Self-Host Authentic for Centralized SSO and MFA
Deploy Authentic via Docker Compose for SSO, MFA, passkeys, and user management across self-hosted apps in 90 seconds, avoiding fragmented auth in multi-service stacks.
Deploy Production Auth in Under 2 Minutes
Fragmented logins across services—local auth in one, no MFA in another, mismatched users—break self-hosted stacks on Docker or Kubernetes. Authentic fixes this as an open-source identity provider, centralizing SSO, MFA, passkeys, and access control. Run docker compose up on a fresh server to launch it instantly. Access the admin UI, create an app, and add OAuth (or other providers) in under 30 seconds. For a test app, set the redirect URL to localhost, paste the client ID and secret from Authentic, and login works. Add users via the UI for seamless access without custom login pages or password maintenance. Total setup: 90 seconds for production-grade auth linking your entire system.
This eliminates patchwork OIDC across services, giving one controlled login for all apps. Visual flow builder lets you assemble login logic without XML configs, while Python policies handle custom logic like a developer—far more flexible than SAS rules or legacy tools.
Outshines Keycloak and Cloud Providers on Flexibility
Authentic bridges lightweight tools and enterprise heavies: Keycloak feels legacy and enterprise-bloated; Auth0 is light but scales poorly without costs; Okta/Auth0 demand payments as users grow. Authentic delivers full identity management, modern UI, API-driven ops, Docker-first (Kubernetes-ready), centralized MFA, user management, and a service portal—without initial lock-in. Python policies extend beyond visual flows for precise custom auth, making it ideal for devs building logic over configs.
Trade-offs: Heavier but Worth It for Control
At 2GB RAM, it's not ultra-lightweight, has a learning curve (install was confusing initially), and risks single-point failure without high availability. Open-source core is free, but enterprise scaling requires paid tiers—like any service. Skip if you need zero-setup minimalism or massive scale (paid providers win there). Perfect for self-hosted stacks, home labs, internal tools, SaaS/on-prem apps needing real SSO/MFA everywhere, or custom auth logic. Once running, scattered auth becomes one controlled system—hard to revert.