When I decided to build WICKET, my vision was clear: an open-source authentication system that anyone could host, scale, and trust. To make this possible, I have divided the project into five phases.
The first four phases are about coding and testing, while the fifth phase is about documentation. This structure keeps the project organized and ensures every feature is properly built, tested, and explained for developers.
Phase 1: The Foundation
The first phase is about laying down the scalable core structure.
Users will be able to sign in using username/email and password.
Behind the scenes, WICKET will handle subdomain support (e.g., auth.example.com) and share cookies securely with the main website.
Logic for JWT access and refresh tokens will be implemented.
The system will manage user sessions and provide a way to generate new access tokens when old ones expire.
A single configuration file will control all WICKET settings, so developers can manage it easily.
This phase sets the backbone for everything else.
Phase 2: Modern Authentication Methods
In the second phase, WICKET will move beyond just passwords.
Passkeys will be introduced for passwordless login.
TOTP (Time-based One-Time Passwords), like the ones from Google Authenticator, will be added.
Email verification will ensure accounts are secure.
OTP via text and email will be supported for login and recovery.
A complete reset password flow will be built.
At this stage, WICKET becomes much closer to the tools used in real-world applications today.
Phase 3: Social Logins
The third phase will add the features that make sign-ups faster and more user-friendly.
Users will be able to log in using Google, Microsoft, or GitHub accounts.
Phase 4: Documentation
Finally, the fifth phase will focus completely on documentation.
This will include:
- Guides on how to integrate WICKET into any website.
- Step-by-step instructions for deployment on servers.
- Clear explanations of all features and configurations.
The goal is to make WICKET not just powerful, but also easy to adopt and self-host for any developer.
Final Thoughts
Breaking the project into these five phases ensures steady progress and clear milestones. By the end of this journey, WICKET will be a free, open-source, and highly scalable authentication system that developers can trust and teams can rely on.