Spring Security OAuth2 VS JWT(JSON Web Tokens)

In this article, we will learn the difference between Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT.

Spring Security OAuth2

Spring Security OAuth2 is a nice authentication and authorization (i.e. security) framework that gets the power of OAuth 2.0 to the Java Spring ecosystem. This Spring Security OAuth2 allows third-party applications to get limited access to HTTP service.

OAuth, also called Open Authorization, is a kind of protocol mainly used in the industry for authorization purposes. This OAuth lets third-party services access our information without having to share our password. This is achievable by the use of tokens called authorization tokens, which set a secure connection between users and providers. and this OAuth2 is taken one step ahead of OAuth and it brings more security.

This Spring Security OAuth2 gives us a wide range of features that facilitate the process of executing OAuth2 authorization in Spring applications e.g. Flexible Authorization Protocols, Seamless integration with other components of Spring, Secure Resource Server, etc.

JWT (JSON Web Tokens)

JSON Web Token i.e. JWT, is a most used standard that gives us a straightforward and self-contained method for securely exchanging data between different parties utilizing as JSON format. This is complete trust and verify this information because this is digitally signed. JSON Object is a suitable means for securely transferring data online. JWT claims are stored as a JSON object and secured with a digital signature because it makes use of JSON Web Signature (JWS).

JWT has many key features Compactness as JWT is less verbose, JWT is generally Statelessness they do not need server-side session storage, Flexibility and Security, etc.

For more details, you can refer to this article: JWT JSON Web Token

Difference between Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT

Parameter	Spring Security OAuth2	JWT (JSON Web Tokens)
Main Aim	OAuth2.0 has a protocol for authorization.	Token generation.
management of state	server-side state management	No, state management.
Scalability	Less	High
Complexity	More complex because of many components	Simpler in implementation
Secure	depends on OAuth2.	depends on token.
Spring and Integration	Spring ecosystem.	Need extra configuration.
use in	good for third-party app authentication. Used for web, browser, and API.	good for direct authentication, mostly used for APIs.
Flexibility	High	simple
Storage System	both client and server-side storage	only client-side storage

Similarities between Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT

• Both Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT are used to improve the security of web applications and that is similar in Security Enhancement.
• Both Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT depend on token-based authentication and authorization mechanisms.
• Both make use of JSON, JWT uses JSON to represent the claims between two parties. OAuth2 tokens JSON format for token responses.
• Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT both Support RESTful Services.
• Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT both have huge numbers of Audience, Community and Ecosystem Support and with comprehensive documentation, libraries, and frameworks available over internet.

Frequently Asked Questions – Spring Security OAuth2 VS JWT

1. In which scenarios JWT a better choice?

When dealing with RESTful APIs and stateless authentication mechanisms, JWT would be a better choice.

2. Is it possible to use JWT and Spring Security OAuth2 be used together?

Yes, we can use them together, OAuth2 can manage authorization and JWT can format the tokens.

3. What is SSO?

SSO means single sign-on, Spring Security OAuth2 can support SSO, and SSO is considered to be more complex than JWT.

4. Between Spring Security OAuth2 and JWT (JSON Web Tokens) which one is more secure?

Both are equally secure, but their security depends on their implementation.

5. Can we use Spring Security OAuth2 or JWT other than Java application?

Yes, we can use it in non-Java applications. OAuth2 is a protocol, and JWT is a token standard, which can used in any application making.