Understanding Authority

This section explains the concepts, architecture, and design decisions behind Authority.

Understanding OAuth 2.0

• OAuth 2.0 Concepts - Fundamentals of the OAuth 2.0 protocol

• OpenID Connect Concepts - Identity layer on top of OAuth 2.0

• Choosing Grant Types - Decision guide for selecting the right flow

Architecture

• Architecture - How Authority is built and organized

• Security Model - Security architecture and design principles

• Token Lifecycle - How tokens are issued, used, and revoked

About Authority

• Why Authority? - Benefits and use cases

How to Use This Section

Unlike tutorials (which teach by doing) and how-to guides (which solve specific problems), explanations provide understanding. Read these when you want to:

• Understand why things work the way they do

• Learn the theory behind the implementation

• Make informed architectural decisions

• Evaluate trade-offs between approaches

Further Reading

After understanding the concepts, explore:

• Tutorials - Learn by building

• How-To Guides - Solve specific problems

• Reference - Technical specifications