Login and Sessions

Goal

This snapshot advances Saltmarsh Daily by teaching you to authenticate with signed session cookies.

Every numbered folder is a complete app. Run this stage independently, then compare it with the previous folder.

Prerequisites

Use Deno 2+ and a code editor. No Docker is required — each snapshot uses its own SQLite file.

Port 8003 must be free. Copy .env.example before starting database stages.

• Deno runtime
• A code editor and terminal

Concepts

Keep only the user id in the session and load the user per request.

Keep handlers thin: routes present data, server logic enforces rules, and Fresh escapes JSX output by default.

Walkthrough

Verify credentials, set the session cookie, and clear it on logout.

Read the example, then open the matching snapshot. The repository includes the surrounding setup and error handling.

headers.append('Set-Cookie', serializeSession(userId));
return redirect('/');

Run and verify

Enter 07-Login-And-Sessions, install deps, copy .env.example, and start Fresh on port 8003.

Open http://127.0.0.1:8003. Watch the terminal for validation and database errors.

git clone https://github.com/michaeldunga1/fcc-fresh-blog.git
cd fcc-fresh-blog/07-Login-And-Sessions
deno install
cp .env.example .env
deno task start

Troubleshooting

Changing SESSION_SECRET invalidates cookies.

For SQLite failures, confirm DATABASE_PATH and write permissions. Never commit .env or the .db file.

• Read the first error first
• Restart after environment changes
• Never commit secrets

Try this

Log in, restart, confirm session, then log out.

Test a happy path and one invalid or unauthorized request.

• Make one small change
• Test it in the browser
• Compare with the next snapshot only after it works