tokens directly from the authentication server, while OpenID Connect uses ID tokens issued by the OpenID provider, which can then be validated by the client application.

4. Scalability and Flexibility: Guardian is known for its simplicity and lightweight nature, making it a more scalable option for smaller applications or services. On the other hand, OpenID Connect offers more complex features and configurations, providing greater flexibility for larger and more diverse ecosystems.

5. User Consent Flow: When it comes to user consent flow, Guardian typically follows a more straightforward approach where users consent to the application's permissions once during authentication. In contrast, OpenID Connect supports dynamic consent management, allowing users to manage and adjust their consent settings for different applications and resources.

6. Supported Ecosystems: While Guardian is widely used in JavaScript environments and frameworks due to its simplicity and ease of integration, OpenID Connect has broader support across various programming languages and platforms, making it a more versatile option for diverse development environments.

In Summary, Guardian and OpenID Connect differ in their authentication protocol, user identity verification, token issuance, scalability, user consent flow, and supported ecosystems.