I’m working on an iPhone app and need to implement email-based user authentication. I’ve been researching different approaches but I’m running into some challenges.
From what I understand, iOS doesn’t allow apps to directly access the device’s default email account for security reasons. This makes sense from a privacy standpoint, but it complicates the login process.
I’m looking for guidance on the best practices for implementing email authentication in iOS apps. Should I be using OAuth with email providers, or is there a different approach that works better? I want to make the login process as smooth as possible for users while following Apple’s guidelines.
What authentication methods have worked well for others in similar situations? Any recommendations for libraries or frameworks that handle this kind of functionality would be really helpful too.
I’ve been using OAuth with major email providers for my last few projects. Google Sign-In SDK and Sign in with Apple work great - they handle authentication without needing direct email access. Users love it since they’re already logged into these accounts on their phones. I use JWT tokens with refresh mechanisms on the backend. Just heads up - if you’re using other third-party auth, Apple requires you to offer Sign in with Apple too. Implementation’s pretty straightforward and Apple’s docs for AuthenticationServices are solid. Plus you don’t have to deal with password storage or resets.
firebase auth is great! it makes email verification simple, which is a huge time saver. when i added it to my app, it just worked. tho, their docs could be better, they still get the job done!
Skip the third-party stuff and build your own email/password system with a custom backend. I did this on my last app and had way more control over user data and how auth worked. Use Alamofire for network calls and handle email verification server-side. Just send a verification link after someone registers, then validate the token when they click it. Hash passwords with salt, use secure tokens for sessions. Yeah, it’s more work upfront than Firebase or OAuth, but you won’t get locked into a vendor and can customize everything. Just follow OWASP password guidelines and add rate limiting so people can’t brute force your login.