JWT authorization with Node.js

By: Yodahea Daniel

1) Project Description

2) Technologies Used

3) Testing project using Postman

Project Description

• This project is a NodeJS app with protect API routes using JSON Web Tokens, JWTs.
• The user will login in with credentials then receive a JWT token for authorization.
• Only with the specific token, the user will have access to data coming from an external API (MockApi.io).

Technologies Used

JSON Web Token (JWT)

• A JWT is a tool used to secure transmission of information between parties.

• JWT's are like 'secret keys', but are actually JSON objects that are digitally 'signed'.

• Therefore with JWT authentication, information that is passed can be verified and trusted.

• A JWT contains a: Header, Payload, and Signature.

• Here is a diagram of how JWT communication functions:

ExpressJS

• Used for creating api routes.

Bcrypt.js

• This library has a useful 'hash()' function is create a secure hash of the user's password.

Testing the Project using Postman

• Register user information to the endpoint '/api/register' using POST.

• After registration, get JWT data by POST-ing again with correct user credentials (email and password) to the '/api/login' endpoint.

• Then, add JWT data to the Header as 'Authorization' and it is now we can send a JWT authorized GET request to '/api/users'.

Here is the MockAPI.io API data contents: