SSO & API Developments

Should you use SSO or an API with your LMS?

Single Sign-On (or SSO) is a term that finds its way on to every LMS requirement list. It can appear complicated at first but it doesn’t have to be. In this post, we outline: What is SSO? What’s the difference between SSO and an API? How to decide which one is most suitable for your needs. And we run through some SSO options you should consider with your LMS.

What is Single Sign-On (SSO)?

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a property of access control of multiple related, yet independent, software systems. With this property, a user logs in with a single ID and password to gain access to a connected system or systems without using different usernames or passwords, or in some configurations seamlessly sign on at each system. Wikipedia

Single Sign-On, or SSO as it is commonly known, is a feature that enables an end-user within an organisation to access multiple services/applications, using just one set of credentials, for example, employee ID or email address.

It involves two parts: authentication and authorisation.

• Authentication is the process of identifying that the person logging in has the appropriate credentials.
• Authorisation allows access to the appropriate areas or content which have been granted by the administrator.

The analogy we like to use is that the input of the user credentials in the first instance is like a master key. It unlocks all the other doors without the user having to continuously search through a bunch of keys, trying to find the appropriate one for the next door they want to open.

Why is SSO used?

Integrating Single Sign-On with your LMS has many major benefits including:

• Convenience: The end user isn’t required to enter details such as usernames or passwords into applications they use multiple time a day.
• Efficiency: It reduces the workload of the I.T department, as fewer users are requesting password resets for multiple applications.
• Security: It can significantly increase the security of the I.T environment.

What is an API?

An API provides an interface that allows developers to literally interact with programs and apps, including learning management systems. Each API has a set of credentials used by admins and developers known as keys. These keys are similar to a username and password pair that allows developers to use the API to interact with the data in your LMS. In this context, ‘interact’ describes actions such as creating, updating, deleting, or retrieving data. 

An API can speed up processes by automating time-consuming manual steps. Without an API, if you’re an admin creating a user in your LMS, you need to log in, access the create user screen, fill in a 

form and click save. Or instead, your developer can simply code an API to automatically create users based on rules relevant to your needs. The API frees admins from managing the process manually or via batch file uploads. It’s that simple!

A decent API allows you to automate lots of other actions, like updating, deleting, or exporting lists of users. The API allows you to create courses, enrol users on to courses, and get a list of their progress statuses - all automatically. This data can then be managed together in one central location. And you can use the data to build reports or keep users in sync.

Do I need an SSO or API integration?

While API and SSO can work really well together, they are in fact two very different tools. We like to compare it to the difference between a knife and fork. While the tools complement each other really well, they also serve VERY different purposes and should be used to accomplish different tasks.

SSO vs API summary

• SSO streamlines your user experience when accessing other applications. It’s a set of Single Sign-On credentials associated with each user.
• API is all about data automation. It keeps your data in sync and automates pulling data out of a system to generate reports.