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What is this?
It's Better Auth — a free, open-source authentication and authorization framework for TypeScript with a plugin ecosystem for advanced features.
It's Better Auth — a free, open-source authentication and authorization framework for TypeScript with a plugin ecosystem for advanced features.Is this a hosted service I sign up for, or code I add to my own app?Code you run yourself: it lives inside your own TypeScript app instead of outsourcing logins to a third-party service — that contrast is the author's core pitch.
Code you run yourself: it lives inside your own TypeScript app instead of outsourcing logins to a third-party service — that contrast is the author's core pitch.How do I add it to my project?Install the npm package (npm install better-auth — works with npm, pnpm, or yarn) and follow the installation guide in the docs; after that it's an ordinary dependency in your codebase.
Install the npm package (npm install better-auth — works with npm, pnpm, or yarn) and follow the installation guide in the docs; after that it's an ordinary dependency in your codebase.Do I need particular accounts, keys, or a specific framework for it?None beyond a TypeScript project — there are no required accounts or API keys, because authentication runs inside your own application.
None beyond a TypeScript project — there are no required accounts or API keys, because authentication runs inside your own application.What does it cover out of the box, and when do I need plugins?A comprehensive set of auth features works out of the box, while complex needs like 2FA and multi-tenant support are handled by its plugin ecosystem with minimal code.
A comprehensive set of auth features works out of the box, while complex needs like 2FA and multi-tenant support are handled by its plugin ecosystem with minimal code.Is it really free, including commercial use?Yes — MIT licensed: the project calls itself free and open source and says you are free to do whatever you want with it.
Yes — MIT licensed: the project calls itself free and open source and says you are free to do whatever you want with it.Why did the author build this instead of using an existing library or service?He considers authentication in the TypeScript ecosystem a half-solved problem: open-source libraries demand lots of extra code beyond basic auth, and he wanted a community-owned alternative to pushing everyone toward third-party services.
He considers authentication in the TypeScript ecosystem a half-solved problem: open-source libraries demand lots of extra code beyond basic auth, and he wanted a community-owned alternative to pushing everyone toward third-party services.Will it work with my stack, or is it tied to one framework?It's framework-agnostic, so it isn't built around a single meta-framework — any TypeScript codebase can adopt it. The repo itself is developed as a pnpm and Turborepo monorepo, which matters mainly if you want to contribute.
It's framework-agnostic, so it isn't built around a single meta-framework — any TypeScript codebase can adopt it. The repo itself is developed as a pnpm and Turborepo monorepo, which matters mainly if you want to contribute.Which topics is it in?two-factor-authentication, iam, stripe, authorization, 2fa, multi-tenant, oidc, sso, oauth2, oauth, authentication, backend
two-factor-authentication, iam, stripe, authorization, 2fa, multi-tenant, oidc, sso, oauth2, oauth, authentication, backend