OAuth (Open Authorization) is an open-standard authorization framework that enables third-party applications to access user data or resources from a service provider (e.g. social media platform, cloud service) on behalf of the user, without sharing their credentials (e.g. passwords). OAuth allows users to grant limited access permissions (scopes) to third-party applications using secure, token-based authentication mechanisms, such as OAuth tokens or access tokens, which expire after a specified duration or usage. OAuth facilitates secure and interoperable authentication and authorization for web and mobile applications, enabling seamless integration with external APIs, services, and platforms while protecting user privacy and security.
