Master authentication and authorization patterns including JWT, OAuth2, session management, and RBAC to build secure, scalable access control systems. Use when implementing auth systems, securing APIs, or debugging security issues.
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3commas
skills/auth-implementation-patterns/SKILL.md
January 20, 2026
Select agents to install to:
npx add-skill https://github.com/3commas-io/commas-claude/blob/main/skills/auth-implementation-patterns/SKILL.md -a claude-code --skill auth-implementation-patternsInstallation paths:
.claude/skills/auth-implementation-patterns/# Authentication & Authorization Implementation Patterns
Build secure, scalable authentication and authorization systems using industry-standard patterns and modern best practices.
## When to Use This Skill
- Implementing user authentication systems
- Securing REST or GraphQL APIs
- Adding OAuth2/social login
- Implementing role-based access control (RBAC)
- Designing session management
- Migrating authentication systems
- Debugging auth issues
- Implementing SSO or multi-tenancy
## Core Concepts
### 1. Authentication vs Authorization
**Authentication (AuthN)**: Who are you?
- Verifying identity (username/password, OAuth, biometrics)
- Issuing credentials (sessions, tokens)
- Managing login/logout
**Authorization (AuthZ)**: What can you do?
- Permission checking
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Resource ownership validation
- Policy enforcement
### 2. Authentication Strategies
**Session-Based:**
- Server stores session state
- Session ID in cookie
- Traditional, simple, stateful
**Token-Based (JWT):**
- Stateless, self-contained
- Scales horizontally
- Can store claims
**OAuth2/OpenID Connect:**
- Delegate authentication
- Social login (Google, GitHub)
- Enterprise SSO
## JWT Authentication
### Pattern 1: JWT Implementation
```typescript
// JWT structure: header.payload.signature
import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
interface JWTPayload {
userId: string;
email: string;
role: string;
iat: number;
exp: number;
}
// Generate JWT
function generateTokens(userId: string, email: string, role: string) {
const accessToken = jwt.sign(
{ userId, email, role },
process.env.JWT_SECRET!,
{ expiresIn: '15m' } // Short-lived
);
const refreshToken = jwt.sign(
{ userId },
process.env.JWT_REFRESH_SECRET!,
{ expiresIn: '7d' } // Long-lived
);
return { accessToken, refreshToken };
}
// Verify JWT
function verifyToken(token