Managing JWT and Refresh Token Flow for Mobile Apps

Learn how to handle JWT and refresh token expiration in your mobile app, ensuring a seamless user experience without sacrificing security. --- This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/74839132/ asked by the user 'dontknowhy' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/6851904/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/74839197/ provided by the user 'Stitt' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10942864/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions. Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: JWT, refresh token flow on mobile apps Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/licensing The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license. If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com. --- Handling JWT and Refresh Token Flow in Mobile Apps In the world of mobile applications, ensuring a smooth user experience while maintaining security is crucial. One common challenge that developers face is dealing with token expiration, particularly JWT (JSON Web Tokens) and refresh tokens. These tokens are the key to authenticating users and managing sessions. In this guide, we’ll explore a common scenario regarding JWT and refresh token flows, and discuss several solutions to manage token expiration effectively. The Problem: Token Expiration When working with JWTs and refresh tokens in a mobile application, it's typical for access tokens to have shorter expiration periods due to security reasons. In our case, we have set the following expiration periods: Access Token: 7 days Refresh Token: 30 days What Happens After Token Expiration? Once the access token expires after 7 days, the mobile app should notify the user that their token has expired and send the refresh token to the server. If the refresh token is still valid, the server will issue a new access token valid for another 7 days, and a new refresh token valid for 30 days. However, the issue arises when the refresh token itself expires after 30 days. If the user hasn't logged in during that time, they will need to reauthenticate, which can lead to a frustrating user experience. Solutions: Keeping Users Signed In To overcome the challenge of refresh token expiration while balancing user experience and security, here are some potential strategies: Option 1: Adjust Token Expiration Periods Change Expiry Periods: Consider increasing the expiration period of either the access token, the refresh token, or both. Infinite Refresh Token: You could potentially set the refresh token to never expire (or have a much longer expiration time) while implementing additional security measures like rotation or revocation strategies. Option 2: Background Token Refresh Silent Refresh: Implement a background refresh process that checks for the validity of the refresh token and automatically renews it without requiring user intervention when the app is in use or opened. User Experience Focused: This ensures that users remain logged in seamlessly without needing to take additional actions. Option 3: Storing User Credentials Auto Re-login: If the refresh token has expired and the user tries to access the app, consider storing encrypted user credentials securely on the device. You can then either automatically or manually re-login the user when needed. Secure Practices: It's essential to follow best practices for securely storing sensitive data to mitigate security risks. Conclusion Balancing security and user experience in your mobile application when managing JWT and refresh token flows is crucial. By exploring options such as adjusting token expiration periods, implementing background refresh strategies, or securely storing user credentials, you can maintain a seamless login experience without compromising your application's security. With these strategies in mind, you can ensure that your mobile app stays user-friendly while effectively managing token expiration and authentication. Always remember to keep security considerations at the forefront as you implement these features.