Express 5 Logout API
The logout API securely ends a user session by invalidating authentication tokens. In cookie-based authentication, this is done by clearing the HTTP-only JWT cookie. For header-based authentication, logout is handled client-side by deleting the stored token. This endpoint ensures proper session termination and prevents further access to protected routes.
Logout Flow Overview
High-level flow explaining how logout works for cookie-based and header-based authentication.
Logout Route
Defines the logout endpoint. This route is protected so only authenticated users can log out.
Logout Controller
Clears the authentication cookie to invalidate the session. If the application uses Authorization headers instead of cookies, the client should remove the token manually after a successful logout response.
Important Notes About Logout
Key points developers must understand when implementing logout in JWT-based systems.
Related Documents
Express 5 User Register API (Production Ready)
Step-by-step guide to build a secure user registration API using Express 5 (Node.js 22 LTS) and MongoDB. This documentation focuses on real-world project structure: full server setup, proper folder organization, schema design, request validation, password hashing, duplicate user prevention, JWT token generation, and clean error handling. Ideal for beginners who want production-quality code, not just theory.