Imagine walking into a secure building but not needing a key. Instead, you receive a message that grants you access directly—this is the magic of passwordless authentication! With Passport.js and magic links, users can sign up and log in without the cumbersome need for traditional passwords. In this blog post, we’ll delve into how to set up this user-friendly feature in your applications, troubleshoot potential issues, and ensure a seamless experience for your users.

What is Magic Link Authentication?

Magic link authentication uses a tokenized approach to let users authenticate themselves without a password. After entering their email or phone number, users receive a magic link via their chosen method (email, SMS, etc.) to log in. It’s like receiving a personal invitation to a VIP event—just click the link, and you’re in!

How to Set Up Passwordless Authentication

Here is a step-by-step guide to implementing magic link authentication in your application:

1. Install the Magic Login Package

• First, you’ll need to install the passport-magic-login package using npm:

npm install passport-magic-login

2. Set Up Passport.js Strategy and Express Routes

On your server, set up the Passport strategy along with Express routes:

import MagicLoginStrategy from 'passport-magic-login';

const magicLogin = new MagicLoginStrategy({
    secret: process.env.MAGIC_LINK_SECRET,
    callbackUrl: authmagiclogincallback,
    sendMagicLink: async (destination, href) => {
        await sendEmail({
            to: destination,
            body: `Click this link to finish logging in: https://yourcompany.com${href}`
        });
    },
    verify: (payload, callback) => {
        getOrCreateUserWithEmail(payload.destination)
            .then(user => callback(null, user))
            .catch(err => callback(err));
    },
    jwtOptions: {
        expiresIn: '2 days',
    }
});
passport.use(magicLogin);

3. Create Frontend Request

In your client code, send a request to the server once the user enters their email or phone number:

fetch(authmagiclogin, {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify({
        destination: email,
        name: name,
    }),
    headers: {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
}).then(res => res.json()).then(json => {
    if (json.success) {
        // Notify user to check their email for the magic link!
        document.body.innerText = json.code; // For verification
    }
});

4. Set Up Your Server to Handle Requests

Lastly, in your Express server, add the following routes:

app.post(authmagiclogin, magicLogin.send);
app.get(magicLogin.callbackUrl, passport.authenticate('magiclogin'));

Troubleshooting Common Issues

As with any implementation, you might run into a few bumps along the way. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

• If emails are not sending: Check your SMTP configuration and ensure that your sendEmail function is correctly set up.
• If the magic link doesn’t work: Make sure that the callback URL correctly matches the domain you’re testing on. Also, ensure that the token hasn’t expired.
• If you’re not fetching user data correctly: Confirm that your getOrCreateUserWithEmail function is functioning as intended and is querying the database accurately.

If you continue to face challenges, remember that help is always at hand. For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

By using magic link authentication, you create a user-friendly experience that simplifies the sign-up and login process, making it more secure and efficient. Now go ahead and implement magic links in your applications and provide your users with a seamless way to access your services!