# JWT Authentication > [JSON Web Token (JWT)](https://jwt.io/) is a JSON-based open standard ([RFC 7519](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7519)) for creating access tokens that assert some number of claims. For example, a server could generate a token that has the claim "logged in as admin" and provide that to a client. The client could then use that token to prove that he/she is logged in as admin. The tokens are signed by the server's key, so the server is able to verify that the token is legitimate. The tokens are designed to be compact, URL-safe and usable especially in web browser single sign-on (SSO) context. > > ―[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON_Web_Token) API Platform allows to easily add a JWT-based authentication to your API using [LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle](https://github.com/lexik/LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle). ## Installing LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle We begin by installing the bundle: $ docker-compose exec php composer require jwt-auth Then we need to generate the public and private keys used for signing JWT tokens. If you're using the [API Platform distribution](../distribution/index.md), you may run this from the project's root directory: $ docker-compose exec php sh -c ' set -e apk add openssl mkdir -p config/jwt jwt_passhrase=$(grep ''^JWT_PASSPHRASE='' .env | cut -f 2 -d ''='') echo "$jwt_passhrase" | openssl genpkey -out config/jwt/private.pem -pass stdin -aes256 -algorithm rsa -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:4096 echo "$jwt_passhrase" | openssl pkey -in config/jwt/private.pem -passin stdin -out config/jwt/public.pem -pubout setfacl -R -m u:www-data:rX -m u:"$(whoami)":rwX config/jwt setfacl -dR -m u:www-data:rX -m u:"$(whoami)":rwX config/jwt ' This takes care of using the correct passphrase to encrypt the private key, and setting the correct permissions on the keys allowing the web server to read them. If you want the keys to be auto generated in `dev` environment, see an example in the [docker-entrypoint script of api-platform/demo](https://github.com/api-platform/demo/blob/master/api/docker/php/docker-entrypoint.sh). The keys should not be checked in to the repository (i.e. it's in `api/.gitignore`). However, note that a JWT token could only pass signature validation against the same pair of keys it was signed with. This is especially relevant in a production environment, where you don't want to accidentally invalidate all your clients' tokens at every deployment. For more information, refer to [the bundle's documentation](https://github.com/lexik/LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle/blob/master/Resources/doc/index.md) or read a [general introduction to JWT here](https://jwt.io/introduction/). We're not done yet! Let's move on to configuring the Symfony SecurityBundle for JWT authentication. ## Configuring the Symfony SecurityBundle It is necessary to configure a user provider. You can either use the [Doctrine entity user provider](https://symfony.com/doc/current/security/user_provider.html#entity-user-provider) provided by Symfony (recommended), [create a custom user provider](https://symfony.com/doc/current/security/user_provider.html#creating-a-custom-user-provider) or use [API Platform's FOSUserBundle integration](fosuser-bundle.md) (not recommended). If you choose to use the Doctrine entity user provider, start by [creating your `User` class](https://symfony.com/doc/current/security.html#a-create-your-user-class). Then update the security configuration: ```yaml # api/config/packages/security.yaml security: encoders: App\Entity\User: algorithm: argon2i # https://symfony.com/doc/current/security.html#where-do-users-come-from-user-providers providers: # used to reload user from session & other features (e.g. switch_user) app_user_provider: entity: class: App\Entity\User property: email firewalls: dev: pattern: ^/_(profiler|wdt) security: false main: stateless: true anonymous: true provider: app_user_provider json_login: check_path: /authentication_token username_path: email password_path: password success_handler: lexik_jwt_authentication.handler.authentication_success failure_handler: lexik_jwt_authentication.handler.authentication_failure guard: authenticators: - lexik_jwt_authentication.jwt_token_authenticator ``` You must also declare the route used for `/authentication_token`: ```yaml # api/config/routes.yaml authentication_token: path: /authentication_token methods: ['POST'] ``` If you want to avoid loading the `User` entity from database each time a JWT token needs to be authenticated, you may consider using the [database-less user provider](https://github.com/lexik/LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle/blob/master/Resources/doc/8-jwt-user-provider.md) provided by LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle. However, it means you will have to fetch the `User` entity from the database yourself as needed (probably through the Doctrine EntityManager). Refer to the section on [Security](security.md) to learn how to control access to API resources and operations. You may also want to [configure Swagger UI for JWT authentication](#documenting-the-authentication-mechanism-with-swaggeropen-api). ### Adding Authentication to an API Which Uses a Path Prefix If your API uses a [path prefix](https://symfony.com/doc/current/routing/external_resources.html#prefixing-the-urls-of-imported-routes), the security configuration would look something like this instead: ```yaml # api/config/packages/security.yaml security: encoders: App\Entity\User: algorithm: argon2i # https://symfony.com/doc/current/security.html#where-do-users-come-from-user-providers providers: # used to reload user from session & other features (e.g. switch_user) app_user_provider: entity: class: App\Entity\User property: email firewalls: dev: pattern: ^/_(profiler|wdt) security: false api: pattern: ^/api/ stateless: true anonymous: true provider: app_user_provider guard: authenticators: - lexik_jwt_authentication.jwt_token_authenticator main: anonymous: true json_login: check_path: /authentication_token username_path: email password_path: password success_handler: lexik_jwt_authentication.handler.authentication_success failure_handler: lexik_jwt_authentication.handler.authentication_failure ``` ## Documenting the Authentication Mechanism with Swagger/Open API Want to test the routes of your JWT-authentication-protected API? ### Configuring API Platform ```yaml # api/config/packages/api_platform.yaml api_platform: swagger: api_keys: apiKey: name: Authorization type: header ``` The "Authorize" button will automatically appear in Swagger UI. ![Screenshot of API Platform with Authorize button](images/JWTAuthorizeButton.png) ### Adding a New API Key All you have to do is configure the API key in the `value` field. By default, [only the authorization header mode is enabled](https://github.com/lexik/LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle/blob/master/Resources/doc/index.md#2-use-the-token) in LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle. You must set the [JWT token](https://github.com/lexik/LexikJWTAuthenticationBundle/blob/master/Resources/doc/index.md#1-obtain-the-token) as below and click on the "Authorize" button. ``` Bearer MY_NEW_TOKEN ``` ![Screenshot of API Platform with the configuration API Key](images/JWTConfigureApiKey.png) ## Testing with Behat Let's configure Behat to automatically send an `Authorization` HTTP header containing a valid JWT token when a scenario is marked with a `@login` annotation. Edit `features/bootstrap/FeatureContext.php` and add the following methods: ```php setUsername('admin'); $user->setPassword('ATestPassword'); $user->setEmail('test@test.com'); $this->manager->persist($user); $this->manager->flush(); $token = $this->jwtManager->create($user); $this->restContext = $scope->getEnvironment()->getContext(RestContext::class); $this->restContext->iAddHeaderEqualTo('Authorization', "Bearer $token"); } /** * @AfterScenario * @logout */ public function logout() { $this->restContext->iAddHeaderEqualTo('Authorization', ''); } } ``` Then, update `behat.yml` to inject the `lexik_jwt_authentication.jwt_manager`: ```yaml # behat.yml default: # ... suites: default: contexts: - FeatureContext: { doctrine: '@doctrine', 'jwtManager': '@lexik_jwt_authentication.jwt_manager' } - Behat\MinkExtension\Context\MinkContext - Behatch\Context\RestContext - Behatch\Context\JsonContext # ... ``` Finally, mark your scenarios with the `@login` annotation to automatically add a valid `Authorization` header, and with `@logout` to be sure to destroy the token after this scenario.