Authentication and authorization are crucial aspects of modern web applications, ensuring that users have the right access to the right resources. In the world of Node.js and TypeScript, Nest.js has emerged as a powerful and popular framework for building scalable and maintainable server-side applications. we'll delve into the concepts of authentication and authorization in Nest.js and how you can implement them in your projects. Secure your Nest.js projects with confidence!

If you are just getting started with nestjs, we recommend checking out this tutorial on how to create and setup nestjs project.

Authentication vs. Authorization

Before we dive into Nest.js specifics, it's essential to understand the distinction between authentication and authorization:

• Authentication: Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, ensuring that they are who they claim to be. Common authentication methods include username and password, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), OAuth, and more.

• Authorization: Authorization comes after authentication and determines what actions a user is allowed to perform once their identity is confirmed. It involves checking permissions and roles to ensure users have the necessary access rights.

Nest.js at a Glance

Nest.js is a Node.js framework that leverages TypeScript to simplify the development of scalable and maintainable server-side applications. It's built on top of Express.js, but it also supports other HTTP frameworks like Fastify. Nest.js encourages the use of decorators, modules, and dependency injection to create structured and organized code. Here is the official website of the framework.

Authentication Strategies

• Passport.js: Passport.js is a popular authentication middleware for Node.js that can be seamlessly integrated into Nest.js. It supports a wide range of authentication strategies, including local (username and password), JWT, OAuth2, and more. You can create custom Passport.js strategies to fit your specific authentication needs.

Example: