# Laravel Sanctum

What is Laravel Sanctum?

Laravel Sanctum provides a simple and secure authentication system for APIs and single-page applications (SPAs). It enables token-based authentication while supporting session-based authentication for web applications.

---

## Origin

Sanctum was introduced to simplify API authentication and address the complexities of using OAuth for smaller-scale applications.

---

## Why is Laravel Sanctum Used?

1. **Simplifies API Authentication**: Provides an alternative to complex OAuth setups.
2. **Secure Token Management**: Issues and revokes personal access tokens easily.
3. **Supports Multiple Use Cases**: Handles APIs, SPAs, and traditional web applications.

---

## Best Practices

1. **Use for APIs and SPAs**: Sanctum is ideal for applications requiring token-based authentication.
2. **Protect Routes with Middleware**: Use Sanctum's middleware to secure API endpoints.
3. **Revoke Expired Tokens**: Periodically clear unused or expired tokens.

---

## Example in Action

Install Sanctum:

```bash
composer require laravel/sanctum
```

Publish the configuration:

```bash
php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Laravel\Sanctum\SanctumServiceProvider"
```

Protect API routes:

```php
Route::middleware('auth:sanctum')->get('/user', function (Request $request) {
    return $request->user();
});
```

Issue a token for a user:

```php
$token = $user->createToken('API Token')->plainTextToken;
```

Read this definition in a browser: https://ranetrace.com/glossary/laravel-sanctum