In 2014, I hit the top of hacker news with a post I wrote called One Less Password. While it didn't completely blow up, it was an interesting experience.

UX-wise, me and my team took a step toward magic-link login that started to appear more broadly a few years later. Our approach probably wasn't the first, and certainly not the best, but it was a great experiment.

...we’re experimenting with a method that allows people to log in without a password by using a handshake over email or text message instead. Our goal is to reduce the frustrations that come with password management for our users. We also aim to reduce the security risks that come from weak and stolen passwords.

Product-wise, it was a helpful move given the nature of our users and usage in schools. It also did not require a tremendous amount of effort, even though we created a new pattern from scratch.

Today, login has gotten both easier and more complicated, with a mix of magic links, password vaults, google/apple sign, biometrics and passkeys. As baby boomers age with the life savings online, it'll be interesting to see what happens.

You can view the post on the Wayback Machine.