Building JWT Authentication in Next.js

Authentication is a core feature of most modern web applications. In this guide, we'll build a secure JWT authentication system using Next.js.

Why JWT?

• Stateless authentication
• Easy API integration
• Fast and scalable

Project Structure

app/
├── login/
├── dashboard/
├── api/
│   └── auth/

Creating Tokens

Generate a JWT after verifying user credentials.

const token = jwt.sign(payload, process.env.JWT_SECRET!, {
  expiresIn: "7d",
})

Protecting Routes

Verify the token before allowing access to protected pages.

Security Tips

• Store tokens securely
• Use HTTP-only cookies
• Validate every request
• Never expose secrets

Conclusion

JWT authentication is a reliable solution for modern web applications when implemented with proper security practices.