After discussing API design patterns, I would like to dedicate a complete chapter to this topic due to its importance. All APIs need to know who they are being used by. The answer is provided via authentication and authorization mechanisms. Whatever gets implemented, always remember this:
Authentication and authorization keep data private and shared between authorized entities only!
Authentication vs. Authorization
In any system, almost all relevant APIs require users, or at least clients, to authenticate. And at some point in time, an API will require authorizations, too. It is very ...
