# Spring Security 6: Complete JWT Authentication

> Practical guide to implementing JWT authentication with Spring Security 6. Configuration, token generation, validation, and security best practices.

- Published: 2026-02-19
- Updated: 2026-03-31
- Author: SharpSkill
- Tags: spring security, jwt, java, spring boot, authentication
- Reading time: 15 min

---

JWT (JSON Web Token) authentication has become the standard for securing modern REST APIs. Spring Security 6 introduces a functional configuration approach that simplifies implementation while strengthening security. This guide covers the entire process, from initial setup to endpoint protection.

> **Prerequisites**
>
> This tutorial uses Spring Boot 3.2+ and Spring Security 6.2+. The concepts remain valid for later versions, with minor syntax adjustments.

## JWT Architecture in Spring Security

JWT authentication relies on a stateless principle: the server stores no session. Each request contains a signed token that proves the user's identity. This architecture enables horizontal scalability without session sharing between instances.

The JWT authentication flow breaks down into several steps. The user authenticates with credentials, receives a signed JWT token, then includes this token in every subsequent request. The server validates the signature and extracts user information from the token.

```java
// JwtAuthenticationFlow.java
// Conceptual representation of the authentication flow
public class JwtAuthenticationFlow {

    // 1. Initial authentication: POST /api/auth/login
    // → Verify credentials against database
    // → Generate signed JWT token
    // → Return token to client

    // 2. Authenticated requests: GET /api/protected
    // → Header: Authorization: Bearer <token>
    // → Extract and validate token
    // → Create SecurityContext
    // → Access protected resource
}
```

This approach eliminates sticky session problems and simplifies deployment in distributed environments.

## Maven Dependencies Configuration

The project requires Spring Security dependencies and a JWT library. JJWT (Java JWT) offers a fluent and well-maintained API for token manipulation.

```xml
<!-- pom.xml -->
<dependencies>
    <!-- Spring Security for authentication management -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-security</artifactId>
    </dependency>

    <!-- Spring Web for REST endpoints -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
    </dependency>

    <!-- JJWT: token generation and validation -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>io.jsonwebtoken</groupId>
        <artifactId>jjwt-api</artifactId>
        <version>0.12.5</version>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>io.jsonwebtoken</groupId>
        <artifactId>jjwt-impl</artifactId>
        <version>0.12.5</version>
        <scope>runtime</scope>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>io.jsonwebtoken</groupId>
        <artifactId>jjwt-jackson</artifactId>
        <version>0.12.5</version>
        <scope>runtime</scope>
    </dependency>

    <!-- Spring Data JPA for user persistence -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-jpa</artifactId>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>
```

The separation into three JJWT modules (api, impl, jackson) follows the encapsulation principle: only the API is visible at compile-time, the implementation remains a runtime detail.

## JWT Generation and Validation Service

The JWT service centralizes all token operations: generation, claims extraction, and validation. A secure secret key signs each token, ensuring its integrity.

```java
// JwtService.java
@Service
public class JwtService {

    // Secret key injected from application.yml
    @Value("${app.jwt.secret}")
    private String secretKey;

    // Token validity duration (24 hours by default)
    @Value("${app.jwt.expiration:86400000}")
    private long jwtExpiration;

    // Generates a JWT token for an authenticated user
    public String generateToken(UserDetails userDetails) {
        return generateToken(new HashMap<>(), userDetails);
    }

    // Generates a token with custom claims
    public String generateToken(Map<String, Object> extraClaims, UserDetails userDetails) {
        return Jwts.builder()
            .claims(extraClaims)                           // Additional claims (roles, permissions)
            .subject(userDetails.getUsername())            // Principal identifier
            .issuedAt(new Date())                          // Creation date
            .expiration(new Date(System.currentTimeMillis() + jwtExpiration))
            .signWith(getSigningKey(), Jwts.SIG.HS256)     // HMAC-SHA256 signature
            .compact();
    }

    // Extracts the username (subject) from the token
    public String extractUsername(String token) {
        return extractClaim(token, Claims::getSubject);
    }

    // Extracts a specific claim via an extraction function
    public <T> T extractClaim(String token, Function<Claims, T> claimsResolver) {
        final Claims claims = extractAllClaims(token);
        return claimsResolver.apply(claims);
    }

    // Validates the token: correct signature and not expired
    public boolean isTokenValid(String token, UserDetails userDetails) {
        final String username = extractUsername(token);
        return username.equals(userDetails.getUsername()) && !isTokenExpired(token);
    }

    // Checks if the token has expired
    private boolean isTokenExpired(String token) {
        return extractExpiration(token).before(new Date());
    }

    // Extracts the expiration date
    private Date extractExpiration(String token) {
        return extractClaim(token, Claims::getExpiration);
    }

    // Parses the token and extracts all claims
    private Claims extractAllClaims(String token) {
        return Jwts.parser()
            .verifyWith(getSigningKey())    // Verifies the signature
            .build()
            .parseSignedClaims(token)       // Parses the signed token
            .getPayload();                  // Returns the claims
    }

    // Generates the signing key from the Base64-encoded secret
    private SecretKey getSigningKey() {
        byte[] keyBytes = Decoders.BASE64.decode(secretKey);
        return Keys.hmacShaKeyFor(keyBytes);
    }
}
```

The secret key must be sufficiently long (256 bits minimum for HS256) and stored securely, never in source code.

> **Secret Key Security**
>
> Use an environment variable or secrets manager for the JWT key. A compromised key allows forging valid tokens for any user.

## User Entity Configuration

The user entity implements Spring Security's `UserDetails`, enabling direct integration with the authentication system.

```java
// User.java
@Entity
@Table(name = "users")
public class User implements UserDetails {

    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    private Long id;

    @Column(unique = true, nullable = false)
    private String email;

    @Column(nullable = false)
    private String password;

    @Column(nullable = false)
    private String firstName;

    @Column(nullable = false)
    private String lastName;

    // Role stored as enum for type safety
    @Enumerated(EnumType.STRING)
    @Column(nullable = false)
    private Role role;

    // UserDetails implementation: returns user authorities
    @Override
    public Collection<? extends GrantedAuthority> getAuthorities() {
        return List.of(new SimpleGrantedAuthority("ROLE_" + role.name()));
    }

    // Username corresponds to email in this implementation
    @Override
    public String getUsername() {
        return email;
    }

    // Account always active (adapt as needed)
    @Override
    public boolean isAccountNonExpired() {
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isAccountNonLocked() {
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isCredentialsNonExpired() {
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isEnabled() {
        return true;
    }

    // Getters and setters omitted for brevity
}
```

```java
// Role.java
public enum Role {
    USER,      // Standard user
    ADMIN      // Administrator with extended privileges
}
```

The `Role` enum limits possible values and simplifies authorization checking in SpEL expressions.

## JWT Authentication Filter

The JWT filter intercepts every request to extract and validate the token. It inserts itself into the Spring Security filter chain before the standard authentication filter.

```java
// JwtAuthenticationFilter.java
@Component
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class JwtAuthenticationFilter extends OncePerRequestFilter {

    private final JwtService jwtService;
    private final UserDetailsService userDetailsService;

    @Override
    protected void doFilterInternal(
        HttpServletRequest request,
        HttpServletResponse response,
        FilterChain filterChain
    ) throws ServletException, IOException {

        // Retrieve the Authorization header
        final String authHeader = request.getHeader("Authorization");

        // Check for Bearer prefix
        if (authHeader == null || !authHeader.startsWith("Bearer ")) {
            filterChain.doFilter(request, response);
            return;
        }

        // Extract the token (without the "Bearer " prefix)
        final String jwt = authHeader.substring(7);

        try {
            // Extract username from token
            final String userEmail = jwtService.extractUsername(jwt);

            // Check that user is not already authenticated
            if (userEmail != null && SecurityContextHolder.getContext().getAuthentication() == null) {

                // Load user details from database
                UserDetails userDetails = userDetailsService.loadUserByUsername(userEmail);

                // Validate token (signature + expiration + user match)
                if (jwtService.isTokenValid(jwt, userDetails)) {

                    // Create authentication object
                    UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken authToken =
                        new UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken(
                            userDetails,
                            null,
                            userDetails.getAuthorities()
                        );

                    // Add request details
                    authToken.setDetails(
                        new WebAuthenticationDetailsSource().buildDetails(request)
                    );

                    // Set authentication in security context
                    SecurityContextHolder.getContext().setAuthentication(authToken);
                }
            }
        } catch (ExpiredJwtException e) {
            // Token expired: user must re-authenticate
            response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
            response.getWriter().write("Token expired");
            return;
        } catch (JwtException e) {
            // Invalid token: incorrect signature or malformed format
            response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
            response.getWriter().write("Invalid token");
            return;
        }

        // Continue the filter chain
        filterChain.doFilter(request, response);
    }
}
```

`OncePerRequestFilter` guarantees the filter executes only once per request, even in case of forward or include.

## Spring Security 6 Configuration

Spring Security 6 uses a functional approach with lambdas to configure the security chain. This configuration defines access rules and integrates the JWT filter.

```java
// SecurityConfig.java
@Configuration
@EnableWebSecurity
@EnableMethodSecurity  // Enables @PreAuthorize and @PostAuthorize
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class SecurityConfig {

    private final JwtAuthenticationFilter jwtAuthFilter;
    private final AuthenticationProvider authenticationProvider;

    @Bean
    public SecurityFilterChain securityFilterChain(HttpSecurity http) throws Exception {
        return http
            // Disable CSRF since API is stateless (no session cookies)
            .csrf(csrf -> csrf.disable())

            // Configure authorization rules
            .authorizeHttpRequests(auth -> auth
                // Public endpoints: authentication and registration
                .requestMatchers("/api/auth/**").permitAll()
                // API documentation accessible without authentication
                .requestMatchers("/swagger-ui/**", "/v3/api-docs/**").permitAll()
                // Admin endpoints reserved for administrators
                .requestMatchers("/api/admin/**").hasRole("ADMIN")
                // All other requests require authentication
                .anyRequest().authenticated()
            )

            // Stateless mode: no server-side HTTP session
            .sessionManagement(session -> session
                .sessionCreationPolicy(SessionCreationPolicy.STATELESS)
            )

            // Custom authentication provider
            .authenticationProvider(authenticationProvider)

            // Insert JWT filter before standard authentication filter
            .addFilterBefore(jwtAuthFilter, UsernamePasswordAuthenticationFilter.class)

            .build();
    }
}
```

```java
// ApplicationConfig.java
@Configuration
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class ApplicationConfig {

    private final UserRepository userRepository;

    // User loading service for Spring Security
    @Bean
    public UserDetailsService userDetailsService() {
        return username -> userRepository.findByEmail(username)
            .orElseThrow(() -> new UsernameNotFoundException("User not found: " + username));
    }

    // Authentication provider with password encoder
    @Bean
    public AuthenticationProvider authenticationProvider() {
        DaoAuthenticationProvider authProvider = new DaoAuthenticationProvider();
        authProvider.setUserDetailsService(userDetailsService());
        authProvider.setPasswordEncoder(passwordEncoder());
        return authProvider;
    }

    // Authentication manager exposed as bean
    @Bean
    public AuthenticationManager authenticationManager(AuthenticationConfiguration config)
        throws Exception {
        return config.getAuthenticationManager();
    }

    // BCrypt encoder for secure password hashing
    @Bean
    public PasswordEncoder passwordEncoder() {
        return new BCryptPasswordEncoder();
    }
}
```

Disabling CSRF is safe for stateless APIs because authentication relies on an explicit header, not a cookie automatically sent by the browser.

## Authentication Controller

The controller exposes registration and login endpoints. These endpoints are public and return the JWT token after successful authentication.

```java
// AuthenticationController.java
@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api/auth")
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class AuthenticationController {

    private final AuthenticationService authService;

    // POST /api/auth/register - Register a new user
    @PostMapping("/register")
    public ResponseEntity<AuthenticationResponse> register(
        @Valid @RequestBody RegisterRequest request
    ) {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(authService.register(request));
    }

    // POST /api/auth/login - Login existing user
    @PostMapping("/login")
    public ResponseEntity<AuthenticationResponse> login(
        @Valid @RequestBody AuthenticationRequest request
    ) {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(authService.authenticate(request));
    }

    // POST /api/auth/refresh - Token refresh (optional)
    @PostMapping("/refresh")
    public ResponseEntity<AuthenticationResponse> refresh(
        @RequestHeader("Authorization") String authHeader
    ) {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(authService.refreshToken(authHeader));
    }
}
```

```java
// AuthenticationRequest.java
public record AuthenticationRequest(
    @NotBlank(message = "Email required")
    @Email(message = "Invalid email format")
    String email,

    @NotBlank(message = "Password required")
    String password
) {}
```

```java
// RegisterRequest.java
public record RegisterRequest(
    @NotBlank(message = "First name required")
    String firstName,

    @NotBlank(message = "Last name required")
    String lastName,

    @NotBlank(message = "Email required")
    @Email(message = "Invalid email format")
    String email,

    @NotBlank(message = "Password required")
    @Size(min = 8, message = "Password must contain at least 8 characters")
    String password
) {}
```

```java
// AuthenticationResponse.java
public record AuthenticationResponse(
    String token,
    String type,
    long expiresIn
) {
    public AuthenticationResponse(String token, long expiresIn) {
        this(token, "Bearer", expiresIn);
    }
}
```

