Setting Up Passkey-Only Authentication for Custom Web Applications

Ever thought about ditching passwords for good on your custom web app? It might sound futuristic, but setting up passkey-only authentication is totally doable, and honestly, it’s a pretty smart move for user experience and security. This guide will walk you through the practical steps to get your app ready for a passwordless future.

Let’s be real, passwords are a pain. For users, they’re a constant source of frustration: forgotten, weak, reused across sites, and always a target for hackers. For you, as a developer, managing password resets, dealing with breaches, and ensuring strong password policies are ongoing burdens. Passkeys offer a cleaner, more secure alternative. They leverage your device’s built-in security – fingerprint, face scan, or PIN – making login as simple as unlocking your phone. No more typing, no more remembering, just a secure and seamless entry.

The Security Upside

From a security standpoint, passkeys are a game-changer. They are resistant to phishing attacks because they are tied to your specific website. Unlike passwords, which can be stolen in data breaches and reused elsewhere, passkeys are unique to each service. This significantly reduces the attack surface for your application.

The User Experience Boost

Think about the last time you had to create a complex password or reset a forgotten one. It’s annoying, right? Passkeys eliminate that friction. Users can log in with just a tap or a glance, making your application feel modern and effortless to use. This improved UX can lead to higher engagement and fewer abandoned sign-ups.

Future-Proofing Your App

The push towards passwordless is undeniable. Major browsers and operating systems are all-in on passkeys. By adopting them now, you’re not just improving your app today; you’re ensuring it’s ready for the future of authentication.

For those interested in enhancing their web application’s security, a related article on the benefits of modern smartphone technology can provide valuable insights. You can explore how devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22 can complement passkey-only authentication methods by offering advanced biometric features and secure hardware elements. To learn more about this, check out the article here: Unlock the Possibilities with Samsung Galaxy S22.

Key Takeaways

• Clear communication is essential for effective teamwork
• Active listening is crucial for understanding team members’ perspectives
• Setting clear goals and expectations helps to keep the team focused
• Encouraging open and honest feedback fosters a culture of continuous improvement
• Recognizing and celebrating team achievements boosts morale and motivation

Understanding the Core Concepts

Before diving into code, it’s crucial to grasp what passkeys are and how they work under the hood. This isn’t just about using a library; it’s about understanding the underlying cryptography and protocols.

What Exactly is a Passkey?

A passkey isn’t a password in the traditional sense. It’s a digital credential, essentially a pair of cryptographic keys (a public key and a private key) generated and stored securely on a user’s device. When a user registers for your application using a passkey, their device generates this key pair. The public key is sent to your server and associated with their account. The private key, which is never shared, stays on their device and is used to prove their identity during login.

The Role of WebAuthn

The magic behind passkeys is the Web Authentication API, commonly known as WebAuthn. This is a W3C standard that allows web applications to interact with the platform authenticator (like your phone’s Face ID or fingerprint scanner) to perform cryptographic operations. Your server communicates with the user’s browser, which then orchestrates the interaction with the device’s security hardware.

Relying Party vs. Authenticator

In the WebAuthn ecosystem, your web application acts as the Relying Party (RP). Your server is the entity that relies on the authenticator to verify the user’s identity. The user’s device, with its biometric or PIN protection, acts as the Authenticator. Understanding this client-server relationship is key to implementing passkeys correctly.

Registration Flow

When a user wants to set up a passkey for your app, the flow typically looks like this:

1. User Initiates Registration: The user clicks a “Create Passkey” button on your site.
2. RP Server Generates Challenge: Your server generates a unique, random challenge string. This is a security measure to prevent replay attacks.
3. Client-Side Request: Your JavaScript code sends this challenge to the user’s browser, along with information about your origin (your website’s domain).
4. Browser Interacts with Authenticator: The browser prompts the user to authenticate with their device (e.g., scan fingerprint).
5. Authenticator Generates Credential: The authenticator generates a new public/private key pair. The private key is used to sign the challenge, proving possession.
6. Client Returns Signed Challenge and Public Key: The browser sends the signed challenge and the generated public key back to your server.
7. RP Server Verifies: Your server verifies the signature using the public key and ensures the challenge matches. If all checks pass, it stores the public key and associates it with the user’s account.

