Fingerprint web API allows you to build fingerprint recognition functionality for browsers and mobile devices. Using it, you can prompt for a fingerprint to verify user identity in the same way that you do with usernames and passwords. The technology requires a special reader, but the fingerprint web API can be used to enable biometric authentication without the need for additional software or complicated hardware.

A fingerprint web API is a unique set of characteristics that identifies a person, allowing you to distinguish them from others. For example, a person’s fingerprint may be different from their spouse’s, or their fingertip might have an ink mark that’s unique to them. When a person’s fingerprint is compared to a database, the resulting match can confirm the user’s identity.

Fingerprint Web APIs Explained: Use Cases and Implementation Tips

Web fingerprinting uses a feature in the Canvas API to detect differences in the way that a website’s pixel data is rendered on different browsers and devices. This enables websites to identify and track users’ devices and browser configurations, offering a stronger layer of security against phishing attempts that could otherwise go undetected.

Using the Fingerprint web API, you can create a JavaScript agent that collects information about the user’s browser or device and sends it to the server. The server compares the information to a database and returns a visitor ID to the browser or device. The fingerprint ID is generated by the server, so it remains stable even as browsers and devices change over time.…