Question: When should I use Lock versus a Custom User Interface?
Answer:
Lock is a drop-in authentication widget that provides a standard set of behaviors and a customizable user interface.
Auth0 SDKs are client-side libraries that do not come with a user interface but allow for expanded customization of the behavior and appearance of the login page.
The Authentication API provides integration without requiring the use of Auth0 SDKs and Lock. Especially recommended to those who want to build their user interface themselves.
The best option to choose will depend on the needs of your app
Please reference our documentation on this subject for a more detailed explanation.
When to use Lock
Consider using Lock if:
- You prefer a quicker and easier implementation of Auth0 and a ready-made responsive UI
- You like the structure, look, and feel of Lock
- Your process includes many of the use cases that Lock handles out of the box:
- Enterprise logins
- Databases with password policies
- User signup and password reset
- Authentication using social providers
- Avatars
When to use Custom User Interface
Consider implementing a custom user interface in conjunction with an Auth0 library or the Authentication API for your app if:
- You have strict requirements for the appearance of the user interface
- You have strict requirements for file sizes - the Auth0 libraries are significantly smaller than Lock, and if you instead choose to deal with the API directly, that would not require any additional weight.
- You are comfortable with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript - you’ll be creating your own UI
- You only need to handle username/password and social provider authentication
- You have multiple database or Active Directory Connections