Can you revoke a JWT?

Not without additional infrastructure. Options: very short expiry (15 min) + refresh tokens, a token blocklist in Redis (defeats statelessness), or a last_auth_time claim checked on every request. Refresh token rotation + short-lived access tokens is the recommended pattern.

Where should I store JWTs in a browser?

Memory (JavaScript variable): safest against XSS and CSRF, but lost on page refresh. HttpOnly cookie: safe from XSS, needs CSRF protection (SameSite cookie attribute). Avoid localStorage — vulnerable to XSS. Use short-lived access tokens in memory + long-lived refresh tokens in HttpOnly cookies.

What is a refresh token?

A refresh token is a long-lived credential used to obtain new short-lived access tokens without re-login. Access tokens expire in 15-60 minutes; refresh tokens last days or weeks. Refresh tokens can be revoked (stored in database). When an access token expires, use the refresh token to get a new one.

Last updated: April 7, 2026

JWT vs Session Authentication — Which Should You Use?

Quick Answer

Session auth is stateful (server stores session data) — easy to revoke but requires shared storage in multi-server setups. JWT auth is stateless (token contains user data, signed by server) — scales easily but tokens cannot be revoked until expiry. For most web apps with single-server or Redis sessions, sessions are simpler and more secure. For APIs serving mobile and third-party clients, JWTs are the standard.

JWT vs Session — Side by Side

Feature	JWT	Session
State	Stateless — all data in token	Stateful — server stores session
Revocation	Cannot revoke until expiry (without token blocklist)	Immediate — delete session from store
Scalability	Excellent — no shared state needed	Requires shared session store (Redis)
Storage (client)	Memory, localStorage, or cookie	HttpOnly cookie (session ID only)
CSRF risk	Low if in Authorization header	Yes — requires CSRF tokens
XSS risk	High if in localStorage	Lower with HttpOnly cookies
Payload visibility	Base64 readable (not encrypted by default)	Opaque session ID
Best for	APIs, mobile apps, microservices	Traditional web apps, single-server

Verdict

Use sessions for traditional server-rendered web apps — simpler, more secure by default (HttpOnly cookies), easy revocation. Use JWTs for APIs serving multiple clients, mobile apps, and microservices where stateless scaling matters. For many apps, both are used: sessions for web UI, JWTs for API.

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