Code-Alongs - Authentication & Testing

These code-along sessions will help you build practical examples of authentication and testing implementations. Follow along with your instructor to create working solutions that demonstrate the concepts covered in each module.

Session Objectives

Hands-on Learning

Build real-world examples of authentication and testing implementations with step-by-step guidance.

Best Practices

Learn industry-standard practices and patterns for implementing secure authentication and testing.

Problem Solving

Develop practical problem-solving skills by implementing solutions to common authentication and testing challenges.

Code-Along Sessions

JWT Implementation

  • Token Generation and Structure
  • Token Verification and Validation
  • Protected Routes Implementation
  • Security Best Practices
  • Refresh Token Strategy

In this code-along, you'll build a complete authentication system using JSON Web Tokens. You'll learn how to securely implement JWTs with proper token expiration, payload construction, and middleware protection.

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Testing Implementation

  • Unit Testing with Jest
  • API Testing with Supertest
  • Database Testing Patterns
  • Authentication Testing
  • Test Coverage and Organization

Learn how to build comprehensive test suites for your Node.js applications. This code-along will cover setting up Jest, testing API endpoints, database operations, and authentication flows.

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Session Resources

Preparation

Before each session, make sure to:

  • Clone the starter repository
  • Install dependencies with npm install
  • Review the module content and documentation
  • Have your development environment ready
  • Familiarize yourself with the project structure

JWT Implementation Tools

Key tools and packages we'll use:

  • jsonwebtoken: For generating and verifying tokens
  • bcryptjs: For password hashing
  • express: For API routes
  • knex: For database operations
  • dotenv: For environment variables to store secrets

Testing Tools

Key tools and packages we'll use:

  • jest: Testing framework and runner
  • supertest: HTTP assertion library
  • sqlite3: For in-memory test databases
  • cross-env: For environment variables
  • jest-html-reporter: For formatted test reports

Additional Resources

Documentation

Tools

  • Postman - API Testing
  • VS Code - Code Editor
  • Git - Version Control