---
title: HTTP client authentication
description: Clients that are communicating with the server over HTTP can authenticate in one of two ways:
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_security_guide:pd_sec_http_client_authn
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_security_guide/pd_sec_http_client_authn.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
---

# HTTP client authentication

Clients that are communicating with the server over HTTP can authenticate in one of two ways:

* HTTP basic authentication

  The client provides a simple username and password. An identity mapper is used to identify the entry, and the password is used to prove that identity.

* An OAuth bearer token

  The client provides the server with an OAuth 2.0 bearer token and the server uses an access token *(tooltip: \<div class="paragraph">
  \<p>A data object by which a client authenticates to a resource server and lays claim to authorizations for accessing particular resources.\</p>
  \</div>)* validator to verify that the token is authentic and map it to a user's entry.

The set of authentication methods used depends on the endpoint with which the client is communicating.