JWT Authentication in Vue

Introduction

JSON Web Tokens (JWT) are an open standard (RFC 7519) for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. In this lesson, we will explore how to implement JWT authentication in a Vue.js application, focusing on securing your front-end applications.

What is JWT?

JWT is a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties. It is widely used for authentication and information exchange.

JWT Structure

A JWT is composed of three parts: Header, Payload, and Signature.

• Header: Contains metadata about the token, typically the type of token and the signing algorithm.
• Payload: Contains the claims. Claims are statements about an entity (typically, the user) and additional data.
• Signature: Used to verify that the sender of the JWT is who it claims to be and to ensure that the message wasn't changed along the way.

 
{
  "alg": "HS256",
  "typ": "JWT"
} 
            

 
{
  "sub": "1234567890",
  "name": "John Doe",
  "admin": true
} 
            

Vue Setup

To use JWT authentication in Vue, follow these steps:

1. Set up a new Vue project (if you haven't already).
2. Install Axios for making HTTP requests:

npm install axios

3. Create a Vue component for login.

Implementing JWT Authentication

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to implement JWT authentication:

1. Create a login form where users can enter their credentials.
2. Set up Axios interceptors to attach JWT to outgoing requests.

axios.interceptors.request.use(config => {
  const token = localStorage.getItem('token');
  if (token) {
    config.headers.Authorization = `Bearer ${token}`;
  }
  return config;
});
                    

3. Handle token expiration and refresh if needed.

Best Practices

• Use HTTPS to protect token transmission.
• Keep the JWT short-lived and rotate tokens regularly.
• Store tokens securely (avoid local storage if possible).
• Implement refresh tokens for better user experience.

FAQ