Summary Matrix
| Attribute | User | Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Context | Admin Dashboard / Staff Member | Storefront Buyer / Shopper |
| Permissions | Role-Based Access Control (RBAC - staff, admin) | Self-service buyer portal (view orders, saved cards) |
| Authentication Table | admin_users / staff_users |
customers / shoppers |
| Primary Goal | Manage catalog, process orders, configure store settings | Browse products, add to cart, purchase items |
Key Difference
In ecommerce systems, a User is an internal employee or system admin logged into the management backend. A Customer is an external buyer shopping on the public storefront.
Developer Takeaway
Auth Security Isolation: Never combine admin users and storefront customers into a single users database table with a boolean is_admin flag. Keep authentication sessions, tokens, and schemas completely isolated.