JWT-Exercise

This repository contains a simple JWT-based authorization system built with Node.js and Express. The project demonstrates how to register and login users to generate a JWT token, and how to protect routes using that token.

Features

• User Registration: Create a new user and receive a JWT.
• User Login: Authenticate an existing user and receive a JWT.
• Protected Route: Access routes that require a valid JWT.

Prerequisites

• Node.js
• npm

Installation

Follow these steps to get the project up and running on your local machine:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/YourUsername/JWT-Exercise.git
   cd JWT-Exercise

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Configure Environment Variables:

   Create a .env file in the root directory and add your secret key. For example:

   SECRET_KEY=YOUR_SECRET_KEY_HERE

   Note: The secret key is used to sign and verify JWTs. Make sure to keep it secure!

Usage

1. Start the Server:

   If you installed nodemon as a dev dependency, you can add a start script in your package.json:

   "scripts": {
     "start": "nodemon app.js"
   }

   Then run:

   npm start

   Alternatively, start the server with:

   node app.js

2. Test Endpoints:

   Use Postman or your preferred API testing tool to interact with the API.

   • Register:

     • Method: POST

     • URL: http://localhost:3000/register

     • Body (JSON):

       {
         "email": "[email protected]",
         "password": "password123"
       }

   • Login:

     • Method: POST

     • URL: http://localhost:3000/login

     • Body (JSON):

       {
         "email": "[email protected]",
         "password": "password123"
       }

   • Protected Route:

     • Method: GET
     • URL: http://localhost:3000/protected
     • Headers:
       • Authorization: Paste your JWT token directly.

What Else?

• Error Handling:
  The application returns appropriate HTTP status codes and error messages when:
  • A user is not found.
  • The token is missing, invalid, or expired.

Happy coding!