Introduction
A JSON Web Token (JWT) is a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object, and they are commonly used by developers in their APIs. JWTs are popular because:
- A JWT is stateless. That is, it does not need to be stored in a database (persistence layer), unlike opaque tokens.
- The signature of a JWT is never decoded once formed, thereby ensuring that the token is safe and secure.
- A JWT can be set to be invalid after a certain period of time. This helps minimize or totally eliminate any damage that can be done by a hacker, in the event that the token is hijacked.
In this tutorial, I will demonstrate the creation, use, and invalidation of a JWT with a simple RESTful API using Golang and the Vonage Messages API.
Vonage API Account
To complete this tutorial, you will need a Vonage API account. If you don’t have one already, you can sign up today and start building with free credit. Once you have an account, you can find your API Key and API Secret at the top of the Vonage API Dashboard.
This tutorial also uses a virtual phone number. To purchase one, go to Numbers > Buy Numbers and search for one that meets your needs. If you’ve just signed up, the initial cost of a number will be easily covered by your available credit.
#golang #go #jwt
