Introduction: Understanding Passkey Complexities
Passkey implementation, while a forward leap in authentication technology, presents significant challenges that developers should be aware of before they start their passkey implementation journey. This article aims to demystify the complexities, common pitfalls and unknown unknowns encountered in the integration of passkeys into new and existing websites or apps.
From working in the passkey space for almost 2 years, we have discovered the following 15 misconceptions for which we want to provide more steering and clear advice on how to overcome them:
- #1 Creating Passkeys is Just Triggering navigator.credentials.create()
- #2 Passkeys Logins are Only About When to Trigger navigator.credentials.get()
- #3 Available Passkeys can be Detected from the Browser
- #4 User Agents are Great for Device Recognition
- #5 An Open Standard like WebAuthn is Easy-to-Read
- #6 Passkey Management UI is Easy-to-Build
- #7 Passkeys are New but Common Use Cases are Well Supported
- #8 Passkey UX/UI is Great and Predefined
- #9 Conditional UI Always Ensures a Smooth Login Experience
- #10 Passkeys Work in All Browsers as Expected
- #11 Passkeys’ Availability Equals Accessibility
- #12 QR Codes are Simple and Appear only When Needed
- #13 Passkeys Are Universal and Thus Easily Testable
- #14 Only Adding Passkeys to an Existing Auth Solution is Easy
- #15 Please Help Me: I Think I Don’t Want Passkeys Anymore
Developer Insights: Common Misconceptions
Many developers assume that integrating passkeys is as simple as adding a few lines of code using the navigator.credentials.create() and navigator.credentials.get() API calls. However, the reality is much more complex. A succesful and user-friendly passkey implementation involves managing backend API endpoints, handling device compatibility (we refer to this as passkey intelligence), and ensuring a seamless user experience across various platforms. Moreover, understanding the WebAuthn specification in detail is crucial, which is often more complex than anticipated.
Pitfalls in Passkey Integration
One major challenge is ensuring compatibility across different devices and browsers, which can significantly impact the user experience. For instance, the availability of passkeys on a device cannot be directly detected through the browser, leading to potential mismatches and user confusion during the authentication process. Additionally, managing passkey storage and device recognition requires sophisticated device management strategies, further complicating the implementation.
Product Management Considerations
For product managers, the focus is often on the user experience and conversion metrics. Integrating passkeys can enhance user experience by eliminating the need for passwords, thereby increasing sign-up and retention rates. However, it’s important to balance the innovative appeal of passkeys with the practical aspects of their integration, ensuring that the technology does not overwhelm users and integrates smoothly with existing authentication flows.
Dive Deeper into Passkey Implementation Guidance
While this summary provides an overview of the hurdles in passkey implementation, the complete discussion offers detailed insights into overcoming these challenges effectively. For a more comprehensive understanding, visit our blog post here.
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