MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) Authentication project, designed following industry best practices and utilizing JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for secure user authentication. simple app for login and signup
Project Initialization and Dependency Installation:
Initialize a Node.js project using npm init or yarn init. Install the required dependencies using npm or yarn: Bash npm install express jsonwebtoken bcrypt mongoose Use code with caution. Learn more Server Creation and Database Connection:
Create a server.js file and import the necessary modules. Establish connection with MongoDB using Mongoose and handle connection events. User Schema and Model User Schema Definition:
Define a User schema that includes fields like username, email, and password. Specify data types, validation rules, and uniqueness constraints for each field. User Model Creation:
Use Mongoose to create a User model based on the defined schema. Leverage the User model to interact with the database for user-related operations. Authentication Routes Signup Route Implementation:
Create a signup route (/signup) to handle user registration requests. Validate user input data, hash the password using bcrypt, and save the user to the database. Respond with a success message upon successful registration. Login Route Implementation:
Create a login route (/login) to handle user authentication requests. Verify user credentials against the database, including email and password. Upon successful authentication, generate a JWT token and send it as part of the response. JWT Generation and Validation JWT Token Generation:
Create a function to generate JSON Web Token (JWT) using jsonwebtoken. Include user ID and other relevant information in the JWT payload. Sign the JWT payload using a secret key to ensure its authenticity. JWT Token Validation:
Create a function to verify JWT token authenticity using jsonwebtoken. Validate the signature of the received JWT token against the secret key. Extract user ID and other information from the decoded JWT payload. Frontend (React) UI Components Signup Form:
Create a component for the signup form, including fields for username, email, and password. Handle user input and form submission using state management techniques. Login Form:
Create a component for the login form, including fields for email and password. Implement state management to handle user input and form submission. API Integration HTTP Requests with Axios:
Install and import the Axios library for making HTTP requests. Utilize Axios to send user input data to the backend authentication endpoints (/signup, /login). JWT Storage and Management:
Store the received JWT token in the browser's local storage or cookies for subsequent requests. Implement mechanisms to handle JWT expiration and refresh if necessary. Protected Routes Routing with React Router:
Utilize React Router to manage routing and define protected routes. Implement authentication checks before granting access to protected pages. JWT-based Authentication:
Extract the stored JWT token before accessing protected routes. Validate the JWT token using the backend verification endpoint. Allow access to protected pages only for valid JWT tokens.