Laravel Passport should be used when building APIs that require access to third-party clients. It transforms Laravel applications into a complete OAuth2 server, supporting multiple authorization types, token management and fine-grained access control. Specific application situations include: ?Building a public API; ?Fine permission control based on OAuth2; ?Requires support for multiple authorization types; ?Building an ecosystem around applications. It is not recommended for use in scenarios where simple SPA or mobile terminals, no third-party access requirements, or requires lightweight and fast solutions. Practical suggestions: Run the installation command, select the appropriate authorization type, always use scope, and not expose the client key in the public client.
Laravel Passport is Laravel's built-in package for implementing OAuth2 authentication in your applications. It's not just for logging users in — it's designed to securely issue access tokens so that third-party clients (like mobile apps, external services, or even your own frontend) can interact with your Laravel API on behalf of users.

You'd typically reach for Passport when you need to build an API that needs to authenticate and authorize different types of clients, especially if those clients are external or part of a separate system.
What Laravel Passport Actually Does
At its core, Passport turns your Laravel app into a full OAuth2 server. That means it handles things like:

- Issuing personal access tokens
- Managing client credentials
- Supporting authorization codes, password grants, and more
It builds on top of the League OAuth2 server but wraps it in a Laravel-friendly way. So instead of building all that logic yourself, Passport gives you ready-to-use endpoints and tools to manage tokens, clients, and scopes.
Passport also provides database tables to store tokens, clients, and access grants. This makes it much easier to manage who has access to what, and under which conditions.

When You Should Use Laravel Passport
Passport isn't always necessary — sometimes Laravel Sanctum is enough. But there are specific cases where Passport shines:
? You're building a public API
If other developers or external services will be accessing your API, Passport helps you manage client IDs, secrets, and token scopes securely.
? You need fine-grained access control via OAuth2
With Passport, you can define scopes — like read-posts
or delete-posts
— and only allow clients to perform actions they've been granted permission for.
? You want to support multiple grant types
Passport supports various OAuth2 flows, including:
- Authorization code
- Password grant (for trusted clients)
- Client credentials
- Implicit token grant This flexibility makes it suitable for complex systems.
? You're building an ecosystem around your app
If you plan to offer integrations or allow third parties to connect to your service, Passport helps you manage permissions and access safely.
When You Probably Don't Need Passport
There are plenty of cases where Passport might be overkill:
? You're building a simple SPA or mobile app for your own backend
In this case, Laravel Sanctum is often simpler and easier to set up. It handles stateful authentication using cookies, which works great for single-page apps or native mobile apps talking to your Laravel backend.
? You don't need third-party access
If all your clients are controlled by you (eg, your own frontend and backend), then full OAuth2 might be unnecessary overhead.
? You want something quick and lightweight
Passport requires setup — running migrations, generating clients, managing scopes. If you just need authenticated API access without all that, Sanctum wins.
A Few Practical Tips When Using Passport
- Run the install command first:
php artisan passport:install
sets up encryption keys and default clients needed for issuing tokens. - Use the right grant type: For example, use the password grant for mobile apps that collect user credentials directly, and authorization code for web-based third-party apps.
- Always scope your tokens: Even if you think you don't need them now, scoping helps you enforce permissions later.
- Don't expose client secrets in public clients: Mobile apps or SPAs shouldn't have hardcoded client secrets — they should use implicit or password grants instead.
Basically, Laravel Passport is powerful but not always needed. Use it when you're dealing with third-party clients, need granular access control, or want to support multiple OAuth2 flows. Otherwise, Sanctum is probably enough.
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