In practice people call any building pass a swipe card regardless of the technology inside it, which is usually RFID or NFC rather than a magnetic stripe. The distinction only matters when you are replacing readers or issuing new cards.
The card is the credential, the reader is the enforcement point, and the access control system is the policy that decides which of the two thousand doors this person may open at 7am on a Sunday.
Common questions
What does Swipe Card mean in simple terms?+
A swipe card is a physical access credential read by passing it through or against a reader at a door, barrier or turnstile. Older magnetic-stripe cards are swiped through a slot; most modern cards are held against a contactless reader instead.
How does Swipe Card work in practice?+
In practice people call any building pass a swipe card regardless of the technology inside it, which is usually RFID or NFC rather than a magnetic stripe. The distinction only matters when you are replacing readers or issuing new cards.
What are the rules around Swipe Card?+
The card is the credential, the reader is the enforcement point, and the access control system is the policy that decides which of the two thousand doors this person may open at 7am on a Sunday.