# Passkeys: How They Address Password Defects and Their Limitations

DevFeed: [Passkeys: How They Address Password Defects and Their Limitations](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/what-the-fuck-are-passkeys-and-why-are-they-everywhere-now-38397.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.danlew.net/2026/05/21/what-the-fuck-are-passkeys-and-why-are-they-everywhere-now/>)

Author: Dan Lew

Published: 2026-05-21T13:29:09Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Dan Lew Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/dan-lew-blog.md>)

Topics: [Passkeys](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/passkeys.md>), [Authentication](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/authentication.md>), [passwords](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/passwords.md>), [Authorization](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/authorization.md>)

Tags: [authentication](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/authentication.md>), [passwords](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/passwords.md>), [talk](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/talk.md>)

## AI overview

A writeup of a Minnebar 20 talk explaining passkeys in the context of password history. It distinguishes authentication from authorization and examines password deficiencies, how passkeys address them, and passkeys' own problems.

## Source excerpt

This is a writeup of a talk I gave at Minnebar 20. Originally, I threw in some Matrix references to make the talk more fun & engaging. Those jokes work better in person, so I've mostly omitted the Matrix from this writeup (though some vestiges remain). It seems