JWT vs Session Cookies
Compare JWT tokens and session cookies for authentication. Understand security, scalability, and implementation tradeoffs.
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JWT tokens and session cookies are two popular approaches to authentication, each with distinct advantages.
JWT (JSON Web Tokens)
Stateless, self-contained tokens. Pros: Scalable, works across domains, no server session storage. Cons: Larger payload, harder to revoke, must handle expiration.
Session Cookies
Server-side session storage with cookie identifier. Pros: Easy revocation, smaller payload, battle-tested. Cons: Server storage required, scaling complexity.
Making the Choice
JWT for: APIs, microservices, mobile apps, SPAs. Sessions for: Traditional web apps, when you need easy session revocation.
Summary
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