JWT vs Session Authentication: Key Differences, Security & Architecture

JWTs (JSON Web Tokens) are stateless, self-contained digital signatures verified client-side or by microservices without database queries. Server sessions store state in a centralized store (Redis/DB) and issue an opaque session ID cookie.

Architectural Verdict

Use Server-Side Sessions (stored in Redis or Postgres with HttpOnly cookies) for standard monolithic web apps where instant revocation is critical. Use JWTs for stateless cross-service microservices or OAuth2/OpenID authorization flows.