TheIdServer
An open-source identity and access management server supporting OpenID Connect, OAuth2, WS-Federation, and SAML 2.0 with a built-in admin UI.
What is TheIdServer?
TheIdServer is an open-source identity and access management server that implements OpenID Connect, OAuth2, WS-Federation, and SAML 2.0 protocols. It provides a centralized solution for authenticating users and authorizing applications, built on Duende IdentityServer and ITFoxtec Identity SAML 2.0 frameworks. The project includes a full-featured admin UI for managing all aspects of identity configuration.
Developers and organizations needing a self-hosted identity provider for their applications, especially those requiring support for multiple authentication protocols like SAML 2.0 alongside OpenID Connect and OAuth2.
It offers a unified, extensible platform with comprehensive protocol support and administrative capabilities, serving as a free, open-source alternative to commercial identity servers while maintaining compatibility with enterprise authentication standards.
Overview
OpenID/Connect, OAuth2, WS-Federation and SAML 2.0 server based on Duende IdentityServer and ITFoxtec Identity SAML 2.0 with its admin UI
Use Cases
Best For
- Implementing a self-hosted identity provider for internal enterprise applications
- Unifying authentication across applications using both modern (OIDC/OAuth2) and legacy (SAML 2.0/WS-Federation) protocols
- Managing user identities, clients, and API access through a web-based admin interface
- Building applications that require dynamic external provider configuration
- Deploying identity services with Docker containerization
- Organizations needing keys rotation and advanced security features for token management
Not Ideal For
- Organizations unwilling to pay for Duende IdentityServer licenses in commercial deployments
- Teams needing a fully managed, cloud-hosted identity service with zero server maintenance
- Projects requiring only basic OAuth2/OpenID Connect without SAML 2.0 or WS-Federation support
- Startups seeking plug-and-play social login integrations without dynamic configuration setup
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports OpenID Connect, OAuth2, WS-Federation, and SAML 2.0 in a single server, enabling seamless integration across modern and legacy authentication systems as highlighted in the key features.
Provides a web-based UI for managing users, clients, APIs, and external providers with detailed documentation links, reducing manual configuration overhead.
Compatible with a wide range of databases via Entity Framework Core, allowing flexibility in choosing SQL or NoSQL backends as stated in the setup.
Includes keys rotation, token exchange (RFC 8693), and server-side sessions, enhancing security and compliance for enterprise environments.
Cons
Built on Duende IdentityServer, which requires purchasing a license for commercial use, adding financial overhead compared to fully open-source alternatives.
Setup involves multiple steps like database configuration, keys management, and external provider dynamic setup, as evidenced by extensive documentation and the recent Azure Key Vault SDK migration note.
Relies on external frameworks (Duende IdentityServer and ITFoxtec SAML), which may introduce breaking changes or compatibility issues, as seen with the mandatory Azure Key Vault SDK update.
Frequently Asked Questions
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