SweetAuth - NodeJS User Authentication Simplified

sweet-auth handles following backend tasks for you:

• Creating user accounts
• Logging into accounts
• Authorizing subsequent browser requests
• Updating user passwords
• Removing user accounts
• Logging out from accounts

✔ No database required. Fully file based.

✔ Works with Express.

✔ Lightweight. Zero configurations.

API

API (req.user.*)	Effect	Returns
create (email, password)	Creates a new user	A promise with success & failure handlers
authenticate (email, password)	Validates user login. Upon success, the client is given a token valid for 3 days.	A promise with success & failure handlers
isAuthorized	Becomes true if the user has logged in with a valid token.	N/A
email	Holds the user's email if logged in	N/A
deauthenticate ()	Logs out the current user. Clear the token.	A promise with success & failure handlers
updatePassword (currentPassword, newPassword)	Updates the current password of the logged in user.	A promise with success & failure handlers
remove (password)	Removes the account of the logged in user.	A promise with success & failure handlers

QUICK START

Install sweet-auth package:

npm i sweet-auth

Add sweet-auth to your express app:

const express = require('express')
const app = express()

const sweetAuth = require('sweet-auth')
app.use(sweetAuth)

app.use(express.urlencoded())   // allows reading POST request data

Validate incoming requests for your protected pages with isAuthorized flag:

app.get('/private-page', (req, res) => {

    if (req.user.isAuthorized) {
        // user is logged in! send the requested page
        // you can access req.user.email
    }
    else {
        // user not logged in. redirect to login page
    }

})

In order to be authorized, a user must be registered and logged in first:

app.post('/signup', (req, res) => {

    // extract sign up form data
    let email = req.body.email
    let password = req.body.password

    req.user.create(email, password)
        .then(
            () => { 
                // tell user account is created 
                // probably redirect to the login page
            },
            (err) => { 
                // tell user something went wrong
            }
        )
})

Then handle the login:

app.post('/api/login', (req, res) => {

    // extract html form data
    let email = req.body.email
    let password = req.body.password

    req.user.authenticate(email, password)
        .then(
            () => { 
                 // authentication success.
                 // redirect to home page.
             },
            (err) => {
                // authentication failed.
                // send error to client.
             }
        )
})

Upoun a successfull login, a token will be issued to the client which will be used to authenticate future requests. This token will be expired after 3 days.

Don't forget to checkout the demo

FAQ

1. Where does it store user data?

   User data are stored under sweet-auth directory inside your project.

2. How secure is this?

   sweet-auth doesn't store actual passwords, but their hashes. So it's pretty secure.

3. How many users can it handle?

   sweet-auth can handle a good load of users for your web app. Unless you are planning to build the next big Facebook, you are good to go with sweet-auth.