# User Identities on Confluent Cloud User identities in Confluent Cloud are used to authenticate individual users who need access to the platform. These are distinct from workload identities, which are used for authenticating applications and services. For details about workload identities, see [Workload Identities](../workload-identities/overview.md#workload-identities-overview). User identities are created when a user is created in Confluent Cloud. You can create user identities using your existing SSO identity provider or Confluent Cloud local user accounts and passwords. By leveraging user identities and identity providers, organizations can efficiently manage access to Confluent Cloud resources while maintaining robust security practices. ## User accounts User accounts are created when a user is created in Confluent Cloud. You can create user accounts using your existing SSO identity provider or Confluent Cloud local user accounts and passwords. See [Manage user accounts](user-accounts/overview.md#user-accounts). ## User identity providers User identity providers allow for centralized authentication and management of user identities. In Confluent Cloud, you can use Single Sign-On (SSO) to authenticate users using your existing identity provider. See [User identity providers](user-idps/overview.md#user-idps-overview).