What is JWT (JSON Web Token) and how is it used for API authentication?

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Accepted Answer

JWT is a compact, self-contained way to securely transmit information between parties as a JSON object.

JWT is used for authentication and information exchange in APIs.
It consists of three parts: header, payload, and signature.
The header typically consists of the type of token and the hashing algorithm used.
The payload contains the claims, which are statements about an entity and additional data.
The signature is used to verify that the sender of the JWT is who it says it is and to ensure that the message wasn't changed along the way.
JWTs are commonly used in authentication mechanisms, where a user logs in and receives a JWT, which is then sent with each subsequent request to authenticate the user.

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