> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hiveauth.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hiveauth.com/introduction.md).

# Introduction

![](/files/MrCYnVumFhTxNq03M08V)

HiveAuth is a fully decentralized solution for any application (web, desktop, or mobile) that wants to easily authenticate users without asking them for a password or private key.

When integrating HiveAuth protocol support, the Hive Authentication Services act as a bridge between any application and any Private Key Storage Application.

![](/files/zh1UIBLHvipSmG0EkpIO)

In this documentation, we will use:

* the name **HiveAuth** or the acronym **HAS** to refer to the Hive Authentication Services
* the acronym **APP** for applications
* the acronym **PKSA** for Private Key Storage Application

In most cases, the Private Key Storage Application (**PKSA**) is simply your preferred Hive Wallet application installed on your mobile, but it can also be a desktop application or a service running on a server (see [Service Mode PKSA](/tutorials/pksa-code-example/service-mode.md)).

Any application can rely on HiveAuth to authenticate users. It doesn't need to be a "Hive application", except if it plans to sign and broadcast transactions to the Hive Blockchain.

It can also work cross-chain because the HiveAuth infrastructure is "transactions agnostic". Therefore, one can easily imagine for example a Telos App "talking" with a Telos Wallet but authenticating and securing the connection with the help of a Hive account.