Learn about JWT - Authentication

  POST18: Learn about JWT - Authentication:

What is JWT :

JWT stands for JSON Web Token. It is a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. JWTs are commonly used for authentication and exchanging information in web development.

JSON Web Token (JWT) is an open standard (RFC 7519) that defines a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. This information can be verified and trusted because it is digitally signed. JWTs can be signed using a secret (with the HMAC algorithm) or a public/private key pair using RSA or ECDSA.

Usage:

Authentication: After a user logs in, you can issue a JWT that contains user information. The client can send this token with subsequent requests to authenticate.

Information Exchange: JWTs can be used to securely transmit information between parties. Since they are digitally signed, the receiving party can verify the integrity of the token and trust the information it contains.

Authorization: The claims within a JWT can.

Structure:

 A JWT is made up of three parts: header, payload, and signature.

The header contains information about the type of token (JWT) and the signing algorithm used.

The payload is the most crucial part. It holds the actual information being transmitted, encoded in JSON format. This typically includes user data or claims about the user's identity.

The signature is used for verification. It's generated using a cryptographic hash function with a secret key or a private key from a public/private key pair. This ensures the data hasn't been tampered with during transmission.

JWTs offer several advantages:

• Compact and self-contained, making them easy to transmit.
• Secure due to digital signatures.
• Can be stateless, reducing server load.