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JSON Web Token VS Passport.js

Compare JSON Web Token VS Passport.js and see what are their differences

ComplyCube
Verify your customers in under 15 seconds anywhere in the world with a cutting-edge SaaS & API platform for Identity Verification and AML/KYC compliance. featured
Contents:
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  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

JSON Web Token logo JSON Web Token

JSON Web Tokens are an open, industry standard RFC 7519 method for representing claims securely between two parties.

Passport.js logo Passport.js

Simple, unobtrusive authentication for Node.js
  • JSON Web Token Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-19
  • Passport.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-06

JSON Web Token features and specs

  • Stateless
    Since JWTs are self-contained, they do not require server-side sessions, enabling stateless authentication and reducing server memory usage.
  • Scalability
    JWTs can easily be used in distributed systems and microservices architectures due to their stateless nature, facilitating horizontal scaling.
  • Decentralized Issuance
    Multiple issuers can create and sign their own tokens, allowing for more decentralized and flexible authentication mechanisms.
  • Performance
    JWTs eliminate the need for database lookups during authenticating requests, as the token contains all the necessary information, which can lead to performance improvements.
  • Cross-domain and Mobile Compatible
    JWTs are widely supported by different platforms and can easily be used in cross-domain situations and with mobile applications.
  • Security
    JWTs can be signed and optionally encrypted, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the data they carry.

Possible disadvantages of JSON Web Token

  • Size
    JWTs tend to be larger than session IDs, which can increase the amount of data transmitted during requests.
  • Expiration Handling
    Managing token expiration can be complex. Once a token is issued, it remains valid until it expires or is explicitly revoked.
  • No Built-in Revocation
    Unlike sessions, JWTs cannot be easily revoked server-side, making it difficult to immediately invalidate tokens without additional mechanisms.
  • Security Risks
    If a JWT is intercepted or compromised, it can be used until it expires. Thus, it should be properly secured and transmitted over HTTPS.
  • Token Overhead
    Embedding too much information in the token payload can lead to performance overhead and potential data exposure risks.
  • Complexity
    Implementing JWT correctly requires a thorough understanding of security practices and token lifecycle management, which can add complexity to the system.

Passport.js features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis of JSON Web Token

Overall verdict

  • JWT is a widely-accepted standard used for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. It is a good choice for scenarios where security and scalability are primary concerns. However, it also requires careful implementation to ensure security, especially when dealing with sensitive information.

Why this product is good

  • JSON Web Token (JWT) is a compact, URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between two parties. The claims in a JWT are encoded as a JSON object that is used as the payload of a JSON Web Signature (JWS) structure or as the plaintext of a JSON Web Encryption (JWE) structure, enabling the claims to be digitally signed or integrity protected with a Message Authentication Code (MAC) and/or encrypted.

Recommended for

  • Stateless authentication
  • Distributed systems
  • Microservices architecture
  • Applications needing scalable, self-contained access tokens
  • Browser-based applications

JSON Web Token videos

+ Add

JSON Web Tokens Suck - Randall Degges (DevNet Create 2018)

More videos:

  • Review - JSON Web Tokens with Public Key Signatures
  • Review - RFC 7519 JSON Web Token (JWT), Review

Passport.js videos

No Passport.js videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to JSON Web Token and Passport.js)

JSON Web Token

Passport.js

Identity Provider
91 91%
Identity Provider
9% 9
Identity And Access Management
83 83%
Identity And Access Management
17% 17
SSO
100 100%
SSO
0% 0
Development
0 0%
Development
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, JSON Web Token seems to be a lot more popular than Passport.js. While we know about 302 links to JSON Web Token, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Passport.js. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

JSON Web Token mentions (302)

  • OAuth 2.0 Overview: How It Works and Why It Matters
    Access Token: A string representing the authorization granted to the client. It’s used by the client to access protected resources on the resource server. Access tokens are typically short-lived for security reasons (e.g., valid for an hour). They can be in various formats, with JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) being a popular choice. - Source: dev.to / about 11 hours ago
  • OAuth or JWT? Everything Developers Need to Know in 2025
    ​Security Considerations • JWT o Always use HTTPS to prevent token interception o Set short expiration times o Avoid storing sensitive data in the token • OAuth o Always validate redirect URIs o Implement proper token revocation o Consider using PKCE for public clients References • The Ultimate Guide to Implementing Authentication in JavaScript Applications • OAuth 2.0 – RFC 6749 • JWT.io –... - Source: dev.to / 25 days ago
  • Guide to JWT API Authentication
    Jwt.io is a great playground to get used to working with JWTs. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Verifying Cognito access tokens - Comparing three JWT packages for Lambda authorizers
    The Lambda authorizer code decodes and verifies the token, and its business logic determines whether the request should proceed to the backend or be denied. Cognito access tokens are JSON Web Tokens (JWTs), and to simplify our coding, we might opt for an external package to handle token verification. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Authentication and Authorization Best Practices in ASP.NET Core
    You can decode the created JWT token using JWT IO web site to see what's inside. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
View more

Passport.js mentions (3)

  • How to secure my Express server api?
    Look into passport.js it has everything you need to set up auth for your Express server. There are some good YouTube tutorials as well that can teach you how to do it if you don't like docs. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • How to use Twitter OAuth 2.0 and Passport.js for user login
    Passport strategy for authenticating with Twitter using OAuth 2.0. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • SvelteKit and passport for auth with own user database?
    Back in the express days it was all about passport for authentication. Is there a simple example of how to use passport with SvelteKit with own database for user authentication with sessions? Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing JSON Web Token and Passport.js, you can also consider the following products

Auth0 - Auth0 is a program for people to get authentication and authorization services for their own business use.

Spring Security - The Spring portfolio has many projects, including Spring Framework, Spring IO Platform, Spring Cloud, Spring Boot, Spring Data, Spring Security...

Django REST framework JWT - JSON Web Token Authentication support for Django REST Framework - jpadilla/django-rest-framework-jwt

Firebase Authentication - Application and Data, Application Utilities, and User Management and Authentication

OmniAuth - OmniAuth is a flexible authentication system utilizing Rack middleware.

OAuth2 - Application and Data, Application Utilities, and User Management and Authentication

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