Comparison with Alternatives

See how Transcodes compares to traditional WebAuthn/Passkey providers.

Integration Complexity

Traditional Authentication Implementation

With existing solutions, every authentication requires multiple round-trips between your code and external services:

You are responsible for:

• Backend SDK installation and configuration
• API endpoints for challenge generation and verification
• Database schema design and credential storage
• Frontend UI implementation
• Session management and token handling
• Error handling and edge cases

Transcodes Integration

With Transcodes, everything is handled automatically:

You are responsible for:

• Adding one script tag
• Calling one function

Transcodes handles:

• WebAuthn Intergration in your browser with one script tag
• Automatic session management and token management
• Pre-built UI and error handling
• No refresh token needed
• Every access token is in-memory stored with AES-256-GCM encryption

Feature Comparison

Code Comparison

Traditional Providers (100+ lines)

// Backend: challenge endpoints, verification, database storage
app.post('/api/webauthn/register/options', async (req, res) => {
  /* ... */
});
app.post('/api/webauthn/register/verify', async (req, res) => {
  /* ... */
});
app.post('/api/webauthn/login/options', async (req, res) => {
  /* ... */
});
app.post('/api/webauthn/login/verify', async (req, res) => {
  /* ... */
});
 
// Frontend: API calls, WebAuthn ceremony handling, error states
const options = await fetch('/api/webauthn/register/options');
const credential = await navigator.credentials.create(options);
await fetch('/api/webauthn/register/verify', { body: credential });
// ... plus authentication flow, token management, etc.

Transcodes (3 lines)

const result = await transcodes.openAuthLoginModal();
if (result.success) {
  console.log('Authenticated!', result.payload[0].user);
}

Why No Backend?

Transcodes uses a browser-native architecture that keeps authentication entirely client-side:

1. Private keys are generated and stored in the browser’s IndexedDB
2. Token generation happens by signing challenges with the private key
3. Signature verification is handled by Transcodes’ backend
4. Your backend only needs to validate the JWT token

This means:

• No SDK to install on your server
• No database tables to create
• No API endpoints to implement
• No session management code

Your backend simply validates the JWT token like any other OAuth flow.

Security Advantage

Next Steps

• Architecture - Deep dive into how Transcodes works
• Quick Start - Get started in 5 minutes