JWT

Actions3

Overview

The JWT node in n8n allows you to create (sign), verify, and decode JSON Web Tokens (JWTs).
For the Default → Sign operation, this node generates a JWT using the specified algorithm and claims. This is useful for authentication, authorization, or securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object.

Common scenarios:

Generating tokens for API authentication.
Creating signed tokens for single sign-on (SSO) systems.
Issuing custom tokens for secure communication between microservices.

Example:
You can use this node to generate a JWT with specific claims (like user ID, expiration time, etc.) that your backend or third-party service will accept for authentication.

Properties

Name	Type	Meaning
Algorithm	options	The cryptographic algorithm used to sign the token (e.g., HS256, RS256, ES256, etc.).
Advanced Claim Builder	boolean	Enables advanced mode to input claims as raw JSON instead of using individual fields.
Claims	collection	Standard JWT claims (audience, expiresIn, issuer, jwtid, notBefore, subject) as key-value pairs. Used if Advanced Claim Builder is off.
Claims	json	Raw JSON object containing all claims. Used if Advanced Claim Builder is on.

Output

The output is an object with a single field:
- token: The generated JWT string.

Example output:

{
  "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."
}

Dependencies

External library: jsonwebtoken
Credentials: Requires n8n credentials named jwtSecret with one of the following:
- Secret (for HMAC algorithms)
- Private Key (for RSA/ECDSA algorithms)
- Public Key (for verification, not signing)
- Passphrase (if private key is encrypted)

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

Invalid or missing secret/key: Ensure the correct secret or private key is provided in the credentials.
Algorithm mismatch: The selected algorithm must match the type of key/secret provided.
Malformed claims JSON: If using Advanced Claim Builder, ensure the JSON is valid.
Error messages:
- "invalid algorithm": Check that the algorithm matches your key type.
- "secret or private key must be provided": Make sure credentials are set up correctly.
- "jwt malformed": Input claims or configuration may be incorrect.

How to resolve:

Double-check your credentials and algorithm selection.
Validate your claims JSON before submitting.
Use the standard claim builder if unsure about the JSON structure.

JWT