User Authentication API using Node.
js, Express, and MongoDB
Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up a User Authentication System: This guide will walk you through
setting up a backend using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB, and a frontend using React to
handle user authentication.
1. Create Project Structure
mkdir auth-system → Create a project folder
cd auth-system → Navigate into the project folder
mkdir backend → Create a backend folder
Inside the backend folder, you need to organize your files properly.
cd backend → Move inside the backend folder.
mkdir models routes → Create two folders:
o models → To store database schemas (like User.js).
o routes → To organize API routes (like authentication routes).
This helps keep the project structured and easy to manage.
Similarly, you can create a separate frontend folder for the React app.
2. Initialize a Node.js Project
1. Move into the backend folder:
cd backend
Initialize a Node.js project:
o npm init -y
o This creates a package.json file, which keeps track of project settings and
dependencies.
User Authentication API using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB
3. Install Dependencies
npm install express mongoose dotenv cors bcryptjs jsonwebtoken
express - Web framework for Node.js
mongoose - MongoDB ODM (Object Data Modeling)
dotenv - Loads environment variables
cors - Enables Cross-Origin Resource Sharing
bcryptjs - Hashes passwords
jsonwebtoken - Generates authentication tokens
For development, install nodemon (it auto-restarts the server when files change):
npm install --save-dev nodemon
4. Create the .env File
Inside the backend folder, create a .env file and add the following:
MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://Username:<Password>@login.93ori.mongodb.net/?
retryWrites=true&w=majority&appName=Login
5. Create the MongoDB User Model
Inside the models folder, create User.js:
User Authentication API using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB
6. Create the Express Server
Inside backend, create server.js or index.js
Importing Required Modules
dotenv: Loads environment variables from a .env file.
express: A lightweight framework for creating a web server.
mongoose: A library for interacting with MongoDB.
cors: Enables Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) to allow frontend apps to interact
with this API.
bcryptjs: Hashes passwords for security.
jsonwebtoken (JWT): Generates and verifies JSON Web Tokens for authentication.
1. Server Setup
Creates an Express app.
Defines a port, using the environment variable if available, otherwise defaults to
5000.
Sets a secret key for JWT authentication
2. Middleware
express.json(): Parses incoming JSON requests.
cors(): Allows requests from other domains (useful for frontend-backend
communication).
3. Connecting to MongoDB
Connects to a local MongoDB database named authDB.
useNewUrlParser and useUnifiedTopology prevent deprecation warnings.
Handles connection success or failure.
4. Defining the User Schema and Model
Defines a Mongoose schema for users with fields: username, email, and
password.
Creates a Mongoose model named User based on the schema.
User Authentication API using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB
5. Register Route (/register)
How it Works
Extracts username, email, and password from the request body.
Checks if the email is already registered.
Hashes the password for security using bcrypt.
Saves the new user to MongoDB.
Responds with a success message.
6. Login Route (/login)
Extracts email and password from the request body.
Finds the user in the database by email.
Compares the provided password with the stored hashed password.
If valid, generates a JWT token that expires in 1 hour.
Sends back the token for authentication in future requests.
7. Protected Route (/users)
How it Works
Retrieves all users from MongoDB.
Excludes passwords for security.
Responds with the list of users.
Note: This route is currently not protected, meaning anyone can access it without
authentication!
8. Error Handling Middleware
Handles server errors gracefully.
Logs errors to the console
9. Starting the Server
Starts the server on the defined PORT.
cd backend
node index.js (If you are using nodemon for auto-restart during development, run: npm run
dev
User Authentication API using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB
To check the data in MongoDB Compass, follow these steps:
1. Open MongoDB Compass
2. Connect to MongoDB by entering the connection string mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017
Click "Connect".
3. Select the Database:
o Find and click on authDB (or the database name you used in .env).
4. Open the Collection:
o Click on the users collection (where user data is stored).
5. View the Data:
o You will see the registered users with email and hashed password.
Conclusion:
✅ You have successfully set up a user authentication system using React, Express, and
MongoDB!
Next Steps:
Frontend Development: Create a React app to interact with this API.
Enhance Security: Implement refresh tokens for better authentication.
Role-Based Access: Add admin/user roles for access control.