Authentication (Login) Flow

Once a passkey is registered, logging in becomes much simpler:

1. User Initiates Login: The user clicks a “Log in with Passkey” button.
2. RP Server Generates Challenge: Your server generates a new unique, random challenge for this login attempt.
3. Client-Side Request: Your JavaScript sends this challenge to the browser, along with information about which passkey(s) it’s looking for (e.g., based on username if known, or an empty request to enumerate all passkeys for the origin).
4. Browser Interacts with Authenticator: The browser prompts the user to authenticate with their device to select and use their passkey.
5. Authenticator Signs Challenge: The authenticator uses the stored private key to sign the challenge.
6. Client Returns Signed Challenge: The browser sends the signed challenge back to your server.
7. RP Server Verifies: Your server verifies the signature using the public key associated with the user’s account and the challenge. If valid, the user is logged in.

Technical Implementation: What You’ll Need

Getting passkey-only authentication in place involves both front-end and back-end work. It’s not a simple plug-and-play solution, but with the right tools and understanding, it’s very manageable.

Front-End Requirements

Your front-end will be responsible for interacting with the WebAuthn API to initiate registration and authentication.

JavaScript and the WebAuthn API

You’ll be using JavaScript to call the navigator.credentials.create() and navigator.credentials.get() methods. These are the core functions for passkey operations.

• navigator.credentials.create(): Used for passkey registration.

  You’ll pass an PublicKeyCredentialCreationOptions object to this function.

• navigator.credentials.get(): Used for passkey authentication. You’ll pass a PublicKeyCredentialRequestOptions object.

Client-Side Libraries (Optional but Recommended)

While you can use the raw WebAuthn API, there are excellent JavaScript libraries that abstract away much of the complexity and ensure cross-browser compatibility.

• @simplewebauthn/browser: This is a very popular and well-maintained library. It simplifies the creation of the options objects required by the WebAuthn API and handles the parsing of responses. It’s a good starting point for most projects.
• Other Libraries: Depending on your front-end framework (React, Vue, Angular), you might find framework-specific wrappers or integrations.

Back-End Requirements

Your server-side code is where the cryptographic verification happens, and where you store user credentials.

Server-Side Language and Framework

Any modern server-side language (Node.

js, Python, Ruby, Java, Go, etc.

) and framework will work.

The key is to be able to handle HTTP requests, manage user data, and perform cryptographic operations.

Cryptographic Libraries

You’ll need libraries that can verify digital signatures. Most languages have robust crypto libraries available.

• @simplewebauthn/server: Complementary to the browser library, this Node.js library handles the server-side verification of signatures, credential creation options generation, and other server-side tasks. If you’re using Node.js for your back-end, this is highly recommended.
• Python: cryptography library.
• Java: Bouncy Castle.
• Go: crypto/ecdsa, crypto/rsa, crypto/x509.

Database to Store Public Keys

You’ll need a database to store the user’s public key(s) and their associated credentialId.

This credentialId is what your server uses to look up the correct public key during authentication. It’s important to note that a user can have multiple passkeys associated with their account (e.g., one on their phone, one on their laptop).

• User Table: You’ll likely add a new table or extend your existing user table to store passkey-related information.
• Passkey Table: A dedicated table for passkeys is often a cleaner approach. It would typically store:
• id (primary key)
• user_id (foreign key to your users table)
• credential_id (the unique ID of the passkey, often base64 encoded)
• public_key (the public key, often base64 encoded)
• sign_count (important for security: tracks how many times the key has been used to sign)
• created_at, last_used_at

Implementing Passkey Registration

This is the first step for users to adopt passkeys. It involves generating options on the server, sending them to the client, and then verifying the user’s response.

Server-Side: Generating Registration Options

When a user initiates registration, your server needs to create a set of options for the browser to present to the authenticator.

“`javascript

// Example using @simplewebauthn/server (Node.js)

import { generateRegistrationOptions } from ‘@simplewebauthn/server’;

async function generateRegistrationOptionsForUser(userId, userDisplayName) {

// Generate a unique challenge for this registration attempt

const challenge = crypto.randomBytes(32); // Example using Node’s crypto

const options = await generateRegistrationOptions({

rpName: ‘Your App Name’,

rpID: ‘your-app-domain.com’, // Your app’s domain (e.g., localhost, yourdomain.com)

origin: https://${process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'your-app-domain.com' : 'localhost:3000'},

