# w3c/webauthn

Web Authentication: An API for accessing Public Key Credentials

Repository: https://github.com/w3c/webauthn
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/webauthn
Homepage: https://w3c.github.io/webauthn/
Language: HTML
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: webauthn
Last push: 2026-08-21T08:23:07+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 67/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 98, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3859, "days_push": 12, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1435, forks 303 (observed 2026-08-28T04:04:43.478757+00:00)

## What it is
The W3C Web Authentication (WebAuthn) specification repository, defining a browser API for creating and using scoped, attested public key credentials for strong user authentication. It is a standards document (Level 3 editor's draft) rather than runnable software, maintained by the W3C WebAuthn Working Group.

## Use cases
- implement passkey login in a web app
- understand how WebAuthn public key credentials work
- implement a FIDO2/WebAuthn relying party server
- contribute feedback on the WebAuthn Level 3 specification
- learn how authenticators and user agents mediate credential access
- look up normative requirements for passwordless authentication

## When to choose
- you need the authoritative, normative definition of the WebAuthn API
- you are implementing a browser, authenticator, or server and need spec-level detail
- you want to track or contribute to the evolution of the standard

## When to avoid
- you want a ready-to-use client or server library for WebAuthn
- you need a tutorial-style introduction rather than a formal specification
- you need a non-web (native mobile/desktop) authentication API

## Facets
- artifact type: learning-resource
- maturity: active
- function: auth, cryptography, security, documentation
- domain: security, web-development, apis
- platform: browser
- tags: webauthn, specification, w3c, passkeys, public-key-credentials, fido2, passwordless-authentication, standards-document, standards, web-server

## Member repositories
- w3c/webauthn (main) score 67

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:43.478757+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T04:36:52.895544+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/w3c/webauthn (fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:43.478757+00:00, sha 702a92b37c0d)
  - homepage: https://w3c.github.io/webauthn/ (fetched 2026-08-29T11:47:48.828534+00:00, sha eb5791e054bb)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.