Securely Storing User Credentials in React Native Apps
When building a login system in a React Native app, one crucial aspect is storing user credentials securely. You want to avoid requiring users to re-enter their username and password every time they open the app. But where can you safely store this sensitive information?
The Dangers of AsyncStorage
Some might suggest using AsyncStorage, but this is not a secure solution. Critical information like login tokens or refresh tokens should never be stored in a plain, unsecured environment.
Introducing React-Native-Keychain
To store information securely, use react-native-keychain. This library provides a secure way to store and retrieve user credentials. In this tutorial, we’ll build a basic app that demonstrates how to use react-native-keychain to save tokens securely and authenticate users.
Building a Basic UI
First, let’s create a simple login screen with a dark theme. Here’s the code for the UI:
Installing React-Native-Keychain
Next, install react-native-keychain using npm or yarn:
Implementing React-Native-Keychain
This keychain provides three essential methods: setGenericPassword, getGenericPassword, and resetGenericPassword. These methods allow you to store, retrieve, and delete credentials securely.
Storing User Credentials
In our example, we’ll use the setGenericPassword method to store the user token, not the password itself. It’s essential to use a token with an expiry date instead of storing user passwords on the client-side.
Building a Welcome Screen
After a successful login, we’ll display a welcome screen with the username. Our code will update the state to show the welcome UI and hide the login UI.
Logout Functionality
We’ll also add a logout button that resets the user’s credentials from secure storage and updates the state to its initial values.
Using useEffect for Seamless User Experience
To ensure a seamless user experience, we’ll use the useEffect hook to retrieve user credentials from secure storage and update the state accordingly. If the user has saved their information, we’ll show them the welcome UI; otherwise, we’ll display the login UI.
Securely Storing User Credentials Made Easy
With react-native-keychain, you can easily store and read user credentials without compromising user security. Implement your own complete login system in your app today!