iron-session

What is iron-session?

The iron-session npm package is a lightweight and secure way to manage sessions in a Node.js application. It uses encryption to store session data in cookies, ensuring that the data is both secure and tamper-proof.

What are iron-session's main functionalities?

Create a session

This code demonstrates how to create a session and store user data in it. The session data is encrypted and stored in a cookie.

const { withIronSession } = require('iron-session/next');

const handler = async (req, res) => {
  req.session.set('user', { id: 1, admin: true });
  await req.session.save();
  res.send('Session created');
};

module.exports = withIronSession(handler, {
  password: process.env.SECRET_COOKIE_PASSWORD,
  cookieName: 'myapp_cookiename',
  cookieOptions: {
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
  },
});

Retrieve session data

This code demonstrates how to retrieve session data. It checks if a user session exists and sends the user data in the response.

const { withIronSession } = require('iron-session/next');

const handler = async (req, res) => {
  const user = req.session.get('user');
  if (user) {
    res.send(`User ID: ${user.id}, Admin: ${user.admin}`);
  } else {
    res.send('No user session found');
  }
};

module.exports = withIronSession(handler, {
  password: process.env.SECRET_COOKIE_PASSWORD,
  cookieName: 'myapp_cookiename',
  cookieOptions: {
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
  },
});

Destroy a session

This code demonstrates how to destroy a session. It removes the session data from the cookie.

const { withIronSession } = require('iron-session/next');

const handler = async (req, res) => {
  req.session.destroy();
  res.send('Session destroyed');
};

module.exports = withIronSession(handler, {
  password: process.env.SECRET_COOKIE_PASSWORD,
  cookieName: 'myapp_cookiename',
  cookieOptions: {
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
  },
});

Other packages similar to iron-session

express-session

express-session is a popular session middleware for Express applications. It stores session data on the server-side, which can be more secure but requires additional storage management. Unlike iron-session, it does not encrypt session data by default.

cookie-session

cookie-session is another middleware for Express that stores session data in cookies. It is similar to iron-session in that it keeps session data client-side, but it does not provide built-in encryption, making it less secure out of the box.

client-sessions

client-sessions is a middleware that stores session data in cookies with optional encryption. It is similar to iron-session in terms of functionality but offers more configuration options for cookie storage and encryption.

README

iron-session

A runtime-agnostic stateless session utility. Works with Next.js, Node.js, Deno, Bun, and more.

The session data is stored in signed and encrypted cookies ("seals") which can only be decoded by your server. There are no session ids, making sessions "stateless" from the server point of view. This strategy of storing session data is the same technique used by frameworks like Ruby On Rails.

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Usage
• Options Definitions
• API
  • Iron Session Object
  • Functions
  • Options
  • Example
• FAQ
• Credits
• Good Reads

Installation

npm add iron-session

Change the package manager to whatever you use, of course. On Deno, you can use esm.sh:

import { getIronSession } from 'https://esm.sh/iron-session@latest'

Usage

Refer to the examples.

1. Define your session options
2. Initialize your session with:
   • sessionOptions and the respective parameters
   • the type definition of your session data
3. Set the session data variables
4. Set the data to or read the data from the browser cookie storage
   • session.save(): Set the session variables as an encrypted string to the browser cookie storage
   • session.destroy(): Set cookie value in the browser cookie storage as an empty value to clear the cookie data
   • Read the session variables by decrypting the encrypted string from the cookie browser storage

Options Definitions

Only two options are required: password and cookieName. Everything else is automatically computed and usually doesn't need to be changed.

• password, required: Private key used to encrypt the cookie. It has to be at least 32 characters long. Use https://1password.com/password-generator/ to generate strong passwords. password can be either a string or an array of objects like this: [{id: 2, password: "..."}, {id: 1, password: "..."}] to allow for password rotation.
• cookieName, required: Name of the cookie to be stored
• ttl, optional: In seconds. Default to the equivalent of 14 days. You can set this to 0 and iron-session will compute the maximum allowed value by cookies (~70 years).
• cookieOptions, optional: Any option available from jshttp/cookie#serialize except for encode which is not a Set-Cookie Attribute. See Mozilla Set-Cookie Attributes and Chrome Cookie Fields. Default to:

