goma-gateway/docs/middleware/jwt.md

---
title: JWT Middleware
layout: default
parent: Middleware
nav_order: 4
---


### JWT Middleware

The JWT middleware restricts access to routes, similar to BasicAuth, by authorizing users based on JSON Web Tokens (JWTs).

---

#### How It Works

1. **Authorization Logic**  
   The middleware determines access based on the HTTP response from an authentication service:
    - **200 (OK)**: Access is granted.
    - **401 (Unauthorized)** or **403 (Forbidden)**: Access is denied with the corresponding error code.
    - **Other Response Codes**: Treated as errors.

2. **Backend Dependency**  
   The middleware relies on a backend authentication service to validate requests.

3. **Nginx Inspiration**  
   Its behavior is comparable to `ngx_http_auth_request_module` in Nginx. 

Here's an example Nginx configuration:

```
   location /private/ {
       auth_request /auth;
       ...
   }

   location = /auth {
       proxy_pass ...;
       proxy_pass_request_body off;
       proxy_set_header Content-Length "";
       proxy_set_header X-Original-URI $request_uri;
   }
```

### Header and Parameter Injection

The middleware supports extracting headers from the authentication response and injecting them into the next request’s headers or parameters.

1. **Injecting Headers**
Add headers to the next request after a successful authorization:

```yaml
headers:
  # Key: Auth request header key | Value: Next request header key
  userId: X-Auth-UserId
  userCountryId: X-Auth-UserCountryId
```

2. **Injecting Parameters**
   
Add parameters to the next request from the authentication response headers:

```yaml
params:
  # Key: Auth request header key | Value: Next request parameter key
  userId: userId
  userCountryId: countryId
```

### Example Configuration

Below is a complete example of JWT middleware configuration:

```yaml
middlewares:
  - name: jwt-auth
    type: jwt
    # Paths to protect
    paths:
      - /protected-access
      - /example-of-jwt
      # - /* for wildcard paths
    rule:
      # URL of the backend authentication service
      url: https://www.example.com/auth/access
      # Headers required in the incoming request
      requiredHeaders:
        - Authorization
      # Headers to include in the next request
      headers:
        userId: X-Auth-UserId
        userCountryId: X-Auth-UserCountryId
      # Parameters to include in the next request
      params:
        userId: userId
        userCountryId: countryId

```

### Notes

- Use this middleware to secure endpoints by delegating authorization to a backend service.
- Properly configure the rule section to match your authentication service requirements.