Complete newbie here - where to start with Ping Identity?

First, define what you actually need. Ping does a lot: SSO, MFA, API security, directory sync. Are you trying to secure internal apps for employees, or customer-facing logins? That changes everything.

Start with their developer portal. Ignore the marketing docs.
* Get a trial tenant.
* Use their "PingOne for Customers" track if it's for external users. "PingOne for Enterprise" for workforce.
* Run through the quickstart for OIDC. Connect one dummy app (like a simple web app) to see the flow.
* Their setup wizards are decent. Focus on getting one authentication policy working.

Biggest rookie mistake: diving into advanced policies before you can get a basic SAML/OIDC login working. Get the foundation right.