Java records simplify DTO definitions while ensuring immutability.

## Authentication Service

The service orchestrates registration and authentication logic, delegating to `JwtService` for token generation.

```java
// AuthenticationService.java
@Service
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class AuthenticationService {

    private final UserRepository userRepository;
    private final PasswordEncoder passwordEncoder;
    private final JwtService jwtService;
    private final AuthenticationManager authenticationManager;

    @Value("${app.jwt.expiration:86400000}")
    private long jwtExpiration;

    // Register a new user
    @Transactional
    public AuthenticationResponse register(RegisterRequest request) {
        // Check that email is not already in use
        if (userRepository.existsByEmail(request.email())) {
            throw new EmailAlreadyExistsException("Email already registered");
        }

        // Create user entity with hashed password
        User user = new User();
        user.setFirstName(request.firstName());
        user.setLastName(request.lastName());
        user.setEmail(request.email());
        user.setPassword(passwordEncoder.encode(request.password()));
        user.setRole(Role.USER);

        // Persist the user
        userRepository.save(user);

        // Generate and return JWT token
        String jwtToken = jwtService.generateToken(user);
        return new AuthenticationResponse(jwtToken, jwtExpiration);
    }

    // Authenticate an existing user
    public AuthenticationResponse authenticate(AuthenticationRequest request) {
        // Delegate verification to AuthenticationManager
        authenticationManager.authenticate(
            new UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken(
                request.email(),
                request.password()
            )
        );

        // Load user (authentication succeeded)
        User user = userRepository.findByEmail(request.email())
            .orElseThrow(() -> new UsernameNotFoundException("User not found"));

        // Generate token with additional claims
        Map<String, Object> claims = new HashMap<>();
        claims.put("role", user.getRole().name());
        claims.put("userId", user.getId());

        String jwtToken = jwtService.generateToken(claims, user);
        return new AuthenticationResponse(jwtToken, jwtExpiration);
    }

    // Refresh token (extend session)
    public AuthenticationResponse refreshToken(String authHeader) {
        if (authHeader == null || !authHeader.startsWith("Bearer ")) {
            throw new InvalidTokenException("Invalid token");
        }

        String oldToken = authHeader.substring(7);
        String userEmail = jwtService.extractUsername(oldToken);

        User user = userRepository.findByEmail(userEmail)
            .orElseThrow(() -> new UsernameNotFoundException("User not found"));

        // Generate new token
        String newToken = jwtService.generateToken(user);
        return new AuthenticationResponse(newToken, jwtExpiration);
    }
}
```

The `AuthenticationManager` centralizes credential verification, allowing easy changes to authentication strategy.

> **Refresh Token**
>
> For enhanced security, implement a refresh token system with longer validity, stored in the database and revocable.