// Ensure userHandle is unique and not easily guessable, e.g., user ID

userHandle: Buffer.from(userId.toString()).toString(‘base64’), // User identifier

userName: userDisplayName, // User’s name displayed to them

timeout: 60000, // 60 seconds timeout

excludeCredentials: [], // If you want to prevent duplicate passkeys, fetch existing credentialIds and add them here.

authenticatorSelection: {

residentKey: ‘required’, // ‘required’ means the authenticator must store the key (a true passkey)

userVerification: ‘required’, // User must verify with biometrics/PIN

authenticatorAttachment: ‘platform’, // Prefer platform authenticators (built-in like Face ID/Touch ID)

},

// Add any other supported algorithms here if needed, but ECDSA is common

// pubKeyCredParams: [{ type: ‘public-key’, alg: -7 }] // ECDSA with P-256 curve

});

// Store the challenge in session or temporary storage for verification later

// req.session.challenge = options.challenge; // Example with Express session

return options;

}

“`

Key Parameters to Consider:

• rpName / rpID / origin: Crucial for security. These must accurately reflect your application’s identity to prevent phishing.
• userHandle: A unique identifier for the user on your system. It’s sent back to your server during authentication and is used to look up the user.
• userName: The name shown to the user on their device during the passkey creation prompt.
• excludeCredentials: An array of credentialIds that the authenticator should not create. This is how you prevent a user from registering the exact same passkey multiple times.
• authenticatorSelection.residentKey: Set to required to ensure the passkey is stored on the user’s device (a “discoverable credential”). This is what makes it a true passkey that can be used without the original device (e.g., if they lose their phone, they can use a passkey on a new device if it syncs).
• authenticatorSelection.userVerification: required means the user must authenticate with their device’s security (fingerprint, face, PIN). This is standard for passkeys.

Client-Side: Initiating Registration

On your front-end, you’ll fetch these options from your server and then use the WebAuthn API.

“`javascript

// Example using @simplewebauthn/browser (Browser JS)

import { startRegistration } from ‘@simplewebauthn/browser’;

async function handleRegisterPasskey(userId, userDisplayName) {

try {

// 1. Fetch registration options from your server

const registrationOptions = await fetch(‘/api/webauthn/register/options’, {

method: ‘POST’,

headers: { ‘Content-Type’: ‘application/json’ },

body: JSON.stringify({ userId, userDisplayName }),

}).then(res => res.json());

// 2. Call the browser’s WebAuthn API to start registration

const attestation = await startRegistration(registrationOptions);

// 3. Send the attestation object back to your server for verification

await fetch(‘/api/webauthn/register/verify’, {

method: ‘POST’,

headers: { ‘Content-Type’: ‘application/json’ },

body: JSON.stringify({ attestation, userId }), // Send back userId for verification context

});

alert(‘Passkey registered successfully!’);

} catch (error) {

console.error(‘Passkey registration failed:’, error);

alert(‘Passkey registration failed. Please try again.’);

}

}

“`

Server-Side: Verifying Registration

This is the critical step where you confirm the generated passkey is valid.

“`javascript

// Example using @simplewebauthn/server (Node.js)

import { verifyRegistrationResponse } from ‘@simplewebauthn/server’;

import { generateRegistrationOptions } from ‘@simplewebauthn/server’; // Already imported above

async function verifyRegistration(body, storedChallenge) { // storedChallenge from session

const { attestation, userId } = body; // Assuming body contains attestation and userId

if (!attestation || !userId) {

throw new Error(‘Missing attestation or userId’);

}

const user = { // Fetch user from your database using userId

id: Buffer.from(userId.toString()).toString(‘base64’), // Must match userHandle sent during registration

displayName: ‘User Name’, // Fetch from DB

name: ‘User Name’, // Fetch from DB

};

try {

const verification = await verifyRegistrationResponse({

response: attestation, // The attestation object from the browser

expectedChallenge: storedChallenge, // The challenge you stored earlier

expectedOrigin: https://${process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'your-app-domain.com' : 'localhost:3000'},

expectedRPID: ‘your-app-domain.com’,

requireAuthenticato, // Assuming ‘required’ was used in options

});

const {

verified,

// registrationInfo, // Contains credentialId, publicKey, etc.

