SAML vs SSO: Are they the same thing?

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) and SSO (Single Sign-On) are not the same thing but often confused due to their interconnected roles in user authentication. SAML is an XML-based open standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between parties, while SSO allows a user to log in once and access multiple apps. SAML enables SSO by providing a common protocol for exchanging identity data between IdPs (Identity Providers) and SPs (Service Providers). While SAML is popular among enterprises, other options like OpenID Connect are also available for enabling SSO.