{
  httpOnly: true,
  secure: true, // true when using https, false otherwise
  sameSite: "lax", // https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Set-Cookie/SameSite#lax
  // The next line makes sure browser will expire cookies before seals are considered expired by the server. It also allows for clock difference of 60 seconds maximum between servers and clients.
  maxAge: (ttl === 0 ? 2147483647 : ttl) - 60,
  path: "/",
  // other options:
  // domain, if you want the cookie to be valid for the whole domain and subdomains, use domain: example.com
  // expires, there should be no need to use this option, maxAge takes precedence
  // ...
}

The final type definition for CookieOptions ends up to be

'domain' | 'path' | 'secure' | 'sameSite' | 'name' | 'value' | 'expires' | 'httpOnly' | 'maxAge' | 'priority'

Type Definitions from iron-session/dist/index.node.d.cts

IronSessionOptions

interface IronSessionOptions {
    /**
     * The cookie name that will be used inside the browser. Make sure it's unique
     * given your application.
     *
     * @example 'vercel-session'
     */
    cookieName: string;
    /**
     * The password(s) that will be used to encrypt the cookie. Can either be a string
     * or an object.
     *
     * When you provide multiple passwords then all of them will be used to decrypt
     * the cookie. But only the most recent (`= highest key`, `2` in the example)
     * password will be used to encrypt the cookie. This allows password rotation.
     *
     * @example { 1: 'password-1', 2: 'password-2' }
     */
    password: Password;
    /**
     * The time (in seconds) that the session will be valid for. Also sets the
     * `max-age` attribute of the cookie automatically (`= ttl - 60s`, so that the
     * cookie always expire before the session).
     *
     * `ttl = 0` means no expiration.
     *
     * @default 1209600
     */
    ttl?: number;
    /**
     * The options that will be passed to the cookie library.
     *
     * If you want to use "session cookies" (cookies that are deleted when the browser
     * is closed) then you need to pass `cookieOptions: { maxAge: undefined }`
     *
     * @see https://github.com/jshttp/cookie#options-1
     */
    cookieOptions?: CookieOptions;
}

CookieOptions

/**
 * Set-Cookie Attributes do not include `encode`. We omit this from our `cookieOptions` type.
 *
 * @see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Set-Cookie
 * @see https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/application/cookies/
 */
type CookieOptions = Omit<CookieSerializeOptions, 'encode'>

CookieSerializeOptions

interface CookieSerializeOptions {
    /**
     * Specifies the value for the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.2.3|Domain Set-Cookie attribute}. By default, no
     * domain is set, and most clients will consider the cookie to apply to only
     * the current domain.
     */
    domain?: string | undefined;

    /**
     * Specifies a function that will be used to encode a cookie's value. Since
     * value of a cookie has a limited character set (and must be a simple
     * string), this function can be used to encode a value into a string suited
     * for a cookie's value.
     *
     * The default function is the global `encodeURIComponent`, which will
     * encode a JavaScript string into UTF-8 byte sequences and then URL-encode
     * any that fall outside of the cookie range.
     */
    encode?(value: string): string;

