OAuth is an open protocol for allowing secure API authorization from desktop and web applications through a simple and standard method. It manages handshakes between applications and is used when an API publisher wants to know who is communicating with the system. Many of the largest API publishers have implemented OAuth to handle write access to their APIs.

This e-book discusses what OAuth is, how it works, and how it fits with APIs and the emerging world of open platforms. We take a look at the evolving OAuth specification and why implementing OAuth can be complex. We provide some recommendations for how to approach implementing OAuth to ultimately deliver a secure and great user experience for web and mobile apps.