Unraveling the Black Box - Past, Present and Future of Authentication in Rails

Explore the evolution and implementation of authentication in Rails applications through this 24-minute conference talk from RailsConf 2025. Discover how Rails 8's new built-in authentication generator transforms the traditional reliance on Devise and other third-party solutions. Learn about the historical development of web authentication, examine the key elements of the new generator's source code, and understand how to implement modern authentication flows including passwordless authentication with Passkeys and WebAuthn, OAuth and Single Sign-On integration, and role-based security for admin and API access. Gain practical knowledge for setting up contemporary authentication systems while understanding security threats and future opportunities in the authentication landscape, making this valuable for software developers of all levels and product designers working with Rails applications.