As I sit at my desk, staring blankly at lines of code, I can’t help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. Another day, another dollar, another Single Sign-On (SSO) feature to implement.

In the world of software engineering, SSO is the ultimate buzzkill. It’s the equivalent of being stuck in a never-ending loop of authentication protocols, each one more convoluted than the last.

“SSO is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded while being attacked by a swarm of bees,” says Sarah Lee, a fellow engineer who’s also struggled with SSO implementation. “You think you’ve finally figured it out, but then another error pops up and you’re back to square one.”

OAuth, OpenID Connect, SAML – the acronyms blend together in a maddening dance of complexity. And don’t even get me started on the “joy” of debugging token refresh errors at 3 AM.

“I’ve spent hours trying to troubleshoot a single issue, only to realize it was a typo in the configuration file,” says John Kim, another engineer who’s wrestled with SSO. “It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but the haystack is on fire and the needle is laughing at you.”

But hey, who needs sleep when you’re integrating with multiple identity providers, each with their own unique brand of chaos? It’s like trying to solve a puzzle blindfolded while being attacked by a swarm of bees.

And then there’s the fun part: explaining SSO to non-technical stakeholders. “Why can’t we just use passwords like we’ve always done?” they ask, blissfully unaware of the security nightmare that is password-based authentication.

“I’ve tried explaining SSO to our CEO, and I think I saw his eyes glaze over after about 30 seconds,” says Emily Patel, a software engineer. “It’s like trying to explain quantum physics to a toddler – it’s just not happening.”

As I trudge through this SSO quagmire, I’m reminded of the wise words of a fellow engineer: “SSO is like a box of chocolates – you never know what kind of authentication hell you’re gonna get.”

So, to all my fellow coders out there, I feel your pain. And to the rest of you, take heed: SSO is not for the faint of heart.