JSON Web Tokens (JWT) have been the standard for authentication in contemporary web applications for about ten years. It's likely that you have used JWT-based authentication several times if you have worked with Angular, React, or any SPA supported by REST APIs. Because it was straightforward, stateless, scalable, and simple to incorporate, it gained popularity.
However, an intriguing development has occurred in recent years. Security teams, big businesses, and senior engineers have begun to doubt JWT. Not merely minor adjustments or enhancements, but the core model itself. JWT is no longer regarded as the "best practice" approach that it formerly was. JWT is currently a source of complexity, hidden faults, and security issues in many real-world systems.
This article explains:
- Why JWT became popular
- Where JWT fundamentally breaks down
- Real production issues teams face today
- Why “just do it correctly” is not enough
- What is replacing JWT in modern architectures
- How Angular applications should adapt
- Practical migration strategies
This is not a beginner-level overview. This article is written for senior developers who have built and maintained authentication systems in production.
Why JWT Became Popular in the First Place?
To understand why JWT is failing, we first need to understand why it succeeded.
The Problem JWT Originally Solved
Before JWT, authentication often relied on:
- Server-side sessions
- Sticky sessions
- Shared session stores (Redis, DB)
- Complex load balancer configurations
These approaches had real downsides:
- Scaling sessions horizontally was painful
- Stateful servers complicated deployments
- Mobile and SPA apps struggled with cookies
- JWT solved these problems elegantly.
Key Advantages of JWT
Stateless Authentication
The server does not store session data. All information is in the token.
Scales Well
Any server can validate a JWT using a shared secret or public key.
Works Across Platforms
Mobile apps, SPAs, APIs, and microservices all understand JWT.
Performance Friendly
No database or cache lookup per request.
Easy to Implement
Many libraries, tutorials, and examples.
For Angular SPAs talking to REST APIs, JWT felt perfect.
The Core Design of JWT (And Its Hidden Assumptions)
A JWT is basically:
- A signed JSON object
- Stored on the client
- Sent with every request
- Trusted by the server if the signature is valid
A typical JWT contains:
- User ID
- Roles or permissions
- Expiry timestamp
- Issuer and audience
The Hidden Assumption
JWT assumes that:
“If the token is valid and not expired, the user is authorized.”
This assumption works only in simple systems.
Modern applications are not simple.
Where JWT Starts to Fail in Real Systems?
JWT does not fail because it is “bad”.
It fails because real-world requirements evolved.
Let us look at the most common failure points.
Problem 1: Token Revocation Is Broken by Design
JWTs are immutable. Once issued, they are valid until they expire.
Why This Is a Serious Problem?
In real applications, you must be able to:
- Log out users instantly
- Revoke access after password change
- Disable compromised accounts
- Enforce policy changes
With JWT:
- You cannot revoke a token
- You can only wait for it to expire
Common “Solutions” That Don’t Really Work
Short-Lived Tokens
- Improves security
- Breaks UX
- Adds refresh-token complexity
Token Blacklists
- Reintroduces server-side state
- Requires DB or cache lookup
- Breaks the main benefit of JWT
At this point, JWT is no longer stateless.
Problem 2: JWT Makes Logout a Lie
In many Angular apps:
- Clicking “Logout” just deletes the token from local storage
- The server still considers the token valid
If the token is stolen:
- Logout does nothing
- Attacker keeps access until expiry
From a security perspective, this is unacceptable.
Problem 3: Token Theft Is Too Easy
JWTs are commonly stored in:
- LocalStorage
- SessionStorage
- Memory
Why This Is Dangerous?
XSS attacks can steal tokens
Browser extensions can access tokens
Tokens can be leaked via logs or error reports
Once stolen:
- The attacker has full access
- There is no server-side kill switch
Cookies with HttpOnly flags solve some of this, but many JWT setups do not use them correctly.
Problem 4: Overloaded Tokens Become Security Liabilities
JWTs often include:
- Roles
- Permissions
- Feature flags
- Tenant data
This leads to:
- Large token sizes
- Stale authorization data
- Authorization logic duplicated across services
If a user’s role changes:
- Existing tokens still contain old roles
- Access is incorrectly granted
This is a data consistency problem, not just a security issue.
Problem 5: Microservices + JWT = Hidden Complexity
JWT is often promoted as “microservice-friendly”.
In practice:
- Every service must understand token structure
- Authorization logic spreads everywhere
- Policy changes require coordinated updates
This leads to:
- Tight coupling
- Inconsistent access control
- Security drift over time
Problem 6: Refresh Tokens Are a Minefield
To fix short-lived JWTs, teams introduce refresh tokens.
Now you have:
- Access tokens
- Refresh tokens
- Rotation logic
- Storage rules
- Expiry policies
Mistakes here are common and dangerous:
- Refresh token reuse
- Long-lived refresh tokens
- Poor rotation strategies
The system becomes harder to reason about than classic sessions.
