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+# Background
+
+https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/improvements-auth-identity-aspnetcore-8/
+
+In .NET 8 preview 6, we've added new APIs to allow exposing endpoints to register, login and refresh bearer tokens. This is a simple API
+that returns tokens (or sets cookies) that is optimized usage with 1st party applications (no delegated authentication). The tokens are self conatined, and generated using the 
+same technique as cookie authentication. **These are NOT JWTs**, they are opaque tokens. To make issued tokens work across servers, [data protection](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/security/data-protection/configuration/overview?view=aspnetcore-7.0) needs to be configured
+with shared storage.
+
+## New APIs
+
+There are 2 new concepts being introduced:
+
+1. A new [bearer token authentication handler](https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/blob/bad855959a99257bc6f194dd19ecd6c9aeb03acb/src/Security/Authentication/BearerToken/src/BearerTokenExtensions.cs#L24). This authentication handler supports token validation and issuing and integrates
+with the normal ASP.NET Core authentication system. It can be used standalone without identity.
+    - ASP.NET Core Identity builds on top of this authentication handler and exposes an [AddIdentityBearerToken](https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/blob/579d547d708eb19f8b05b00f5386649d6dac7b6a/src/Identity/Core/src/IdentityAuthenticationBuilderExtensions.cs#L20).
+2. [A set of HTTP endpoints](https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/blob/bad855959a99257bc6f194dd19ecd6c9aeb03acb/src/Identity/Core/src/IdentityApiEndpointRouteBuilderExtensions.cs#L32) for registering a new user, exchanging credentials for a token/cookie and refreshing tokens using the identity APIs.
+
+These new building blocks make it easier to build authenticated 1st party applications (applications that don't delegate authentication).