📦 jwt-auth-handler

A lightweight, modular authentication toolkit for Node.js applications.

It provides JWT utilities, authentication middleware, role-based access control, and password helpers designed for real-world backend APIs.

⚡ Features

• 🔐 JWT token generation & verification
• 🛡️ Authentication middleware for Express-style apps
• 🎭 Role-based access control (RBAC)
• 🔑 Password hashing & comparison (bcrypt-based)
• ⚙️ Lightweight, zero framework lock-in
• 🚀 Easy integration in minutes

📥 Installation

npm install jwt-auth-kit

🚀 Quick Start

1. Create a token

const jwtAuth = require("jwt-auth-kit");

const token = jwtAuth.generateToken(
  { id: 1, role: "admin" },
  "SECRET_KEY",
  { expiresIn: "1h" }
);

console.log(token);

2. Verify a token

const decoded = jwtAuth.verifyToken(token, "SECRET_KEY");

console.log(decoded);

3. Protect routes (Authentication Middleware)

const express = require("express");
const jwtAuth = require("jwt-auth-kit");

const app = express();

const auth = jwtAuth.authMiddleware("SECRET_KEY");

app.get("/profile", auth, (req, res) => {
  res.json({
    message: "Protected route accessed",
    user: req.user,
  });
});

4. Role-based access control

const adminOnly = jwtAuth.roleMiddleware(["admin"]);

app.delete("/users", auth, adminOnly, (req, res) => {
  res.json({ message: "User deleted successfully" });
});

5. Password utilities

const { hashPassword, comparePassword } = require("jwt-auth-kit");

async function run() {
  const hash = await hashPassword("myPassword123");

  const isValid = await comparePassword("myPassword123", hash);

  console.log({ hash, isValid });
}

run();

🧱 API Reference

🔐 generateToken(payload, secret, options)

Creates a JWT token.

generateToken({ id, role }, secret, { expiresIn: "1h" });

🔍 verifyToken(token, secret)

Verifies and decodes a token.

Returns decoded payload or null.

🛡 authMiddleware(secret)

Express middleware that:

• checks Authorization header
• verifies JWT
• attaches user to req.user

🎭 roleMiddleware(allowedRoles)

Protect routes based on user role.

roleMiddleware(["admin", "moderator"]);

🔑 hashPassword(password, saltRounds)

Hashes password using bcrypt.

🔓 comparePassword(password, hash)

Validates password against hash.

🧠 Design Philosophy

This package is built with:

• Simplicity over complexity
• Modularity over monoliths
• Developer experience first
• Drop-in usability in real backend apps

It is NOT a full authentication system.

Instead, it is a toolkit for building your own auth systems faster and cleaner.

⚠️ Important Notes

• You must manage your own JWT secret securely
• This package does NOT handle database storage
• Designed for backend frameworks like Express

📌 Example Architecture Usage

Typical backend structure:

routes/
controllers/
middleware/
services/

Use jwt-auth-kit inside middleware + services layer.

🔥 Why use this?

Most projects repeatedly implement:

• JWT logic
• role checks
• password hashing

This package removes that repetition and gives you a clean reusable layer.

🛠 Roadmap

Planned improvements:

• TypeScript support
• Refresh token utilities
• Cookie-based auth helpers
• Rate limiting middleware
• OAuth helper extensions

👨‍💻 Author

Built by a developer focused on simplifying backend authentication systems and improving developer productivity.

📄 License

MIT