Best Practices for User Authentication

# Best Practices for User Authentication User authentication is a critical component of any web application. Implementing it correctly ensures both security and a good user experience. ## Core Principles ### 1. Password Security - Use strong password hashing (bcrypt, Argon2) - Enforce password complexity requirements - Implement password reset functionality ### 2. Session Management - Use secure session storage - Implement proper session timeout - Provide 'remember me' functionality ### 3. Multi-Factor Authentication Consider implementing 2FA for enhanced security. ## Implementation Tips ### Registration Flow 1. Validate user input 2. Check for existing accounts 3. Send email verification 4. Hash and store password securely ### Login Flow 1. Validate credentials 2. Check account status 3. Create secure session 4. Redirect to appropriate page ### Security Considerations - Protect against brute force attacks - Implement CSRF protection - Use HTTPS everywhere - Log security events Proper authentication is the foundation of application security.