Authentication is a key component of software development.

It helps to protect user data and prevent malicious activities.

Creating a custom authentication system can be a time-consuming task, and this is where NextAuth.js comes in handy.

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It provides secure authentication support for applications built with the Next.js framework.

What Is NextAuth.js?

NextAuth.jsis an open-source lightweight library that providesauthentication and authorizationsupport for Next.js applications.

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It lets developers quickly and easily set up authentication and authorization for their Next.js apps.

It provides features such as authentication with multiple providers, email, and passwordless authentication.

How Does NextAuth.js Work in Authentication?

NextAuth.js’s authentication solution provides a client-side API that you canintegrate into your Next.js utility.

you could use it to authenticate users with different sign-in providers with whom they have created accounts.

Under the hood, users get redirected to a provider’s sign-in page.

Upon successful authentication, the provider returns session data that contains the user’s payload.

This payload can then authorize access to the system and its resources.

New Feature Updates in NextAuth.js (v4)

In December 2022, NextAuth.js released its fourth version.

This version has been improved from its earlier version, v3, with new updates and modifications.

The changes mainly focus on improving the usage of the library in the authentication process.

See the code below:

2.

SessionProvider Context Becomes Mandatory

The new version four mandates the usage of the SessionProvider context.

This means you will have to wrap your app with the useSession Provider.

NextAuth.js recommends wrapping your app within the_app.jsxfile.

Additionally, the clientMaxAge method has been replaced with refetchInterval.

This will make it easier to fetch the session periodically in the background.

They include:

In this new version, you’re gonna wanna import each provider individually.

Here is a DOM rendering for a login component:

TheuseSessionHook accesses the current user session object.

Ultimately, the choice will depend on your needs and preferences.