Securing a Data Service API with Keycloak: Identity and Access Management (Part 1)
Michael Olayemi Olawepo
Software Test automation | Software engineering Management | Scrum | Data engineering| Rapid Application Development | Low Code Tools | Open Source
In this article, we will explore how to set up Keycloak for user management and JWT token issuance for third-party applications. We will cover the basics of Keycloak, its features, and how to integrate it with your application.
Problem Of Reinventing the Wheel
For decades, I’ve had the privilege of starting dozens of software applications from scratch. However, I often find myself frustrated by the amount of repetitive work involved in building the same software features again and again on every project. One such feature is identity and access management, which can be described in simple terms as login/logout.
Despite its importance, many organizations reinvent the wheel when it comes to implementing identity and access management in their software applications.
I recall a project where I worked with an organization that spent over six months building a custom identity and access management system. When I asked the Engineering Director why we didn’t use an existing service like Okta, Auth0, or even an open-source option like Keycloak, I was met with a less-than-convincing reason. As a result, we ended up building a system that eventually ended up in a repository graveyard.
Fast forward to the present, I’ve recently had the opportunity to consult with an organization that’s using Keycloak to provide customized identity services for organizations. What’s impressive is that it’s working out well for them on a large scale. This experience has motivated me to share my knowledge of using Keycloak for identity and access management.
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Exploring Identity and Access Management Solutions
In my research, I’ve explored various services that offer identity and access management solutions, including Auth0, AWS, Google, and Azure. While these services provide some form of identity and access management, I’ve often wondered why organizations don’t opt for existing solutions instead of building their own from scratch.
What is Keycloak?
Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management solution that provides user federation, strong authentication, user management, fine-grained authorization, and more. With Keycloak, you can add authentication to your applications and secure services with minimal effort, without having to deal with storing users or authenticating users.
Setting Up Keycloak