How to Set JWT Refresh Token Expiry Based on MySQL Date-Time in PHP

Learn how to set JWT refresh token expiry using MySQL date-time values in PHP. Ensure your token expires exactly at the desired date and time.
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How to Set JWT Refresh Token Expiry Based on MySQL Date-Time in PHP

When building applications that use JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for authentication, managing token expiry can be crucial for both security and user experience. One common scenario developers encounter is setting the expiry of a JWT refresh token to a specific date and time retrieved from a MySQL database. In this article, we will tackle this issue step-by-step and show you how to configure the refresh token expiry in PHP.

The Problem

Suppose you have a MySQL column (allocexpdt) that stores expiry dates in the format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS. For instance:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

You want the refresh token to expire on 30-05-2022 at 11:59:59. The challenge is achieving this using the native PHP time() function while also considering the database’s date-time format. If you simply use the current time, you'll run into issues where the token may expire prematurely, leading to a poor user experience.

Solution Overview

To solve this problem, we can take two different approaches:

Directly in MySQL Query: Modify your SQL query to format the date as desired.

Using PHP: Process the MySQL date-time string using PHP date and time functions.

Let's dive into both solutions in detail.

Option 1: MySQL Query Modification

You can achieve the required date format directly in the MySQL query. By using UNIX timestamps, you can set the desired expiration timing correctly. Here's how you can adjust your query:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation:

The DATE(allocexpdt) function retrieves just the date portion (e.g., 2022-05-30).

Adding 1 day to the date moves the time to 2022-05-31 00:00:00.

Subtracting 1 second sets the time to 2022-05-30 23:59:59, which is exactly what you need for your token expiry.

Option 2: Using PHP

If you prefer to handle the expiry in PHP, here's a straightforward approach using the DateTime class:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation:

Here, we first extract the date part using substr() and append 23:59:59 to it.

The DateTime class then converts this string into a timestamp, which can further be used to set the expiry in your JWT implementation.

Conclusion

Setting a JWT refresh token expiry using MySQL date-time values ensures that your tokens are valid exactly when you need them to be — down to the second. With the methods provided above, you can seamlessly implement a solution that meets your application's needs while maintaining a positive user experience. Whether you choose to format the date inside your SQL query or handle it within PHP, both methods will help you achieve that exact expiry time.

Now, you can ensure that your JWT refresh tokens are reliable and user-friendly! Feel free to try both methods and see which one fits your coding style best.