Introduction
For almost a decade, JSON Web Tokens (JWT) have been the default choice for authentication in modern web applications. If you have worked on Angular, React, or any SPA backed by REST APIs, chances are you have implemented JWT-based authentication multiple times. It became popular because it was simple, stateless, scalable, and easy to integrate.
But over the last few years, something interesting has happened.
Senior developers, security teams, and large enterprises have started questioning JWT. Not just small improvements or tweaks, but the fundamental model itself. JWT is no longer seen as the “best practice” solution it once was. In many real-world systems, JWT is now a source of security risks, complexity, and hidden bugs.
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:
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 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:
With JWT:
Common “Solutions” That Don’t Really Work
Short-Lived Tokens
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:
If the token is stolen:
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:
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:
If a user’s role changes:
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:
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:
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:
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:
This allows:
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:
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:
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:
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.