Build vs. Buy Auth Is the Wrong Question. Here's the Right One.
Deepak Gupta, Tuesday, July 21st, 2026
The real authentication decision is which identity components are commodity versus which are competitive product.
Deepak Gupta argues that every serious team already runs a hybrid identity architecture, so the build-versus-buy framing misses the point.
The framework that matters distinguishes commodity layers such as OAuth flows, password hashing and MFA from product layers such as authorization models and user structures.
Teams should purchase the commodity components and own the identity logic specific to their product.
Standards-based integration protects against vendor lock-in, and the optimal split shifts as companies scale.