Token Types and Lifecycle
Introduction Modern identity systems rely heavily on tokens to represent identity and authorization. Understanding the different types of tokens, their purposes, and lifecycles is essential for building secure applications. What is a Token? A token is a piece of data that represents something. In identity systems, tokens typically represent: Who you are (identity) What you can access (authorization) For how long (lifetime) Tokens are usually implemented as: JWT (JSON Web Token): Self-contained, can be validated without server calls Opaque tokens: Random strings that require server lookup Structured tokens: Custom formats specific to certain systems The Three Main Token Types 1. Access Token Purpose: Grants access to protected resources (APIs, services) ...