Laravel 8.x JWT (Json Web Token) Authentication Example

Hello Artisan 

In this tutorial i am going to discuss about a brand new topic which is jwt auth laravel 8. This tutorial we will see how to create a restful api with json web token (jwt).

JWT stand for Json Web Token. JWT will helps to create authentication and connect front-end and back-end function. JWT through we can create login and register API. So first we have to install "tymon/jwt-auth" package in laravel 8.

In this post i want to share you how to create API in Laravel 8 with using JWT, If you are beginner then It is a very simple way to create and it is pretty easy to undestand how to create laravel 8 jwt auth.

Github link : Laravel REST API development with JWT

In this lesson we will create login, registration and full crud system with JWT authentication with Laravel 6. We will also use jwt middleware laravel.

Read also : Laravel 6 REST API with Passport Tutorial with Ecommerce Project

In this Laravel JWT authentication tutorial we are going to make this kind of API using JWT. You have to just follow few step to get following web services.

• Login API
• Register API
• Logout API

Let's start building our Rest Api using JWT authentication.

Step 1: Install Laravel 

I am going to explain step by step laravel jwt auth from scratch so, we need to get fresh Laravel 6 application using bellow command

composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel api

Step 2: Install  tymondesigns/jwt-auth Package

First fire following command on your terminal.

Installation Package

composer require tymon/jwt-auth

It will install the package in the vendor folder and our composer.json file will be updated. Now go to the config/app.php file and add the following.

config/app.php

'providers' => [
    ....
    'Tymon\JWTAuth\Providers\JWTAuthServiceProvider',
],
'aliases' => [
    ....
    'JWTAuth' => 'Tymon\JWTAuth\Facades\JWTAuth',
    'JWTFactory' => 'Tymon\JWTAuth\Facades\JWTFactory',
],

To publish the configuration file in Laravel, you need to run following line of code 

php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Tymon\JWTAuth\Providers\JWTAuthServiceProvider"

Step 3 : Generate JWT Key

JWT tokens will be signed with an encryption key. Run the following command to generate jwt key.

php artisan jwt:generate

If you find an error like this after hit the above command.

ReflectionException : Method Tymon\JWTAuth\Commands\JWTGenerateCommand::handle() does not exist

then open JWTGenerateCommand.php file and paste this following code, Hope it will work.

vendor/tymon/src/Commands/JWTGenerateCommand.php

public function handle() {
 
  $this->fire(); 

}

Step 4 : Registering Middleware

JWT auth package comes up with middlewares that we can use. Register auth.jwt middleware in 

app/Http/Kernel.php

protected $routeMiddleware = [

    'auth.jwt' => 'auth.jwt' => 'Tymon\JWTAuth\Middleware\GetUserFromToken',

];

This middleware verifies that the user is authenticated by checking the token sent with the request. If the user is not authenticated, the middleware will throw UnauthorizedHttpException exception.

Step 5 : Create Api Routes

Now we need to create api route for jwt auth. paste this following code to this path

routes/api.php 

Route::post('login', 'ApiController@login');
Route::post('register', 'ApiController@register');
 
Route::group(['middleware' => 'auth.jwt'], function () {

    Route::get('logout', 'ApiController@logout');
 
});

Step 6 : Update User Model

Now open user model and paste this following code to make changes.

app/User.php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Notifications\Notifiable;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\User as Authenticatable;

class User extends Authenticatable
{
    use Notifiable;

    protected $fillable = [
        'name', 'email', 'password',
    ];

    protected $hidden = [
        'password', 'remember_token',
    ];

}

Let’s write the logic for restful API in laravel using JWT authentication. We need to validate our request data. So run below command to make a register request.

php artisan make:request RegisterAuthRequest

After running this command just open this file going following directory and paste below code.

app/Http/Requests/RegisterAuthRequest.php

namespace App\Http\Requests;

use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;

class RegisterAuthRequest extends FormRequest
{
    public function authorize()
    {
        return true;
    }

    public function rules()
    {
        return [
            'name' => 'required|string',
            'email' => 'required|email|unique:users',
            'password' => 'required|string|min:6|max:10'
        ];
    }
}

Step 7 : Create Controller

Now we have to create our controller to make jwt auth. So run below command

php artisan make:controller ApiController

Now open this ApiController and paste this below code

app/Http/Controllers/ApiController.php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use JWTAuth;
use App\User;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use App\Http\Requests\RegisterAuthRequest;
use Tymon\JWTAuth\Exceptions\JWTException;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response;

class ApiController extends Controller
{
    public $loginAfterSignUp = true;
 
    public function register(RegisterAuthRequest $request)
    {
        $user = new User();
        $user->name = $request->name;
        $user->email = $request->email;
        $user->password = bcrypt($request->password);
        $user->save();
 
        if ($this->loginAfterSignUp) {
            return $this->login($request);
        }
 
        return response()->json([
            'success' => true,
            'data' => $user
        ], Response::HTTP_OK);
    }
 
    public function login(Request $request)
    {
        $input = $request->only('email', 'password');
        $jwt_token = null;
 
        if (!$jwt_token = JWTAuth::attempt($input)) {
            return response()->json([
                'success' => false,
                'message' => 'Invalid Email or Password',
            ], Response::HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED);
        }
 
        return response()->json([
            'success' => true,
            'token' => $jwt_token,
        ]);
    }
 
    public function logout(Request $request)
    {
        $this->validate($request, [
            'token' => 'required'
        ]);
 
        try {
            JWTAuth::invalidate($request->token);
 
            return response()->json([
                'success' => true,
                'message' => 'User logged out successfully'
            ]);
        } catch (JWTException $exception) {
            return response()->json([
                'success' => false,
                'message' => 'Sorry, the user cannot be logged out'
            ], Response::HTTP_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
        }
    }
}

Now everything is done. We can check it now. So run below command to start our server and take a tour to test it with postman.

php artisan serve

For testing restful API’s, i will use Postman. Let’s try to check our rest api with json web token(jwt) application.

Preview :  Register route

Preview :  Login route

Preview : User logout route

Hope this tutorial will help you. If you find any error then you can check my git repository. 

Read also : Laravel 6 REST API with JWT Authentication with CRUD

Hope this tutorial will help you.