The key point: Passkeys leverage FIDO2 and WebAuthn standards to enable passwordless authentication, and developers must understand their architecture to implement them correctly.
A detailed overview of passkey architecture shows how implementation builds on FIDO2 and WebAuthn. The article is aimed at developers who want to implement passkeys in practice.
Passkeys replace classic passwords with cryptographic key pairs that remain stored locally on a device. The technical foundation is provided by the FIDO2 standard in combination with the WebAuthn API (Web Authentication), which modern browsers and systems support.
The architecture of passkeys consists of multiple layers: the private key remains on the authentication device (smartphone, security key, laptop) and is never transmitted to the server. The public key is shared with the service provider and enables verification of signatures. The authentication process uses challenge-response mechanisms, in which the server sends a challenge that the client signs with the private key.
For developers, it is crucial to understand that passkeys are device-bound and secured by biometric data or PIN codes. Implementation requires knowledge of the WebAuthn specification as well as understanding of attestation and assertion – two central phases of registration and authentication. Faulty implementation can lead to security vulnerabilities or impair user experience.
Source: www.heise.de · Published 21 July 2026
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