SecurityIntermediate
Identity Provider (IdP)
Pronunciationeye-DEN-ti-tee pro-VY-der
Definition
An Identity Provider (IdP) is a system service that creates, maintains, and manages user identity information while providing authentication services to applications. It acts as a centralized authority to verify who a user is before granting them access to other services.
Where you hear it
During architectural discussions about authentication flows, setting up Single Sign-On (SSO), or integrating third-party login services.
Examples
We need to configure our application to trust the company's Identity Provider for user logins.
The Identity Provider issues a token once the user successfully verifies their credentials.
Common mistake
Confusing the IdP with the Service Provider (SP); the IdP verifies the identity, while the Service Provider is the application the user is trying to access.