Node.jsIntermediate10 min read2026-03-01
Express.js Authentication with JWT & Bcrypt
Implement secure password hashing with bcrypt, JWT token issuance, and protected route middleware.
Prerequisites
- Basic Express knowledge
1. Password Hashing with Bcrypt
Always hash passwords with a salt cost factor of 10 or 12 before storing.
javascript
const bcrypt = require('bcryptjs');
async function hashPassword(plainText) {
const salt = await bcrypt.genSalt(10);
return bcrypt.hash(plainText, salt);
}
async function verifyPassword(plainText, hash) {
return bcrypt.compare(plainText, hash);
}Best Practices & Architecture Advice
- Never log raw passwords or plain tokens to stdout or application logs.
Common Mistakes to Watch Out For
- •Using MD5 or SHA256 without salt to store user passwords.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is bcrypt preferred over raw SHA256 for passwords?
Bcrypt is intentionally slow and CPU-intensive with a configurable work factor, making brute-force cracking mathematically infeasible.
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