What is the best identity/authentication method for Azure Mobile Apps in 2020?

Question

In the old days, I would have built an ASP.NET website and used the Identity framework to authenticate users, store custom profile items about them, and make that searchable in a database.

In 2020, I'm developing an app using the Azure Mobile App Service, with ASP.NET SQL tables for the data but currently no membership/identity system (outside of tokens for external sign-in, which aren't yet persisted in a database).

Essentially I am looking for the best method to store these app users in a database, and make that information searchable. So my question is:

• Is it still wise/feasible to expand the existing Web API to include ASP.NET Identity, to add a users table to my SQL server and authenticate through external providers or straight email/password accounts?
• Or, should I look at using Azure B2C directory, which is completely new to me, but as far as I know may be a great solution to provide the above service without the headache of writing a lot of code?

Thanks for any advice and recommendations you can make.

Answer 1

@KerryDP I would suggest you to go with Azure AD B2C if the app that you are developing is a consumer based application, where you want to provide sign-up capability to the end customers to allow them creating their accounts by themselves. Azure AD B2C is useful in scenarios where it is practically not possible for the admin to create user accounts as the consumer can be anyone from anywhere in the world.

If your app is not consumer based and you want the admin to create user accounts e.g., in B2B or B2E (Business to Employee) scenarios, you should consider using standard Azure AD as the Identity Provider solution.

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