How can I implement JWT authentication in a Next.js app?

How can I implement JWT authentication in a Next.js app?

To implement JWT authentication in a Next.js app, you can follow these steps: 1. Set up a backend API to issue JWTs. 2. Use a library like jsonwebtoken to sign and verify tokens. 3. Store the JWT in cookies or local storage on the client side. 4. Create a context or state management solution to manage user authentication state.

What libraries do I need for JWT authentication?

You will need the following libraries: 1. jsonwebtoken for creating and verifying JWTs. 2. next-auth for handling authentication flows in Next.js. 3. Optionally, axios for making API requests.

How do I protect my API routes?

To protect your API routes, you can create a middleware function that checks for a valid JWT in the request headers. If the token is missing or invalid, return a 401 Unauthorized response.

Can I use cookies to store the JWT?

Yes, using cookies is a secure way to store JWTs. You can set the HttpOnly and Secure flags on the cookie to enhance security.