In May 2023, we introduced Microsoft Entra External ID, our next generation customer identity and access management (CIAM) solution. Today, we’re excited to share the next milestone in this journey as Microsoft Entra External ID moves to General Availability (GA) starting May 15th. This step forward underscores the enhanced reliability, security, scalability, and user experience that External ID brings to your app development processes.

With Microsoft Build on the horizon, there’s no better time to immerse yourself in the latest capabilities of External ID and other technologies that can transform your development journey. We encourage you to join us at the Build conference, where innovation meets practical application.

External ID feature release highlights

We’ve built Microsoft Entra External ID as a developer-friendly CIAM solution, enabling you to quickly integrate identity into your customer-facing applications. Whether you’re building applications for partners, business customers, or consumers, External ID makes secure and customizable identity management simple. We’ve added many developer-focused features to get you started and help you build delightful visual experiences for your customers.

Here are some of the key features for developers released under General Availability (GA) and Public Preview:

Custom authentication extensions (GA)

Adding flexibility to authentication flows is essential for addressing the many bespoke requirements in consumer identity. Microsoft Entra External ID’s support for custom authentication extensions enables you to craft tailored authentication processes, providing both security and a personalized user experience.

Visual Studio Code extension for External ID (preview)

As a developer, you want to use familiar tools as you integrate identity for your application. Responding to your feedback for more integrated solutions, we introduced a Visual Studio Code extension for External ID—embedding identity management into the development workflow efficiently.

Enhanced Azure App Service External ID authentication experience (preview)

We’ve fine-tuned the user experience when using Microsoft Entra External ID as an identity provider for Azure App Service’s built-in authentication. This improvement is about simplifying secure access to applications, so you can focus more on building and less on configuration.

Native authentication for External ID (preview)

A smooth user experience is critical, and with native authentication, External ID makes user sign-ins seamless. This new capability not only enhances the developer experience but also user satisfaction.

Samples and guides to get you started

We have developed code samples that demonstrate how to integrate various application types with Microsoft Entra External ID. We provide instructions for downloading and using samples or building your own app based on common authentication and authorization scenarios, development languages, and platforms. Included are instructions for building the project (if applicable) and running the sample application. Within the sample code, comments help you understand how these libraries are used in the application to perform authentication and authorization in an external tenant.

Get started with External ID

The move to GA is a collective achievement, made possible by the feedback and engagement of the developer community. And it marks a significant step forward in our ongoing mission to provide secure, user-friendly identity management solutions.

To learn more about Microsoft Entra External ID and explore further resources, visit our developer center. Stay updated on the latest developments by subscribing to the Identity developer blog and following us on YouTube for video overviews, tutorials, and deep dives.

Ready to enhance your projects with Microsoft Entra External ID?

Start securing your external facing applications with External ID today, and join us in shaping the future of identity management. Let’s build on this story together, crafting secure, efficient digital experiences for users everywhere.