What is JWT?
Also called: JSON Web Token
The short answer
A JWT is a compact, signed token that carries a user's identity and permissions between a browser and server after they log in.
JWT, explained
Because it is signed, the server can trust its contents without a database lookup; because it is readable, it must never contain secrets.
Questions people ask about JWT
What is JWT?
A JWT is a compact, signed token that carries a user's identity and permissions between a browser and server after they log in.
Related terms
OAuth is the standard behind sign in with Google, Apple or GitHub, letting a site verify a user through another provider without handling their password.
CookieA cookie is a small piece of data a website stores in the browser to remember something between visits, like a login or a cart.
Website securityWebsite security is protecting a site, its data and its visitors from attacks, through HTTPS, updated software, careful input handling, strong logins and backups.
Cross-site scriptingCross-site scripting is an attack where malicious code is injected into a page and runs in other visitors' browsers, stealing sessions or data.
Part of the Web Encyclopedia by Apex Flow Digital. Definitions are general knowledge, kept current, with no invented statistics.