How JWT Authentication Works in Node.js and Where Developers Go Wrong

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JWT (JSON Web Token) is a widely used authentication method in modern backends, consisting of three parts: a header, a payload, and a cryptographic signature. The payload is Base64-encoded and publicly readable, meaning sensitive data like passwords should never be stored inside it. Developers can implement JWT in a Node.js and Express app by signing a token at login and verifying it via middleware on every protected route. Common security mistakes include using weak secrets, skipping token expiry, storing tokens in localStorage without XSS precautions, and decoding tokens instead of properly verifying them. Most JWT-related bugs can be diagnosed quickly by inspecting the token in a decoder to check expiry, payload contents, and algorithm settings.

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