# Access Layer

The access layer allows users to access content via simple-auth.

This primarily takes two forms:

  • Same-domain cookie is when simple-auth acts as a login-provider, and a downstream service validates the user via signed cookie or other API mechanism
  • Gateway is when simple-auth sits between the user and what they're trying to access as a portal

Alternatively, you can use simple-auth's authenticators to enable things like nginx authentication