OpenID vs. OAuth [duplicate]

Answer 1

OpenID is purely* for multi-site authentication with a single set of credentials.

OAuth is for letting applications access each other securely: data sharing. Think of it as setting a bond of trust between two things, eg allowing your flickr account to post things on your facebook wall or hooking your flickr photos into a third-party printing website.

OAuth isn't just about site-to-site. You can link in desktop applications with no real concept of "identity" to an identity-driven site like Facebook or twitter (eg a twitter client being able to post to your feed without having to store your login details).

There are similarities but OAuth is really all about the service-to-service links.

Answer 2

If you have an account (with some private resources) in a website, you can log in with username/password couple. If an application would like to get some private resources, and if you don't want to give them your username/password, use OAuth.

But if you want to log in into multiple websites with a unique account, use OpenID.

(Some websites use OAuth like OpenID, and OpenID can be use like OAuth if you have some private stuff in your OpenID account)

Answer 3

OpenID = using login credentials from an OpenID provider (Google) to login to another application (Stack Overflow)

OAuth = Allowing an application (TwitPic) to act on your behalf to and access information from an application that you use (Twitter).

They can be used in conjunction with each other.

Answer 4

OpenID is about authentication to many sites with one username.
OAuth is about authorization - site A has permission to call site B's api.

Here's another good article/analogy explaining the differences: http://www.dotnetopenauth.net/about/about-oauth/

Answer 5

OpenID is a way to specify one identity for multiple sites so you don't need to register over and over again.

OAuth is a way to allow one application access to one account without giving said application your account login information. You can use them in conjunction.

More info: OAuth-OpenID: You’re Barking Up the Wrong Tree if you Think They’re the Same Thing