## Why JWT — and Why Most Implementations Are Wrong
When I built the admin module for my portfolio, I needed authentication that was stateless, secure, and simple to maintain. JWT was the obvious choice. But after reading dozens of tutorials, I noticed most of them stop right where the real problems begin.
## The Correct Mental Model for JWT
A JWT is a signed claim. When a user logs in, you give them a signed token that says "this user is who they say they are." Every subsequent request carries this token. You verify the signature — no database lookup needed.