} = verification;

if (!verified) {

throw new Error(‘Passkey verification failed.’);

}

// If verified, save the new credential to your database

const { credentialId, publicKey, signCount } = verification.registrationInfo;

// Save credentialId, publicKey, and signCount to your user’s passkey record in the database

// await db.savePasskey(userId, { credentialId, publicKey, signCount });

return { success: true, message: ‘Passkey registered successfully’ };

} catch (error) {

console.error(‘Error verifying registration:’, error);

throw new Error(‘Passkey verification failed. Please try again.’);

}

}

“`

Important Verification Checks:

• expectedChallenge: Ensure the challenge received from the browser matches the one you sent during registration.
• expectedOrigin / expectedRPID: Verify these match your application’s origin and RP ID to prevent attacks.
• verified: This flag from verifyRegistrationResponse tells you if the cryptographic signature is valid.
• signCount: This is crucial for ongoing security. It tracks how many times the private key has been used to sign. You’ll use this during authentication to detect potential replay attacks or compromised keys.

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Implementing Passkey Authentication (Login)

Once a user has registered a passkey, you’ll want to allow them to log in using it. This is where the get() WebAuthn API call comes in.

Server-Side: Generating Authentication Options

When a user initiates login, you need to generate a challenge and tell the browser which user’s passkey(s) you’re expecting.

“`javascript

// Example using @simplewebauthn/server (Node.js)

import { generateAuthenticationOptions } from ‘@simplewebauthn/server’;

async function generateAuthenticationOptionsForUser(userId) { // Or username

// Fetch the user from your database

const user = await db.getUserById(userId); // Assuming you have this function

if (!user) {

throw new Error(‘User not found.’);

}

// Fetch all the user’s registered credentialIds and their sign counts

const credentials = await db.getCredentialsForUser(userId); // Returns [{ credentialId, signCount }, …]

// Generate a unique challenge for this authentication attempt

const challenge = crypto.randomBytes(32); // Example using Node’s crypto

const options = await generateAuthenticationOptions({

rpID: ‘your-app-domain.com’,

challenge: Buffer.from(challenge).toString(‘base64’), // Challenge needs to be base64 encoded

allowCredentials: credentials.map(cred => ({

id: Buffer.from(cred.credentialId, ‘base64’), // credentialId from DB (should be base64)

type: ‘public-key’,

// Optional: transports: [‘internal’] – if you want to limit to platform authenticators

})),

userVerification: ‘required’, // Or ‘discouraged’ depending on your needs

timeout: 60000, // 60 seconds timeout

});

// Store the challenge in session or temporary storage for verification later

// req.session.challenge = options.challenge; // Example with Express session

return options;

}

“`

Key Parameters for Authentication:

• rpID: Must match the rpID used during registration.
• allowCredentials: This is crucial. It’s an array of credentialIds that the user might use. Your server fetches these from your database for the logged-in or requested user. The browser will present these to the authenticator. If the user has multiple passkeys, the browser will prompt them to choose.
• userVerification: required forces the user to authenticate with their device.

Client-Side: Initiating Authentication

Similar to registration, you’ll fetch options from the server and use the WebAuthn API.

“`javascript

// Example using @simplewebauthn/browser (Browser JS)

import { startAuthentication } from ‘@simplewebauthn/browser’;

async function handleLoginWithPasskey(userId) { // Or a way to identify the user trying to log in

try {

// 1. Fetch authentication options from your server

// This endpoint might take a username/email to identify the user first,

// or if the user is already logged in, it might use their session to get their ID.

const authenticationOptions = await fetch(‘/api/webauthn/login/options’, {

method: ‘POST’,

headers: { ‘Content-Type’: ‘application/json’ },

body: JSON.stringify({ userId }), // Send identifier to get user’s credentials

}).then(res => res.json());

// 2. Call the browser’s WebAuthn API to start authentication

const authenticator = await startAuthentication(authenticationOptions);

// 3. Send the authenticator object back to your server for verification

await fetch(‘/api/webauthn/login/verify’, {

method: ‘POST’,

headers: { ‘Content-Type’: ‘application/json’ },

body: JSON.stringify({ authenticator, userId }), // Send back userId for verification context

});

// If verification is successful on the server, the user is now logged in.

// You might redirect them or set a session cookie.

alert(‘Logged in with Passkey!’);

window.location.href = ‘/dashboard’; // Example redirect

} catch (error) {

console.error(‘Passkey login failed:’, error);

alert(‘Passkey login failed. Please try again.’);

}

}

“`

Server-Side: Verifying Authentication

This is where you confirm the user’s identity based on the signed challenge.

