Handling Session Data

There are two types of data you can store in a session:

• jwtPayload
  • Once set, it cannot be changed further.
  • Should not contain any sensitive information since this is sent over to the client.
  • Once you have a Session object, fetching the jwtPayload does not require any database calls.
• sessionData
  • This can be changed anytime during the lifetime of a session.
  • Can contain sensitive information since this is only stored in your database.
  • Requires a database call to read or write this information.
  • Fetching or modification of this is not synchronized per session.

If you have a session object

Please see the Session Object section for more information

If you do not have a session object

These functions should only be used if absolutely necessary, since they do not handle cookies for you. So if you are able to get a Session object AND have not already sent a reply to the client, please use the functions from the above section instead.

Call the getSessionData function: API Reference

supertokens.getSessionData(sessionHandle);

• This function requires a database call each time it's called.

Call the updateSessionData function: API Reference

supertokens.updateSessionData(sessionHandle, newSessionData);

• This function overrides the current session data stored for this sessionHandle.
• This function requires a database call each time it's called.

Example

Javascript

Typescript

const supertokens = require("supertokens-node");

async function changeSessionDataAPI(req, res) {
    // first we get the session object
    let session;
    try {
        session = await supertokens.getSession(req, res, true);
    } catch (err) {
        //...
        return;
    }
    try {
        let jwtPayload = session.getJWTPayload();
        let sessionData = await session.getSessionData();
        await session.updateSessionData({comment: "new session data"});
        res.send("Success!");
    } catch (err) {
        if (supertokens.Error.isErrorFromAuth(err)) {
            if (err.errType === supertokens.Error.GENERAL_ERROR) {
                res.status(500).send("Something went wrong");
            } else { // UNAUTHORISED
                res.status(440).send("Session expired!");
            }
        } else {
            res.status(500).send(err);  // Something went wrong.
        }
    }
}

async function changeSessionDataWithSessionObject(sessionHandle) {
    try {
        let sessionData = await supertokens.getSessionData(sessionHandle);
        await supertokens.updateSessionData(sessionHandle, {comment: "new session data"});
    } catch (err) {
        if (supertokens.Error.isErrorFromAuth(err)) {
            if (err.errType === supertokens.Error.GENERAL_ERROR) {
                console.log("Something went wrong. Error from supertokens lib");
            } else { // UNAUTHORISED
                console.log("Session expired.");
            }
        } else {
            console.log("Something went wrong - error from somewhere else.");
        }
    }
}

import * as supertokens from "supertokens-node";
import { Request, Response } from "express";

async function changeSessionDataAPI(req: Request, res: Response) {
    // first we get the session object
    let session: supertokens.Session;
    try {
        session = await supertokens.getSession(req, res, true);
    } catch (err) {
        //...
        return;
    }
    try {
        let jwtPayload = session.getJWTPayload();
        let sessionData = await session.getSessionData();
        await session.updateSessionData({comment: "new session data"});
        res.send("Success!");
    } catch (err: any) {
        if (supertokens.Error.isErrorFromAuth(err)) {
            if (err.errType === supertokens.Error.GENERAL_ERROR) {
                res.status(500).send("Something went wrong");
            } else { // UNAUTHORISED
                res.status(440).send("Session expired!");
            }
        } else {
            res.status(500).send(err);  // Something went wrong.
        }
    }
}

async function changeSessionDataWithSessionObject(sessionHandle: string) {
    try {
        let sessionData = await supertokens.getSessionData(sessionHandle);
        await supertokens.updateSessionData(sessionHandle, {comment: "new session data"});
    } catch (err: any) {
        if (supertokens.Error.isErrorFromAuth(err)) {
            if (err.errType === supertokens.Error.GENERAL_ERROR) {
                console.log("Something went wrong. Error from supertokens lib");
            } else { // UNAUTHORISED
                console.log("Session expired.");
            }
        } else {
            console.log("Something went wrong - error from somewhere else.");
        }
    }
}