Keycloak vs SimpleSAMLphp: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Keycloak and SimpleSAMLphp

Keycloak and SimpleSAMLphp are both open-source identity and access management solutions, but there are several key differences between them:

1. Authentication methods: Keycloak supports a wide range of authentication methods, including social login, multi-factor authentication, and passwordless authentication. On the other hand, SimpleSAMLphp mainly focuses on traditional username/password authentication and SAML-based federation.

2. Support for protocols: Keycloak supports multiple protocols such as SAML, OpenID Connect, OAuth, and more. SimpleSAMLphp, as the name suggests, primarily focuses on SAML protocol for identity federation. It provides extensive support for SAML features and profiles.

3. User management: Keycloak provides a comprehensive user management interface with support for user self-registration, password reset, and user roles/permissions. SimpleSAMLphp has limited built-in user management capabilities and usually relies on external user management systems or identity providers.

4. Integration with external systems: Keycloak offers out-of-the-box integration with various external systems like LDAP, Active Directory, and databases. SimpleSAMLphp also supports integration with external systems but requires more manual configuration and customization.

5. Extensibility and customization: Keycloak provides a highly extensible platform where developers can customize its behavior and add new features using Java APIs and extensions. SimpleSAMLphp offers customization options through PHP programming, but it may require more effort and expertise compared to Keycloak.

6. Community and support: Keycloak has a vibrant community of users and developers, backed by the Red Hat organization. It offers professional support and regular updates. SimpleSAMLphp also has an active community, but it may be relatively smaller and have limited support options.

In summary, Keycloak provides a more comprehensive and versatile solution with support for a wide range of authentication methods, protocols, and integrations, along with extensive customization options. SimpleSAMLphp, on the other hand, is a specialized solution primarily focused on SAML-based federation and may be a suitable choice for organizations with specific SAML requirements.