Authentication App

This is an authentication app built using React and Express.js. It utilizes JWT token-based authentication and Passport for user authentication and authorization. Redux is used for state management in the React front-end, and a token verification middleware is implemented in the Express.js backend.

Overview

This authentication app provides a secure user authentication and authorization system. It leverages the following technologies and features:

React: The front-end of the app is built using React, a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
Express.js: The back-end of the app is developed using Express.js, a fast and minimalist web application framework for Node.js.
JWT Token: JSON Web Tokens (JWT) are used for user authentication and authorization. They are generated upon successful login and sent to the client for subsequent requests.
Passport: Passport is integrated into the app as an authentication middleware. It provides various authentication strategies, such as local authentication using username and password.
Redux: Redux is employed for state management in the React front-end. It allows for centralized state management and seamless interaction between components.
Token Verification Middleware: A custom middleware is implemented in the Express.js backend to verify the authenticity and validity of JWT tokens. It intercepts incoming requests and ensures that only valid tokens are accepted.
User Registration: Users can create an account by providing their credentials, including username and password. The information is securely stored in the backend database.
User Login: Registered users can log in with their credentials. Upon successful login, a JWT token is generated and sent back to the client for authorization in subsequent requests.
Protected Routes: The app includes protected routes that can only be accessed by authenticated users with valid JWT tokens. Unauthorized access is restricted, ensuring the security of sensitive information.
Error Handling: The app handles various error scenarios, such as invalid credentials, expired tokens, or unauthorized access, providing appropriate error messages to the user.
Installation and Usage: The README file provides detailed instructions on how to clone the repository, install dependencies, configure environment variables, and start the development server. It also includes information on how to register a new user, log in, and explore the app's features.

Installation and Usage

Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/muhammedamirt/user-authentication-app.git
Install dependencies:
- React (front-end): cd client && npm install
- Express.js (back-end): cd server && npm install
Configure environment variables: Rename .env.example to .env and update the necessary values.
Start the development server:
- React (front-end): cd client && npm start
- Express.js (back-end): cd server && npm start
Access the app in your browser at http://localhost:3000.
Register a new user account or log in with existing credentials.
Explore the app's features and protected routes.
Log out to end the session.

Set up the Backend environment variables:

The following environment variables need to be set in order for the backend to function properly:

PORT: Specify the port on which your backend server will run.
MONGO_URL: Set the URL of your MongoDB database.
JWT_SECRET: Choose a secret key for signing and verifying JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) for authentication purposes.
BASE_URL_FRONT: Provide the base URL of your frontend application.

You can set these environment variables using one of the following methods:

Create a .env file in the root directory of your project and add the following lines:
```
PORT=3000
MONGO_URL=mongodb://localhost:27017/auth-app
JWT_SECRET= mySecretKey
BASE_URL_FRONT=http://localhost:3000
```
Replace the values with your specific configurations.
Use environment-specific configuration files and load them based on the current environment.
Set the environment variables directly in your development or deployment environment using the appropriate method for your operating system or hosting platform.

Note: Make sure to add the .env file (if you choose to use one) to your .gitignore file to avoid committing sensitive information to your version control system.

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Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to this project, please follow these steps:

Fork the repository.
Create a new branch for your feature/bug fix.
Make your changes and commit them.
Push your changes to your forked repository.
Submit a pull request, describing your changes in detail.

Set up the Frontend environment variables:

The following environment variables need to be set for the React frontend to interact with the backend:

REACT_APP_BASE_URL_BACKEND: This variable represents the base URL of your backend server. Set the value of REACT_APP_BASE_URL_BACKEND to the URL where your backend is hosted or the local development server URL (e.g., http://localhost:8080).
REACT_APP_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID and REACT_APP_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET: These variables are used for Google OAuth authentication. You need to obtain client credentials from the Google Developers Console and set the corresponding values for REACT_APP_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID and REACT_APP_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET.

Contributing and License

Contributions to this project are welcome. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvements, please open an issue or submit a pull request.

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

muhammedamirt / user-authentication-app