10 Common Frontend Authentication Methods and Their Use Cases

During a recent interview, the interviewer asked about various frontend authentication mechanisms such as Token, Cookie, Session, JWT, and single sign‑on, probing their purpose, implementation, storage, and security.

The author admits the barrage of questions was overwhelming but proceeds to summarize the most common authentication approaches.

Below are the ten typical methods, each briefly described:

HTTP Basic Authentication – suitable for internal networks or environments with low security requirements.

Session‑Cookie – fits most medium to large websites (excluding mobile apps).

Token and JWT – appropriate for the majority of enterprise‑level sites; JWT generally offers better performance.

Single Sign‑On (SSO) – ideal for large enterprises with many subsystems.

OAuth 2.0 – works well for websites that need rapid user registration.

QR‑code Login – used by enterprises that have deployed three‑tier (web, app, desktop) solutions.

One‑Click Login – designed for native mobile apps.

Readers are encouraged to click the “Read Original” link at the bottom left of the article to view detailed explanations of all ten authentication methods.