Build vs Buy Auth Is the Wrong Question. Here’s the Right One.

This article argues that the build-vs-buy debate for authentication is the wrong binary and reframes identity into a commodity layer (password hashing, OAuth/OIDC, MFA delivery, token mechanics) and a product layer (user/authorization models, onboarding). The author recommends buying the commodity, owning the product, describes four architecture patterns (full SaaS CIAM, self-hosted platforms, auth libraries with owned infra, full custom), outlines realistic costs and migration risks, and advises building on open standards to avoid lock-in as scale and requirements change.