Understanding Protected Routes

Learn how to secure certain parts of your application using protected routes.

Protected routes ensure only authenticated users can access specific pages or content.

What Are Protected Routes?

Protected routes are sections of your application that are accessible only to authenticated users. They prevent unauthorized users from accessing sensitive pages, ensuring application security and a streamlined user experience.

How It Works

1. Authentication Check

The useAuth hook determines whether a user is authenticated:

const isAuthenticated = useAuth();

It returns true if the user is authenticated and false otherwise.

This right now assumes that there inside routes are rendered via client side rendering.

2. Conditional Rendering

Based on the authentication status, the component decides what to render:

if (!isAuthenticated) {
  return <DashboardSkeleton />;
}

If the user is not authenticated, a placeholder (e.g., DashboardSkeleton) is displayed until authentication is resolved or the user is redirected.

3. Secure Access

Once authenticated, the protected content and layout are rendered:

if (isAuthenticated) {
  return <ProtectedContent />;
}

In addition to placeholders like DashboardSkeleton the above hook will redirect the user automatically to the homepage if he is not logged in.

Benefits of Protected Routes

Security: Prevent unauthorized access to sensitive features or data.
User Experience: Ensure users only see content relevant to their authentication status.
Application Flow: Maintain a clear and predictable structure for users.

Best Practices

Ensure the authentication logic is lightweight and efficient.
Handle edge cases, such as expired sessions or token validation failures.
Use secure storage (e.g., cookies with HttpOnly and Secure flags) for session data.

For more detailed information, refer to the documentation or consult your authentication provider's guide.