## Endpoint Protection with Annotations

Method-level security enables granular authorization control directly in business code.

```java
// UserController.java
@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api/users")
@RequiredArgsConstructor
public class UserController {

    private final UserService userService;

    // Accessible to all authenticated users
    @GetMapping("/me")
    public ResponseEntity<UserDTO> getCurrentUser(
        @AuthenticationPrincipal User currentUser
    ) {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(UserDTO.from(currentUser));
    }

    // Only the concerned user or an admin can modify the profile
    @PreAuthorize("hasRole('ADMIN') or #id == authentication.principal.id")
    @PutMapping("/{id}")
    public ResponseEntity<UserDTO> updateUser(
        @PathVariable Long id,
        @Valid @RequestBody UpdateUserRequest request
    ) {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(userService.updateUser(id, request));
    }

    // Reserved for administrators
    @PreAuthorize("hasRole('ADMIN')")
    @GetMapping
    public ResponseEntity<List<UserDTO>> getAllUsers() {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(userService.findAll());
    }

    // Deletion with post-execution verification
    @PreAuthorize("hasRole('ADMIN')")
    @DeleteMapping("/{id}")
    public ResponseEntity<Void> deleteUser(@PathVariable Long id) {
        userService.deleteUser(id);
        return ResponseEntity.noContent().build();
    }
}
```

```java
// AdminController.java
@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api/admin")
@PreAuthorize("hasRole('ADMIN')")  // All methods require ADMIN
public class AdminController {

    private final AdminService adminService;

    @GetMapping("/dashboard")
    public ResponseEntity<DashboardDTO> getDashboard() {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(adminService.getDashboardStats());
    }

    @PostMapping("/users/{id}/role")
    public ResponseEntity<UserDTO> changeUserRole(
        @PathVariable Long id,
        @RequestParam Role newRole
    ) {
        return ResponseEntity.ok(adminService.changeUserRole(id, newRole));
    }
}
```

The `@AuthenticationPrincipal` annotation injects the authenticated user directly, avoiding manual access to the `SecurityContext`.

## Authentication Error Handling

Centralized error handling ensures consistent and informative responses when authentication fails.

```java
// SecurityExceptionHandler.java
@RestControllerAdvice
public class SecurityExceptionHandler {

    private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SecurityExceptionHandler.class);

    // Authentication error (incorrect credentials)
    @ExceptionHandler(BadCredentialsException.class)
    @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED)
    public ErrorResponse handleBadCredentials(BadCredentialsException ex) {
        return new ErrorResponse(
            "INVALID_CREDENTIALS",
            "Invalid email or password",
            null
        );
    }

    // Access denied (authenticated but not authorized)
    @ExceptionHandler(AccessDeniedException.class)
    @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.FORBIDDEN)
    public ErrorResponse handleAccessDenied(AccessDeniedException ex) {
        return new ErrorResponse(
            "ACCESS_DENIED",
            "Access to this resource is not authorized",
            null
        );
    }

    // Expired JWT token
    @ExceptionHandler(ExpiredJwtException.class)
    @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED)
    public ErrorResponse handleExpiredToken(ExpiredJwtException ex) {
        return new ErrorResponse(
            "TOKEN_EXPIRED",
            "Session expired, please log in again",
            null
        );
    }

    // Invalid JWT token
    @ExceptionHandler(JwtException.class)
    @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED)
    public ErrorResponse handleInvalidToken(JwtException ex) {
        log.warn("Invalid JWT token: {}", ex.getMessage());
        return new ErrorResponse(
            "INVALID_TOKEN",
            "Invalid authentication token",
            null
        );
    }

    // Email already in use during registration
    @ExceptionHandler(EmailAlreadyExistsException.class)
    @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.CONFLICT)
    public ErrorResponse handleEmailExists(EmailAlreadyExistsException ex) {
        return new ErrorResponse(
            "EMAIL_EXISTS",
            ex.getMessage(),
            null
        );
    }
}
```

```java
// ErrorResponse.java
public record ErrorResponse(
    String code,
    String message,
    Map<String, String> details
) {}
```

Standardized error codes facilitate client-side processing and debugging.

## Application.yml Configuration

Externalized configuration allows adapting JWT parameters per environment.

```yaml
# application.yml
app:
  jwt:
    # Base64 secret key (256 bits minimum for HS256)
    # Generate with: openssl rand -base64 32
    secret: ${JWT_SECRET:yourSuperSecretKeyOf256BitsMinimum}
    # Validity duration in milliseconds (24 hours)
    expiration: 86400000

spring:
  datasource:
    url: jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/springjwt
    username: ${DB_USERNAME:postgres}
    password: ${DB_PASSWORD:postgres}
  jpa:
    hibernate:
      ddl-auto: validate
    show-sql: false
```

```yaml
# application-dev.yml
app:
  jwt:
    # Short expiration for development (1 hour)
    expiration: 3600000

spring:
  jpa:
    show-sql: true
    hibernate:
      ddl-auto: update

logging:
  level:
    org.springframework.security: DEBUG
```

In production, the secret key should come from an environment variable or a secrets management service like Vault.

