{"id":5365,"date":"2025-07-28T10:33:45","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T10:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/blog\/?p=5365"},"modified":"2025-07-28T10:38:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T10:38:56","slug":"what-is-json-web-token-jwt-structure-features-authentication-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/blog\/what-is-json-web-token-jwt-structure-features-authentication-best-practices","title":{"rendered":"What is JSON Web Token (JWT)? Structure, Features, Authentication &amp; Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a world of digital security and authentication, JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) have risen as a secure and lightweight way to transmit user information between services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JWTs are used for everything from single sign-on to API authorization, and they play a key role in modern web development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article will answer the questions of what JWTs are, how they work, and how to use them securely, while referencing five leading articles on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-json-web-token-jwt\">What is a JSON Web Token (JWT)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A JSON Web Token (JWT) is a securely transmitted, self-contained token that is URL-safe and can be used to transmit data between parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JWTs are used primarily to transmit data in an authentication and authorization context (including RESTful APIs), and they most often apply to stateless systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JWTs are different from traditional session-based authentication, which stores sessions in a database, typically in a single persistent session table. In this way, a server issues a JWT, and there is no need to store that session server-side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The system doesn\u2019t need a session table to track changes to user session data, as everything that needs to be communicated to the client is held in the JWT itself, and it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/resources\/how-to-create-verify-a-windows-authenticode-signature-using-signtool\">verified by a digital signature<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-structure-of-a-jwt\">Structure of a JWT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each JWT has three base64url-encoded parts, separated by dots (.):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Header<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payload<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Signature<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Example JWT:<\/strong><br><em>eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzdWIiOiIxMjM0IiwibmFtZSI6IkpvZSIsImlhdCI6MTUxNjIzOTAyMn0.SflKxwRJSMeKKF2QT4fwpMeJf36POk6yJV_adQssw5c<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-header\">Header<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Describe the algorithm (e.g., RS256 or HS256) and token type (always JWT):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>{\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \"alg\": \"RS256\",\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \"typ\": \"JWT\"\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-payload\">Payload<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contains claims \u2014 statements about an entity (usually the user) and additional data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>{\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \"sub\": \"1234567890\",\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \"name\": \"Joe\",\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \"iat\": 1516239022\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Claims can be:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Registered (e.g., iss, sub, iat, exp)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Public (standardized but optional)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Private (custom fields like role, org, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-signature\">Signature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Used to verify token integrity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>HMACSHA256(base64UrlEncode(header) + \".\" +\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; base64UrlEncode(payload),\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; secret\n)<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For RS256, a server signs with a private key, and clients verify with a public key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-jwts-work-for-authentication\">How JWTs Work for Authentication?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JWTs are often used for stateless authentication:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Login: User logged in with credentials or OAuth <\/strong>(i.e., Google Sign-In).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Token Issued: <\/strong>The Server issues a signed JWT with user claims.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Client Stores Token:<\/strong> Usually in HttpOnly cookie or secure local storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Send with Requests:<\/strong> JWT is sent in headers (typically Authorization: Bearer ).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify &amp; Authorize: <\/strong>The Server verifies the<strong> <\/strong>signature and grants access if valid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This separates out authentication from sessions, thus allowing horizontal scaling, especially in a microservices or API first architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-features-of-jwts\">Key Features of JWTs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stateless: <\/strong>No server-side session storage needed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scalability:<\/strong> Perfect for distributed systems and APIs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Portable:<\/strong> Can be used across domains and services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-contained:<\/strong> Can include all claims required in a single token.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Crypto-Signed:<\/strong> Provides data integrity and authenticity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Short-lived: <\/strong>Expiration can be set, further improving security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-best-practices-for-jwts\">Best Practices for JWTs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JWTs are flexible, but should be used carefully to avoid security issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keep-tokens-short-lived\">Keep Tokens Short-Lived<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Always use exp claim on your JWT; that&#8217;s how you set expiration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You might also consider using an <strong>access + refresh token<\/strong> in case of longer sessions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-use-strong-signing-algorithms\">Use Strong Signing Algorithms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Stay away from none as an algorithm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RS256 is also preferred over HS256 because it uses asymmetric keys instead of shared secrets, making it more secure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-never-store-sensitive-data\">Never Store Sensitive Data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>JWTs are not encrypted, just signed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never include your password, personal info, or financial details.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-securely-store-the-tokens\">Securely Store The Tokens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use <strong>HttpOnly cookies instead of localStorage<\/strong> to reduce the possibility of <a href=\"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/blog\/cross-site-scripting-xss-explained-types-impacts-and-prevention-strategies\">XSS attacks<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you&#8217;re developing SPAs, httpOnly, and Secure cookies, or encrypted storage are great options.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Recommended:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/blog\/what-is-blind-xss-how-to-detect-and-prevent-blind-xss-attacks-vulnerabilities\">What is Blind XSS? How to Detect and Prevent Blind XSS Attacks &amp; Vulnerabilities?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-have-a-way-to-revoke-tokens\">Have a Way to Revoke Tokens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Even when you are confident about token security, it&#8217;s still beneficial to implement token revocation. Always go with short lives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add blacklisting to your lifetime invalidation &#8211; consider using an indexed data source like Redis or a regular database.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Recommended:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/blog\/token-based-authentication-types-importance-and-best-practices\">What is Token-Based Authentication<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rotate-secrets-and-signing-keys\">Rotate Secrets and Signing Keys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To limit exposure of compromised secrets, perform regular rotations of signing keys.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-validate-all-the-claims\">Validate All the Claims<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Always check iss, aud, exp, and iat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Claims on your JWT and should at least validate expected scopes and roles to facilitate granular access control.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-to-use-jwts\">When to Use JWTs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Use JWTs when you are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Building APIs or microservices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Providing mobile\/web authentication<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using OAuth2 with a third-party login integration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating scalable, stateless user sessions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do not use JWTs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&nbsp;When you simply need sessions that can be revoked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you are simply making a centralized session state and don&#8217;t have service scalability needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No challenges exist when releasing desktop software, enterprise applications, or device drivers since SignMyCode helps you meet compliance standards using a <a href=\"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/\">trusted digital signature<\/a> that protects you against privacy issues and is signed before you release it to your app users. Protect your brand and your users against security threats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a world of digital security and authentication, JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) have risen as a secure and lightweight way to transmit user information between services. JWTs are used for everything from single sign-on to API authorization, and they play a key role in modern web development. This article will answer the questions of what&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/signmycode.com\/blog\/what-is-json-web-token-jwt-structure-features-authentication-best-practices\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What is JSON Web Token (JWT)? Structure, Features, Authentication &amp; Best Practices<\/span><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457,641],"tags":[858,860,859],"class_list":["post-5365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-developers-guide","category-windows-security","tag-json-web-token-jwt","tag-jwt-security-best-practices","tag-rfc-7519","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.6 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is JSON Web Token (JWT)? Authentication &amp; Best Practices<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understand what JSON Web Token is. JWT Structure, Features. 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