“`javascript

// Example using @simplewebauthn/server (Node.js)

import { verifyAuthenticationResponse } from ‘@simplewebauthn/server’;

async function verifyLogin(body, storedChallenge) { // storedChallenge from session

const { authenticator, userId } = body;

if (!authenticator || !userId) {

throw new Error(‘Missing authenticator or userId’);

}

const user = await db.getUserById(userId); // Fetch user from your database

if (!user) {

throw new Error(‘User not found.’);

}

// Fetch the user’s registered credentials to find the correct public key

const credentials = await db.getCredentialsForUser(userId); // Returns [{ credentialId, publicKey, signCount }, …]

// Find the credential used in the authentication response

const credentialIdBase64 = Buffer.from(authenticator.id).toString(‘base64’);

const credential = credentials.find(c => c.credentialId === credentialIdBase64);

if (!credential) {

throw new Error(‘Credential not found for user.’);

}

try {

const verification = await verifyAuthenticationResponse({

response: authenticator, // The authenticator object from the browser

expectedChallenge: storedChallenge, // The challenge you stored earlier

expectedOrigin: https://${process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'your-app-domain.com' : 'localhost:3000'},

expectedRPID: ‘your-app-domain.com’,

authenticator: { // Provide the authenticator details

credentialId: Buffer.from(credential.credentialId, ‘base64’), // Must be Buffer

publicKey: Buffer.from(credential.publicKey, ‘base64’), // Must be Buffer

signCount: credential.signCount, // Must be number

},

requireUserVerification: true, // Match what you sent in options

});

const {

verified,

// authenticationInfo, // Contains new signCount

} = verification;

if (!verified) {

throw new Error(‘Passkey verification failed.’);

}

// IMPORTANT: Update the signCount in your database

const { newSignCount } = verification.authenticationInfo;

await db.updateCredentialSignCount(credential.id, newSignCount); // Update based on your DB schema

// User is successfully authenticated. Set their session, grant access, etc.

return { success: true, message: ‘Login successful’ };

} catch (error) {

console.error(‘Error verifying authentication:’, error);

throw new Error(‘Passkey verification failed. Please try again.’);

}

}

“`

Critical Verification Steps:

• expectedChallenge: Matches the challenge sent by the server.
• expectedOrigin / expectedRPID: Matches your application.
• authenticator.credentialId: Used to find the correct credentialId and thus the correct publicKey and signCount from your database.
• authenticator.signCount: This is vital. You must compare the signCount provided by the authenticator with the signCount stored in your database for that credential. If the authenticator’s count is lower, it’s a sign of a potential replay attack, and you should reject the login. If it’s higher, it’s expected (the user used the passkey elsewhere) and you should update your database with the new, higher signCount.

Handling Users with Multiple Passkeys

A user might have passkeys stored on their phone, their laptop, or other synced devices. Your system needs to accommodate this.

Multiple credentialIds per User

When registering, you should allow users to create multiple passkeys. This means your Passkey table (or equivalent) should store a list of credentialIds associated with each user.

During Registration

When a user goes to register a new passkey, your server should fetch their existing credentialIds and pass them in the excludeCredentials array of the generateRegistrationOptions. This prevents them from registering the exact same credential twice.

During Authentication

When a user logs in, you should fetch all of their associated credentialIds from your database and include them in the allowCredentials array of generateAuthenticationOptions. The browser, upon receiving this list, will present the user with a choice if they have multiple passkeys that match your rpID.

Making It Passkey-Only: The Transition

Switching to passkey-only means you need a strategy for existing users and a clear path for new users.

For New Users

• Default to Passkey Registration: When a new user signs up, guide them directly to passkey registration.
• No Password Option: Do not offer password creation as an alternative for new sign-ups.
• Clear Instructions: Provide simple, step-by-step instructions on how to create a passkey using their device.

For Existing Users

This is the trickier part. You can’t force users to switch overnight.

