How to generate JWT token in python

Connie 159 Published: 10/11/2024

How to generate JWT token in python

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to generate JWT (JSON Web Token) tokens in Python using the pyjwt library:

What is JWT?

Before we dive into generating JWT tokens, let's quickly cover what JWT is. JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) are a type of authentication token used extensively for secure data exchange between services or clients and servers. A JWT consists of three parts: a header, a payload (also known as the claim set), and a signature. The payload contains information about the user or application, such as their identity, permissions, or other relevant data.

Setting up pyjwt

To generate JWT tokens in Python, you'll need to install the pyjwt library using pip:

pip install pyjwt

Generating a JWT Token

Here's an example of how to generate a JWT token using pyjwt:

import jwt

from datetime import datetime, timedelta

Secret key (keep it secret!)

SECRET_KEY = "your_secret_key_here"

User data

user_id = 123

username = "john_doe"

permissions = ["read", "write"]

Create a dictionary for the payload

payload = {

"exp": datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(hours=1),

"iat": datetime.utcnow(),

"sub": user_id,

"name": username,

"perms": permissions

}

Generate the JWT token using the secret key and payload

token = jwt.encode(payload, SECRET_KEY, algorithm="HS256")

print("Generated JWT Token:", token.decode())

In this example:

We import the jwt module from pyjwt. Define a secret key (keep it secure!). Create a dictionary to store user data: user ID, username, and permissions. Use these values to generate a payload for the JWT token, including expiration (exp) and issuance (iat) timestamps. Encode the payload using the encode method from pyjwt, passing in the secret key and algorithm ("HS256" for SHA-256).

Decoding a JWT Token

To verify the authenticity of a received JWT token:

import jwt
Secret key (keep it secret!)

SECRET_KEY = "your_secret_key_here"

JWT token to decode

token = "eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsImF1ZCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXBp..."

Decode the JWT token using the secret key and verify its authenticity

decoded_payload = jwt.decode(token, SECRET_KEY, algorithms=["HS256"])

print("Decoded Payload:", decoded_payload)

In this example:

We import the jwt module from pyjwt. Define a secret key (keep it secure!). Specify the JWT token to decode. Use the decode method from pyjwt, passing in the secret key and algorithm ("HS256" for SHA-256), to verify the authenticity of the received token.

Security Considerations

When generating or verifying JWT tokens, keep the following security considerations in mind:

Keep your secret keys secure: Use environment variables or secure storage mechanisms like Hashicorp's Vault. Use a secure algorithm: In this example, we used "HS256" (SHA-256), which is widely regarded as a secure choice for hashing and signing JWTs. Set reasonable expiration times: Avoid long-lived tokens to prevent potential security risks. Validate token authenticity: Always verify the token's integrity using your secret key before processing sensitive data.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your JWT tokens remain secure and reliable in your Python applications.

JWT Python FastAPI

I'd be happy to help! Here's an overview of how to integrate JWT (JSON Web Token) with Python using the FastAPI framework:

What is JWT?

JSON Web Tokens are a standardized way to represent claims securely between two parties. They are commonly used for authentication and authorization purposes. A JWT consists of three parts: a header, a payload (also known as the claim), and a signature.

Why use JWT with FastAPI?

FastAPI is a modern Python web framework that can be used to build robust, high-performance applications. It provides excellent support for building RESTful APIs and includes built-in support for JSON Web Tokens out of the box. By using JWT with FastAPI, you can:

Implement authentication and authorization for your API Verify the authenticity of incoming requests Create secure APIs that protect sensitive data

How to integrate JWT with FastAPI

To get started, you'll need to install the pyjwt library, which is a Python implementation of the JSON Web Token specification. You can do this using pip:

pip install pyjwt

Once installed, here's an example of how you might use JWT with FastAPI:

1. Create a JWT secret key

You'll need to generate a random secret key for signing your JWTs. This should be kept private and secure.

import secrets

JWT_SECRET_KEY = secrets.token_urlsafe(32)

2. Define a User model

Create a User model that represents the users in your application:

from pydantic import BaseModel

class User(BaseModel):

id: int

username: str

password: str

3. Implement JWT authentication

Create an endpoint to handle login requests and generate a JWT token for authenticated users:

from fastapi.security import JWTAuthentication

from pyjwt import encode

app = FastAPI()

@app.post("/login")

async def login(username: str, password: str):

Check the username and password against your database

user = await get_user(username, password)

if not user:

return {"error": "Invalid credentials"}

Generate a JWT token for the authenticated user

token = encode({"username": user.username}, JWT_SECRET_KEY, algorithm="HS256")

return {"token": token}

4. Verify JWT tokens

Create an endpoint to verify incoming requests contain a valid JWT token:

from fastapi.security import HTTPBearer

@app.get("/protected")

async def protected(token: HTTPBearer = Depends()):

Verify the JWT token is valid and not expired

payload = decode(token.credentials, JWT_SECRET_KEY)

if not payload or not isinstance(payload, dict) or "username" not in payload:

raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="Invalid or missing JWT token")

return {"message": f"Hello {payload['username']}!"}

That's it! With these examples, you should have a basic understanding of how to integrate JWT with FastAPI. Of course, there are many more features and configurations you can use to customize your JWT implementation.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions or need further guidance.