Passkeys
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
Passkeys replace passwords with your fingerprint, face, or device PIN. No more remembering 'P@ssw0rd123!' — your phone or laptop IS your password. They're phishing-proof because there's nothing to type and nothing to steal. It's the future of login, and it's already here.
Real Talk
Passkeys are a FIDO2/WebAuthn credential stored in a platform authenticator (device, password manager, or security key). They use public-key cryptography — the private key never leaves the device. Passkeys are phishing-resistant, replay-resistant, and can sync across devices via cloud keychain (Apple, Google, 1Password).
When You'll Hear This
"We added passkey support — users can log in with Face ID instead of passwords." / "Passkeys are synced across your Apple devices via iCloud Keychain."
Related Terms
FIDO2
FIDO2 is the whole framework that makes passwordless authentication work — WebAuthn (browser side) plus CTAP (authenticator side).
MFA (MFA)
MFA stands for Multi-Factor Authentication. It's the umbrella term for requiring multiple proofs of identity. 2FA is MFA with exactly two factors.
WebAuthn
WebAuthn is the browser API that makes passkeys work.