Security is often treated as a final layer in software development—something that gets patched on at the end. But if you’re building web applications using Spring Boot, security is not just a feature; it’s a foundational requirement. And with how fast threats evolve, understanding how to handle authentication and authorization in Spring Boot isn’t optional anymore. In this post, we’ll simplify the security landscape in Spring Boot . Whether you’re just starting, managing a team of developers, or looking to hire Spring Boot developers for a new backend project, this guide will help you make better architectural and implementation choices. First, Know the Difference Before diving into Spring Boot specifics, let's get something straight: authentication and authorization are not the same thing. Authentication is the process of verifying a user’s identity. In other words, “Who are you?” Authorization determines what the authenticated user is allowed to do. It answers, “What can you acce...