Research on Lightweight Authentication in Distributed Edge Computing focuses on designing efficient, secure, and resource-conscious authentication mechanisms suitable for heterogeneous and resource-constrained edge devices and networks. This area addresses challenges such as limited computational power, dynamic topologies, intermittent connectivity, and the need for low-latency, scalable, and privacy-preserving authentication. Key research directions include designing cryptographic- and protocol-based lightweight authentication schemes, multi-factor and context-aware authentication mechanisms, and token- or certificate-based approaches optimized for edge environments. Other emerging topics involve blockchain- and distributed ledger-enabled authentication, machine learning–assisted anomaly detection during authentication, and adaptive mechanisms for mobility and IoT device heterogeneity. Additionally, research on federated authentication frameworks, energy-efficient and latency-aware protocols, and secure edge–cloud collaborative authentication represents significant avenues for advancing robust, scalable, and efficient authentication solutions in distributed edge computing systems.