    /**
     * Specifies the `Date` object to be the value for the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.2.1|`Expires` `Set-Cookie` attribute}. By default,
     * no expiration is set, and most clients will consider this a "non-persistent cookie" and will delete
     * it on a condition like exiting a web browser application.
     *
     * *Note* the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.3|cookie storage model specification}
     * states that if both `expires` and `maxAge` are set, then `maxAge` takes precedence, but it is
     * possible not all clients by obey this, so if both are set, they should
     * point to the same date and time.
     */
    expires?: Date | undefined;
    /**
     * Specifies the boolean value for the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.2.6|`HttpOnly` `Set-Cookie` attribute}.
     * When truthy, the `HttpOnly` attribute is set, otherwise it is not. By
     * default, the `HttpOnly` attribute is not set.
     *
     * *Note* be careful when setting this to true, as compliant clients will
     * not allow client-side JavaScript to see the cookie in `document.cookie`.
     */
    httpOnly?: boolean | undefined;
    /**
     * Specifies the number (in seconds) to be the value for the `Max-Age`
     * `Set-Cookie` attribute. The given number will be converted to an integer
     * by rounding down. By default, no maximum age is set.
     *
     * *Note* the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.3|cookie storage model specification}
     * states that if both `expires` and `maxAge` are set, then `maxAge` takes precedence, but it is
     * possible not all clients by obey this, so if both are set, they should
     * point to the same date and time.
     */
    maxAge?: number | undefined;
    /**
     * Specifies the value for the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.2.4|`Path` `Set-Cookie` attribute}.
     * By default, the path is considered the "default path".
     */
    path?: string | undefined;
    /**
     * Specifies the `string` to be the value for the [`Priority` `Set-Cookie` attribute][rfc-west-cookie-priority-00-4.1].
     *
     * - `'low'` will set the `Priority` attribute to `Low`.
     * - `'medium'` will set the `Priority` attribute to `Medium`, the default priority when not set.
     * - `'high'` will set the `Priority` attribute to `High`.
     *
     * More information about the different priority levels can be found in
     * [the specification][rfc-west-cookie-priority-00-4.1].
     *
     * **note** This is an attribute that has not yet been fully standardized, and may change in the future.
     * This also means many clients may ignore this attribute until they understand it.
     */
    priority?: 'low' | 'medium' | 'high' | undefined;
    /**
     * Specifies the boolean or string to be the value for the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-httpbis-rfc6265bis-03#section-4.1.2.7|`SameSite` `Set-Cookie` attribute}.
     *
     * - `true` will set the `SameSite` attribute to `Strict` for strict same
     * site enforcement.
     * - `false` will not set the `SameSite` attribute.
     * - `'lax'` will set the `SameSite` attribute to Lax for lax same site
     * enforcement.
     * - `'strict'` will set the `SameSite` attribute to Strict for strict same
     * site enforcement.
     *  - `'none'` will set the SameSite attribute to None for an explicit
     *  cross-site cookie.
     *
     * More information about the different enforcement levels can be found in {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-httpbis-rfc6265bis-03#section-4.1.2.7|the specification}.
     *
     * *note* This is an attribute that has not yet been fully standardized, and may change in the future. This also means many clients may ignore this attribute until they understand it.
     */
    sameSite?: true | false | 'lax' | 'strict' | 'none' | undefined;
    /**
     * Specifies the boolean value for the {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265#section-5.2.5|`Secure` `Set-Cookie` attribute}. When truthy, the
     * `Secure` attribute is set, otherwise it is not. By default, the `Secure` attribute is not set.
     *
     * *Note* be careful when setting this to `true`, as compliant clients will
     * not send the cookie back to the server in the future if the browser does
     * not have an HTTPS connection.
     */
    secure?: boolean | undefined;
}

API

Iron Session Object

getIronSession(req: Request | IncomingMessage, res: Response | ServerResponse, userSessionOptions: IronSessionOptions): Promise<IronSession>

const session = getIronSession<IronSessionData>(req, res, sessionOptions)

The API Route Handler that uses getIronSession and returns the Response needs to be called from a client-side environment (ie. a 'use client' file).

getServerActionIronSession(userSessionOptions: IronSessionOptions, cookieHandler: ICookieHandler): Promise<IronSession>

const session = getServerActionIronSession<IronSessionData>(sessionOptions, cookies())

The getServerActionIronSession implementation uses the cookies() function from next/headers to set the cookies so that Iron Session can be used in NextJS Server Actions and React Server Components in a server-side environment (ie. a 'use server' file).

Iron Session Functions

session.save(saveOptions?: OverridableOptions)

Saves the session and sets the cookie header to be sent once the response is sent.

await session.save()

session.destroy(destroyOptions?: OverridableOptions)

Empties the session object and sets the cookie header to be sent once the response is sent. The browser will then set the cookie value as an empty value.

await session.destroy()

Upon calling either session.save() or session.destroy() the session values are saved to the browser cookie storage.

Iron Session Options

Default Options

const defaultOptions: Required<OverridableOptions> = {
  ttl: fourteenDaysInSeconds,
  cookieOptions: { httpOnly: true, secure: true, sameSite: 'lax', path: '/' },
}

User Session Options

You may apply options during the Iron Session object initialization. These options will superseded and override any options set in Default Options. For example: refer to cookieOptions in lib/session.ts in the below NextJS Example.

