A JWT (JSON Web Token, pronounced “jot”) is a compact, self-contained token used for authentication. After a user logs in, the server creates a JWT and sends it to the client. The client sends it back with every request to prove who they are.

eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMjN9.SflKxwRJSMeKKF2QT4fwpMeJf36POk6yJV_adQssw5c

That long string contains the user’s identity, and it’s cryptographically signed so nobody can tamper with it.

What’s inside a JWT

A JWT has three parts separated by dots:

Header — the algorithm used to sign it

{ "alg": "HS256", "typ": "JWT" }

Payload — the actual data (called “claims”)

{ "user_id": 123, "email": "alice@example.com", "exp": 1710500000 }

Signature — proves the token hasn’t been tampered with

HMACSHA256(base64(header) + "." + base64(payload), secret)

The header and payload are just Base64-encoded (not encrypted). Anyone can decode them. The signature is what makes it secure — only the server with the secret key can create a valid signature.

How authentication works with JWTs

1. User sends email + password to /api/login
2. Server verifies credentials, creates a JWT with the user’s ID
3. Server sends the JWT back to the client
4. Client stores it (usually in memory or an httpOnly cookie)
5. Client sends the JWT in the Authorization header with every request
6. Server verifies the signature and reads the user ID from the payload

Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9...

The server never needs to look up a session in a database — all the info is in the token itself. That’s what “stateless” means.

JWT vs. session cookies

	JWT	Session cookie
Storage	Client-side	Server-side (database/Redis)
Stateless	Yes	No
Revocation	Hard (token is valid until it expires)	Easy (delete the session)
Scalability	Great (no shared state)	Needs shared session store
Best for	APIs, microservices, mobile apps	Traditional web apps

Common pitfalls

• Don’t store JWTs in localStorage — vulnerable to XSS. Use httpOnly cookies.
• Always set an expiration (exp claim). Short-lived tokens (15 min) + refresh tokens is the standard pattern.
• JWTs are not encrypted — don’t put sensitive data in the payload. Anyone can decode it.
• You can’t easily revoke a JWT — once issued, it’s valid until it expires. For logout, use a token blacklist or short expiration times.

Use our JWT Decoder tool to inspect any JWT.

See also: What is OAuth? | What is HTTPS?