• Phased Rollout: Introduce passkey support as an additional login option first.
• Encourage Migration: Create a clear “Migrate to Passkeys” or “Set Up Passkey” button within user account settings.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) as a Bridge: If users already have 2FA set up (e.g., SMS codes, authenticator app), you could allow them to use their existing password plus a passkey as a way to upgrade their security and set up a passkey, effectively disabling password login after a successful migration.
• Mandate Passkeys After a Grace Period: Once you’ve given existing users ample time and encouragement to migrate, you can then disable password logins. This requires careful communication and support.
• Inform Users: Send out clear emails and in-app notifications well in advance.
• Provide Support: Have resources ready for users who struggle with the migration.
• Offer a Fallback (Temporary): For a very limited time, you might consider a more involved “account recovery” process for users who absolutely cannot migrate, but this should be a last resort and highly secured.

User Interface and Experience

• Clear Buttons: Use distinct buttons like “Log in with Passkey” or “Create Passkey.”
• Visual Cues: Show icons that represent device authentication (fingerprint, face).
• Informative Tooltips: Explain what a passkey is and why it’s beneficial when users first encounter it.
• Progressive Disclosure: Don’t overwhelm users with technical details. Provide simple prompts and guide them through the process.

Common Pitfalls and Best Practices

Avoiding these common mistakes will save you a lot of headaches.

Relying Solely on attestation during Registration

The attestation object from the browser during registration contains a wealth of information about the authenticator. However, for basic passkey implementation, you primarily need the credentialId, publicKey, and signCount. The attestation itself is more for verifying the type of authenticator and its trustworthiness, which can be complex. For many applications, just verifying the signature using the publicKey is sufficient if you trust the overall WebAuthn flow.

Not Storing signCount

This is a critical security mistake. The signCount is essential for detecting replay attacks. Always store it and always verify it against the signCount received during authentication. Update it immediately after a successful login.

Insecure userHandle

While it needs to be unique, avoid using sensitive information directly as the userHandle if it’s easily guessable or publicly linked to the user. A user ID from your database is generally a good choice.

Hardcoding RP IDs or Origins

Always use environment variables or configuration files for your rpID and origin. These are security-sensitive values and should not be hardcoded in your application logic.

Lack of Error Handling and User Feedback

WebAuthn operations can fail for many reasons (user cancels, device issue, network problem). Implement robust error handling on both the client and server and provide clear, actionable feedback to the user.

Assuming a Single Passkey

Remember that users can have multiple passkeys. Your system must support this, especially for the authentication flow.

Forgetting about Older Browsers/Devices

While most modern browsers and devices support WebAuthn, older versions might not. Have a fallback or a clear message for users on unsupported platforms. For a passkey-only strategy, this means users on unsupported platforms simply won’t be able to use your app, which is a trade-off to consider.

Not Testing Thoroughly

Test on different devices (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS), different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), and different authentication methods (fingerprint, face scan, PIN). Test edge cases like losing a device, forgetting a PIN, or encountering network issues.

Conclusion

Transitioning to passkey-only authentication is a significant step forward for your custom web application, offering enhanced security and a dramatically improved user experience. While it requires careful planning and implementation on both the front-end and back-end, the benefits—reduced friction for users and a stronger defense against common threats—are well worth the effort. By understanding the WebAuthn protocol, leveraging appropriate libraries, and thoughtfully managing the migration process for existing users, you can successfully usher your application into the passwordless era.

FAQs

What is passkey-only authentication for custom web applications?

Passkey-only authentication for custom web applications is a security measure that requires users to enter a specific passkey in order to access the application. This passkey is typically a unique code or token that is provided to authorized users.

How does passkey-only authentication enhance security for web applications?

Passkey-only authentication enhances security for web applications by adding an extra layer of protection beyond traditional username and password authentication. It helps to prevent unauthorized access and protects sensitive data from potential security breaches.

What are the steps to set up passkey-only authentication for custom web applications?

The steps to set up passkey-only authentication for custom web applications typically involve generating unique passkeys for authorized users, integrating passkey validation into the application’s authentication process, and providing users with instructions on how to use their passkeys to access the application.

What are the benefits of using passkey-only authentication for custom web applications?

Some benefits of using passkey-only authentication for custom web applications include increased security, reduced risk of unauthorized access, and the ability to easily manage and revoke access for individual users by invalidating their passkeys.

Are there any potential drawbacks or considerations to keep in mind when implementing passkey-only authentication?

While passkey-only authentication can enhance security, it may also introduce additional complexity for users who are accustomed to traditional username and password authentication. It’s important to provide clear instructions and support for users as they adapt to the new authentication process. Additionally, passkey management and distribution should be carefully controlled to prevent misuse or unauthorized access.