jwt acess_token and refresh_token mechanism: axios : How to keep checking for the access_token is working - axios

Question

I am using JWT token based authentication system. i.e djangorestframework-simplejwt in my backend
Now I am using reactj and axios as frontend:
After providing username and pass to the login api, I got access_token and refresh_token which I stored in the localstorage
Now I am trying to connect to an api using access_token.
I get Token invalid or expired
Example I am trying to change password using this api and provide access_token
const url = "dj-rest-auth/password/change/";
const auth = {
headers: {
Authorization: "Bearer " + localStorage.getItem("access_token"),
Accept: "application/json",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
};
const data = {
old_password: old_password,
new_password1: new_password1,
new_password2: new_password2,
};
const promise = axios.post(url, data, auth);
promise
.then((res) => {
console.log(res)
})
.catch((err) => {
if (err.response) {
console.log(`${err.response.status} :: ${err.response.statusText}`)
console.log(err.response.data)
}
})
I can do another api call using refresh_token to get access_token when i get an err.
But sometimes, the err can be due to network error or something else. Then even i try to get access_token using refresh_token, it will just get into a loop.
HOw to do this the right way

Answer 1

If you are using Django as the backend, I would suggest using dj-rest-auth for JWT token authentication. dj-rest-auth requires "djangorestframework-simplejwt" for token management.
It is recommended to store access token and refresh token in httponly cookie so that it is not accessed by javascript.
Add JWTtokenAuthentication as authentication classes in settings.py.
REST_FRAMEWORK = {
'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': [
'dj_rest_auth.jwt_auth.JWTCookieAuthentication'
]
}
Add the below configuration too in settings.py
REST_SESSION_LOGIN = False
SITE_ID=1
REST_USE_JWT = True
JWT_AUTH_COOKIE = 'access-token' #any name
JWT_AUTH_REFRESH_COOKIE = 'refresh_token' #any name
JWT_AUTH_SECURE = True
CORS_ALLOW_CREDENTIALS = True
CORS_ORIGIN_ALLOW_ALL = True
There is an open issue with dj-rest-auth, that requires the below code to be implemented in your back-end Github issue: https://github.com/iMerica/dj-rest-auth/issues/97. As workaround suggested, you have to create a file middleware.py and paste below code.
import json
from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin
from yourapp.settings import JWT_AUTH_REFRESH_COOKIE # from settings.py
class MoveJWTRefreshCookieIntoTheBody(MiddlewareMixin):
def __init__(self, get_response):
self.get_response = get_response
def __call__(self, request):
response = self.get_response(request)
return response
def process_view(self, request, view_func, *view_args, **view_kwargs):
if request.path == '/token/refresh/' and JWT_AUTH_REFRESH_COOKIE in request.COOKIES:
if request.body != b'':
data = json.loads(request.body)
data['refresh'] = request.COOKIES[JWT_AUTH_REFRESH_COOKIE]
request._body = json.dumps(data).encode('utf-8')
else:
print("The incoming request body must be set to an empty object.")
return None
By now, your back-end will be successfully generating access token and refresh token. Even your back-end will be capable of refreshing access token using refresh token.
Front-End:
By default, access token and refresh tokens are stored in httponly cookie, so you don't need to worry about that part.
Axios can be used to make call to login-end point to get tokens. Make sure you use "withCredentials" and "Headers" in your request.
Response will be tokens, by default it will be stored in httponly cookie, since we are using dj-rest-auth. For all the consecutive requests, httponly cookie will be included, if tokens are valid, user will be provided access. IF token is expired, you need to make call to refresh endpoint to get new access token.
Since you are in development mode, you have to have same domain for both BE and FE, different ports.You can start django-server using below command and make sure your FE is also running in localhost
python manage.py runserver localhost:8080
dj-rest-auth : https://dj-rest-auth.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html