Override Options

You may apply options during the .save() or .destroy() function calls. These options will superseded and override any options set in Default Options and User Session Options.

For example:

type OverridableOptions = {
    ttl?: number;
    cookieOptions?: CookieOptions;
}

await session.save({ cookieOptions: { priority: 'high'} })

NextJS Example

lib/session.ts

import {
  IronSessionOptions, getIronSession, IronSessionData, getServerActionIronSession
} from 'iron-session'

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export const sessionOptions: IronSessionOptions = {
  password: 'change-this-this-is-not-a-secure-password',
  cookieName: 'cookieNameInBrowser',
  cookieOptions: {
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
  },
}

declare module 'iron-session' {
  interface IronSessionData {
    cookieVariable?: string;
  }
}

const getSession = async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
  const session = getIronSession<IronSessionData>(req, res, sessionOptions)
  return session
}

const getServerActionSession = async () => {
  const session = getServerActionIronSession<IronSessionData>(sessionOptions, cookies())
  return session
}

export {
  getSession,
  getServerActionSession
}

getIronSession

src/app/clientActions.ts

'use client'

export const submitCookieToStorageRouteHandler = async (cookie: string) => {
  await fetch('http://localhost:3000/api/submitIronSessionCookie', {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify({
      cookie,
    }),
    headers: {
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    },
  })
}

export const readCookieFromStorageRouteHandler = async (): Promise<string> => {
  const responseWithCookieFromStorage = await fetch('http://localhost:3000/api/readIronSessionCookie', {
    method: 'GET',
    headers: {
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    },
  })
  const data = await responseWithCookieFromStorage.json();
  const cookieValue = data?.cookieInStorage || 'No Cookie In Storage'
  return cookieValue
}

src/api/submitIronSessionCookie/route.ts

import { getSession } from '../../../../lib/session'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  try {
    const requestBody = await request.json()
    const { cookie }: { cookie: string } = requestBody
    const response = new Response()
    const session = await getSession(request, response)
    session.cookieVariable = cookie
    await session.save()
    return response
  } catch (error: unknown) {
    console.error((error as Error).message)
    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ message: (error as Error).message }), { status: 500 })
  }
}

src/api/readIronSessionCookie/route.ts

import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
import { getSession } from '../../../../lib/session'

export async function GET(request: Request, response: Response) {
  try {
    const session = await getSession(request, response)
    const cookeValue = session.cookieVariable || 'No Cookie Stored!'
    return NextResponse.json({ cookieInStorage: cookeValue })
  } catch (error: unknown) {
    console.error((error as Error).message)
    return new Response(JSON.stringify({ message: (error as Error).message }), { status: 500 })
  }
}

getServerActionIronSession

src/app/serverActions.ts

'use server'

import { getServerActionSession } from '../../lib/session'

export const submitCookieToStorageServerAction = async (cookie: string) => {
  const session = await getServerActionSession()
  session.cookieVariable = cookie
  await session.save()
}

export const readCookieFromStorageServerAction = async (): Promise<string> => {
  const session = await getServerActionSession()
  return session.cookieVariable || 'No Cookie Stored!'
}

next.config.js

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
    experimental: {
      serverActions: true,
    },
  }

module.exports = nextConfig

FAQ

When should I use getIronSession or getServerActionIronSession?

Use getIronSession when you wish to use Iron Session in a client-side environment with API Route Handlers and use getServerActionIronSession when you wish to use Iron Session in a server-side environment with Server Components.

For NextJS projects using App Router with Server Actions enabled in their next.config.js file, using getServerActionIronSession is preferable for two reasons:

• allows Iron Session to be called and used from a server-side environment
• allows for more concise code. Server Actions can be called directly from your components without the need for a manually created API route. You can see the smaller amount of code used for getServerActionIronSession compared to getIronSession in the example.

Credits

• Eran Hammer and hapi.js contributors for creating the underlying cryptography library @hapi/iron.
• Divyansh Singh for reimplementing @hapi/iron as iron-webcrypto using standard web APIs.
• Hoang Vo for advice and guidance while building this module. Hoang built next-connect and next-session.
• All the contributors for making this project better.

Good Reads

• https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Session_Management_Cheat_Sheet.html
• https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Cross-Site_Request_Forgery_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html