Authentik vs Keycloak

In today’s digital world, managing user identities and access permissions is a central challenge for companies of all sizes. Single-Sign-On (SSO) solutions offer an efficient way to enhance user experience while simultaneously increasing security. They allow users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications without needing to authenticate for each one separately. In this context, two leading tools have emerged: Authentik and Keycloak. Both provide robust solutions for identity management, offering open alternatives to services like Auth0 or Okta. In this article, we take a detailed look at Authentik and Keycloak, comparing their core features, use cases, and how they perform in real-world scenarios. The goal is to give you a clear understanding of which tool best suits your company’s specific needs.

Feature	Authentik	Keycloak
Simplicity	Authentik is easy to set up and use, especially for developers of smaller projects.	Keycloak offers a comprehensive solution but is more complex and may require more configuration.
User-Centric	Authentik focuses heavily on user experience, providing a user-friendly UI.	Keycloak also offers a good user experience, but the focus is more on backend functions.
Features	Provides basic features for user authentication and authorization.	Offers a wide range of features, including Single Sign-On, user management, MFA, and more.
Scalability	Ideal for small to medium-sized projects.	Designed for use in large and complex environments.
Integration Options	Limited integration options compared to Keycloak.	Offers a wide range of integration options for various platforms and technologies.
Security Features	Basic security features for fundamental requirements.	Strong emphasis on security with features like token-based authentication and encryption.

Authentik

Authentik is an open-source identity and access management software designed to simplify user authentication and authorization for web applications. It is a lightweight solution that allows for easier integration and configuration. Authentik is specifically designed for small to medium-sized projects and offers basic features for user authentication and authorization.

Some key features of Authentik include:

Simplicity: Authentik is easy to set up and use, particularly for developers looking for a quick solution for user authentication.
User-Centric: Authentik focuses heavily on user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for authentication and authorization.
Basic Features: Authentik offers basic features for user authentication, including user management, password policies, and authentication options.

Keycloak

Keycloak is a comprehensive open-source identity and access management software developed by Red Hat. It is a powerful solution that offers a wide range of features for authentication, authorization, and user management. Keycloak is designed for large and complex projects and provides advanced features for integration, scaling, and security.

Some key features of Keycloak include:

Comprehensive Features: Keycloak offers a variety of features for identity and access management, including Single Sign-On (SSO), user and group management, social login, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and more.
Scalability: Keycloak is designed for use in large and complex environments, offering features for scaling and high availability.
Integration: Keycloak provides a wide range of integration options for various platforms and technologies, including Java, JavaScript, Node.js, and more.
Security: Keycloak places a strong emphasis on security, offering features like token-based authentication, encryption, access controls, and auditing.

Overall, Keycloak provides a comprehensive solution for identity and access management, ideal for complex projects and organizations, while Authentik offers a simpler and more lightweight solution, better suited for smaller projects and developers seeking a quick solution.