JWT
JWT (JSON Web Token) is an open standard (RFC 7519) for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. It is commonly used for authentication and authorization in web applications and APIs, allowing stateless verification of user identity. JWTs are digitally signed using a secret or public/private key pair to ensure data integrity and trust.
Developers should use JWT when building stateless authentication systems, such as in RESTful APIs or single-page applications, to avoid server-side session storage and enable scalable, distributed architectures. It is particularly useful for scenarios like user login, API access control, and secure data exchange between microservices, as it provides a compact, self-contained token that can be easily transmitted via HTTP headers or URLs.