---
type: "Glossary term"
title: "Workload identity"
description: "Cryptographic identity for software workloads; 'what is calling'."
tags: [glossary]
generated: { by: human:crpage, at: 2026-07-09T09:44:00Z }
aliases: "workload identity; non-human identity"
status: stable
---

# Definition
Cryptographic identity for software workloads (e.g. via [SPIFFE/SPIRE](../standards/spiffe-spire.md)) — answers *what is calling*, complementary to OAuth's *on whose behalf*.

# Used in this bundle
Appears in: [spiffe-spire](../standards/spiffe-spire.md), [identity-and-authorisation](../stack/identity-and-authorisation.md).

# Related terms
[bearer token](bearer-token.md), [attestation](attestation.md).