HMAC vs JWT

Developers should learn HMAC when building systems that require secure message verification, such as API authentication (e meets developers should learn jwt when building modern web applications that require secure, stateless authentication, such as single sign-on (sso) systems, api security, and microservices architectures. Here's our take.

HMAC

Nice Pick

Developers should learn HMAC when building systems that require secure message verification, such as API authentication (e

Pros

• g
• Related to: cryptography, hash-functions

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

JWT

Developers should learn JWT when building modern web applications that require secure, stateless authentication, such as single sign-on (SSO) systems, API security, and microservices architectures

Pros

• It is particularly useful for scenarios where server-side session storage is impractical, as JWTs can be verified without database lookups, reducing server load and improving scalability
• Related to: oauth-2.0, openid-connect

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use HMAC if: You want g and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use JWT if: You prioritize it is particularly useful for scenarios where server-side session storage is impractical, as jwts can be verified without database lookups, reducing server load and improving scalability over what HMAC offers.

The Bottom Line

HMAC wins

Developers should learn HMAC when building systems that require secure message verification, such as API authentication (e