🔐 Benefits and Drawbacks of Passkey-Only Login Systems

Guest Author: sateshcharan

If you've recently noticed a "Sign in with a passkey" option on sites like GitHub, Vercel or Google, you're not alone – passkeys are gaining traction quickly. Here's a quick rundown of the pros and cons of switching to a passkey-only system. 🔐

🔹 Quick Overview of Passkeys
Passkeys, aka WebAuthn credentials, are secure, public-key-based authentication credentials designed to replace passwords and make logging in both easier and safer. They let you log in to apps and websites without needing a password by using biometrics like Face ID, Touch ID, or a device PIN. 💻

✅ Benefits of Passkey-Only Systems

1. Superior Security

• 🛡️ Since passkeys are tied to specific websites, they’re a inherently defensive against phishing.
• 🔒 No more weak or reused passwords, and database breaches have less impact.

2. Smooth User Experience

• 🧠 Users don’t need to create, remember, or manage passwords.
• ⚡ Log in with a quick biometric scan or PIN.

3. Low Support Costs

• 💸 Fewer Password Resets: No more forgotten passwords to reset!
• 🔄 Simplified Account Recovery: Account recovery can be managed through the user’s device or platform account.

4. Cross-Platform friendly

• 📲 Passkeys can sync across devices seamlessly on many platforms.
• 🌐 Works on different operating systems and browsers supporting WebAuthn.

❌ Drawbacks of Passkey-Only Login Systems

1. Low User Adoption Trend

• 📚 Many users are still new to passkeys, so some guidance may be needed.
• 🌍 Not all browsers or platforms support passkeys yet.

2. Device Dependent

• 📱 If a user loses access to their device, **recovery **might be tricky.
• 🚚 Moving passkeys to a new device can be a bit of a hassle.

3. Complex to Implement

• 🛠️ Developers need to make substantial changes to backend authentication.
• 🌐 Different device capabilities mean extra work to ensure fallback options.

4. Lock-In Risk

• 🔒 Some users might feel locked into specific **ecosystem **providers like Apple or Google.
• 🔍 Passkey management by these platforms can raise privacyconcerns.

🎉 Wrapping Up

Passkey-only login systems offer a lot of advantages in terms of security, ease of use, and support savings. However, challenges with adoption, implementation, and platform dependency remain. As the tech evolves, many of these challenges may get easier. For developers interested in implementing passkeys, it's best to offer clear user instructions, create strong fallback options, and consider a phased approach that combines passkeys with traditional logins. 🚀

🔒 Complete Authentication and User Management solution
If you’re looking for a complete management solution, Hanko should be your go to choice. You can integrate from passwords all the way to passkeys, 2FA, and SSO. (MFA coming in Oct).

The best part is it’s Open-source. You can checkout their Github. Star the repo to show your support!