What is the difference between Key Vault secrets, keys, and certificates?

Short answer: Feature Secret Key Certificate Data type Any string Cryptographic key X.509 certificate Use case Passwords, connection strings Encryption, signing SSL/TLS or client auth Managed by Secret store Key store Certificate store

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.