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Fundamentals · Intermediate

SAML vs OIDC: Which Federation Protocol Should You Use?

By SWI Community Team · Updated 2026-06-12 · 7 min

SAML and OpenID Connect (OIDC) both enable single sign-on, but they come from different eras and fit different jobs. Choosing well saves you years of integration pain.

SAML 2.0

SAML is an XML-based standard from 2005, deeply entrenched in enterprise web SSO. If you sell to enterprises, you will be asked for SAML, because that is what their identity providers speak. It is mature and universally supported, but XML and its signing rules are heavy and error-prone.

OpenID Connect (OIDC)

OIDC is a modern identity layer built on top of OAuth 2.0, using JSON and JWTs. It is the better fit for mobile apps, single-page apps, and APIs, with simpler tokens and a cleaner developer experience.

How to choose

  • Building consumer or developer-facing apps, mobile, or APIs: prefer OIDC.
  • Integrating with enterprise customers or legacy IdPs: you will likely need SAML too.
  • Most CIAM and IAM platforms support both, so the real question is which your counterparties require.

Where to start

See our SSO implementation guide and federation providers. For the OAuth relationship, read OAuth vs OIDC.