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← Glossary · identity

Single Sign-On (SSO)

A way for users to sign in to multiple applications with one set of credentials, typically managed by an identity provider.

SSO removes the need for users to remember per-app passwords and lets the identity provider enforce centralized password and MFA policies. The two dominant protocols are SAML (older, enterprise-standard) and OpenID Connect (newer, REST-friendlier). SSO tends to be table stakes for any SaaS contract above $5K per year, and is required for SOC 2 Type II compliance at most enterprises.