Problem 7: Compliance and Auditing Are Hard
Modern regulations require:
- Session tracking
- Forced logout
- Access audits
- User-level controls
JWT makes this difficult because:
- Sessions do not exist on the server
- There is no single source of truth
Auditors do not like “trust the token”.
Why “Using JWT Correctly” Is Not Enough?
A common response is:
“JWT is fine, people just implement it incorrectly.”
This is partially true, but incomplete.
Even with:
- Short-lived tokens
- Secure cookies
- Refresh token rotation
- Token introspection
You end up rebuilding:
- Sessions
- Revocation
- State
- Centralized control
At that point, JWT is no longer the core solution.
So What Is Replacing JWT?
JWT is not disappearing entirely, but its role is changing.
Modern systems are moving toward controlled, state-aware authentication models.
Let us explore what is replacing JWT.
Replacement 1: Session-Based Authentication (Yes, It’s Back)
Sessions never truly went away.
What changed is:
- Infrastructure
- Scalability
- Implementation quality
- Why Sessions Are Making a Comeback
Modern session systems:
- Use Redis or distributed caches
- Scale horizontally
- Support instant revocation
- Enable strong security controls
How It Works Today?
- Client stores a secure, HttpOnly session cookie
- Server stores session state
- Logout destroys the session
- Revocation is immediate
This model:
- Is easier to reason about
- Is more secure by default
- Fits compliance requirements
For Angular apps, this works very well with modern CORS and cookie policies.
Replacement 2: OAuth 2.1 with Token Introspection
OAuth 2.1 moves away from blindly trusting JWTs.
Token Introspection
Instead of validating JWT locally:
- Services call the authorization server
- Token validity is checked centrally
This allows:
- Immediate revocation
- Central policy enforcement
- Better auditing
JWT may still exist, but it is not self-authorizing anymore.
Replacement 3: Backend-for-Frontend (BFF) Pattern
The BFF pattern is becoming the default for SPAs.
How BFF Changes Everything
- Angular talks only to its backend
- Backend manages authentication
- No tokens stored in the browser
- Cookies handle session state
Benefits:
- No JWT in frontend
- Reduced attack surface
- Cleaner architecture
This is one of the strongest arguments against frontend JWT storage.
Replacement 4: Short-Lived Tokens + Server State
In some systems:
- JWTs exist but live for seconds or minutes
- Server tracks session state
- Tokens are just transport credentials
JWT becomes an implementation detail, not a security boundary.
Replacement 5: Passkeys and WebAuthn (Future Direction)
Passwords themselves are being replaced.
Passkeys and WebAuthn:
- Remove password theft
- Reduce phishing risks
- Integrate well with session-based auth
JWT plays a minimal role in these systems.
What This Means for Angular Applications?
Angular developers must rethink authentication.
What Angular Should NOT Do Anymore
- Store JWT in localStorage
- Decode tokens for authorization logic
- Trust client-side role checks
- Handle refresh logic in components
Recommended Angular Architecture Today
- Use BFF pattern
- Rely on HttpOnly cookies
- Let backend manage auth state
- Angular focuses on UI and UX
- Authorization checks happen server-side
Angular becomes simpler, not more complex.
Example: Angular with Session-Based Auth
Angular makes requests like this:
this.http.get('/api/user/profile', {
withCredentials: true
});
No tokens.
No headers.
No decoding.
No expiry handling.
The backend:
- Validates session
- Enforces access
- Returns data
This is boring, and that is a good thing.
Migrating Away from JWT Safely
You do not need to rewrite everything overnight.
Step-by-Step Migration Strategy
- Introduce BFF layer
- Move auth logic to backend
- Switch to HttpOnly cookies
- Reduce token lifespan
- Gradually remove frontend JWT usage
Most teams do this incrementally.
When JWT Still Makes Sense?
JWT is not dead.
It still works well for:
- Machine-to-machine communication
- Internal service tokens
- Short-lived infrastructure credentials
The key is:
Do not use JWT as a user session mechanism.
Common Misconceptions
- “Sessions do not scale” – they do now.
- “JWT is more secure” – often false.
- “Cookies are legacy” – incorrect.
- “Stateless is always better” – context matters.
Final Thoughts
JWT solved a real problem at a specific time.
But software architecture evolves.
Today’s applications need:
- Revocation
- Control
- Auditing
- Security by default
JWT, as commonly used for user authentication, fails these requirements.
What replaces it is not one thing, but a shift in mindset:
- From stateless trust
- To controlled, observable sessions
Angular developers who adapt early will build systems that are:
- Safer
- Simpler
- Easier to maintain
JWT is not evil.
It is just no longer the right default.