Software DevelopmentBeginner 1 to 2 hours

Implement a Secure JWT Lifecycle

Design a stateless authentication flow using Access and Refresh tokens.

The Scenario

You are building the auth system for a Single Page Application (SPA). You have decided to use JSON Web Tokens (JWT). A common mistake is storing a long-lived JWT in `localStorage`, which is vulnerable to XSS attacks.

The Brief

Design a secure token lifecycle. Explain the difference between an Access Token and a Refresh Token. Describe exactly where the frontend should store each token, and how the backend should validate them.

Deliverables

  • An architectural explanation of the Access/Refresh token flow
  • Code snippets for setting the Refresh Token as an `HttpOnly` cookie in Express/Node.js

Submission Guidance

Focus on the storage mechanisms. Why is `HttpOnly` critical for the Refresh Token, and why is it acceptable to keep a short-lived Access Token in JavaScript memory?

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