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JWTs with React for Authentication

Here is an overview of how you might use JWTs to handle authentication in your React application:

  1. First, the user logs in to your application by providing their login credentials. If the credentials are correct, the server sends a JWT to the client.

  2. The client stores the JWT in a secure location, such as the browser's local storage.

  3. When the client makes a request to a protected route or resource, it sends the JWT in the request header. The server verifies the JWT and allows access to the route or resource if it is valid.

  4. If the client tries to access a protected route or resource without a valid JWT, the server responds with an error.

  5. If the user wants to log out, the client can delete the JWT from storage and the server will no longer allow access to protected routes or resources.

Using JWTs for authentication has several advantages. They are self-contained, meaning they contain all the information needed to verify the user's identity, and they can be easily transmitted over HTTP. They are also signed, so they cannot be easily modified by an attacker.