# Auth concepts The following topics provide foundational knowledge for implementing authentication in Amazon Location Service. Understanding these concepts helps you choose the right approach for your application and configure access securely. **Topics** + [Authentication overview](auth-concept-overview.md) + [API key concepts](auth-concept-apikeys.md) + [Amazon Cognito concepts](auth-concept-cognito.md) + [IAM concepts](auth-concept-iam.md) + [Choosing an authentication method](auth-choose-method.md)