## Integration Tests

Tests verify the complete behavior of the authentication system, from registration to accessing protected resources.

```java
// AuthenticationIntegrationTest.java
@SpringBootTest(webEnvironment = WebEnvironment.RANDOM_PORT)
@AutoConfigureTestDatabase(replace = Replace.ANY)
class AuthenticationIntegrationTest {

    @Autowired
    private TestRestTemplate restTemplate;

    @Autowired
    private UserRepository userRepository;

    @BeforeEach
    void setUp() {
        userRepository.deleteAll();
    }

    @Test
    void shouldRegisterAndAuthenticateUser() {
        // Registration
        RegisterRequest registerRequest = new RegisterRequest(
            "John", "Doe", "john@example.com", "password123"
        );

        ResponseEntity<AuthenticationResponse> registerResponse = restTemplate
            .postForEntity("/api/auth/register", registerRequest, AuthenticationResponse.class);

        assertThat(registerResponse.getStatusCode()).isEqualTo(HttpStatus.OK);
        assertThat(registerResponse.getBody().token()).isNotBlank();

        // Login with same credentials
        AuthenticationRequest loginRequest = new AuthenticationRequest(
            "john@example.com", "password123"
        );

        ResponseEntity<AuthenticationResponse> loginResponse = restTemplate
            .postForEntity("/api/auth/login", loginRequest, AuthenticationResponse.class);

        assertThat(loginResponse.getStatusCode()).isEqualTo(HttpStatus.OK);
        assertThat(loginResponse.getBody().token()).isNotBlank();
    }

    @Test
    void shouldRejectInvalidCredentials() {
        AuthenticationRequest request = new AuthenticationRequest(
            "unknown@example.com", "wrongpassword"
        );

        ResponseEntity<ErrorResponse> response = restTemplate
            .postForEntity("/api/auth/login", request, ErrorResponse.class);

        assertThat(response.getStatusCode()).isEqualTo(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED);
    }

    @Test
    void shouldAccessProtectedResourceWithValidToken() {
        // Register to get a token
        RegisterRequest registerRequest = new RegisterRequest(
            "Jane", "Doe", "jane@example.com", "password123"
        );

        AuthenticationResponse authResponse = restTemplate
            .postForObject("/api/auth/register", registerRequest, AuthenticationResponse.class);

        // Access protected resource with token
        HttpHeaders headers = new HttpHeaders();
        headers.setBearerAuth(authResponse.token());

        ResponseEntity<UserDTO> response = restTemplate.exchange(
            "/api/users/me",
            HttpMethod.GET,
            new HttpEntity<>(headers),
            UserDTO.class
        );

        assertThat(response.getStatusCode()).isEqualTo(HttpStatus.OK);
        assertThat(response.getBody().email()).isEqualTo("jane@example.com");
    }

    @Test
    void shouldRejectAccessWithoutToken() {
        ResponseEntity<Void> response = restTemplate
            .getForEntity("/api/users/me", Void.class);

        assertThat(response.getStatusCode()).isEqualTo(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED);
    }
}
```

These tests cover the main scenarios: registration, login, authorized access, and denied access.

## Conclusion

Implementing JWT authentication with Spring Security 6 follows a well-defined pattern. The JWT service handles token generation and validation, the filter intercepts requests to establish the security context, and the configuration defines access rules.

**Deployment checklist:**

- ✅ Secret key of 256 bits minimum stored in environment variable
- ✅ HTTPS mandatory in production to protect tokens in transit
- ✅ Token validity duration adapted to context (15 min to 24h)
- ✅ Refresh token for long sessions without re-authentication
- ✅ Standardized error handling with business codes
- ✅ Logging of failed authentication attempts
- ✅ Integration tests covering authentication scenarios
- ✅ Rate limiting on authentication endpoints

This architecture provides a solid foundation for securing REST APIs, while remaining extensible for more complex needs like multi-factor authentication or OAuth2 integration.

---

Source: SharpSkill (https://sharpskill.dev), tech interview preparation for your real stack.
HTML version of this page: https://sharpskill.dev/en/blog/spring-boot/spring-security-6-jwt-authentication