What is JWT?
JWT (JSON Web Token) is a compact, URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties. It is widely used in web applications for authentication and authorization purposes. 🌐🔐
JWT consists of three parts:
- Header: Contains metadata about the token (e.g., signing algorithm, token type)
- Payload: Contains the claims (data) - this can include user information, expiration time, etc.
- Signature: Ensures the token's integrity and verifies it was not tampered with
Use Cases
- User Authentication: Securely transmit user credentials between client and server
- API Authorization: Validate requests to protected endpoints
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Enable seamless login across multiple services
Security Best Practices
- Always use HTTPS to protect token transmission 🔒
- Set appropriate expiration times for tokens ⏳
- Store tokens securely on the client side (e.g., HTTP-only cookies) 🛡️
- Avoid including sensitive data in the payload (use encryption if needed) 🔒
For deeper exploration, check our guide on Secure Authentication Patterns 📚