Use Auth0 API protected route with Express route handlers - node.js

Question

I implemented protected API routes in Express using the Auth0 quick start. Protected routes are handled with a middleware function called checkJwt, provided by Auth0. It runs whenever one of the GET methods is called. This process works well if I manage all my routes in server.js.
How can I separate out the route handling and still preserve the protected API routes?
server.js working code with protected routes.
import colors from 'colors'
import cors from 'cors'
import express from 'express'
import morgan from 'morgan'
import dotenv from 'dotenv'
import connectDB from './db.js'
import checkJwt from './middleware/auth.middleware.js'
import { getStudents, getStudent } from './controllers/students.controller.js'
dotenv.config()
connectDB()
export const app = express()
app.use(cors())
app.use(express.json({ limit: '50mb' }))
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
app.use(morgan('dev'))
}
//handle routing internally
app.get('/api/students/:id', checkJwt, getStudent)
app.get('/api/students', checkJwt, getStudents)
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 6000
app.listen(PORT, () =>
console.log(
`Server running in ${process.env.NODE_ENV} mode on port ${PORT}`.yellow.bold
)
)
I want to divorce out the route handling as my code grows. I can't figure out where to put checkJwt once I separate out the routing.
server.js desired code structure is:
import colors from 'colors'
import cors from 'cors'
import express from 'express'
import morgan from 'morgan'
import dotenv from 'dotenv'
import connectDB from './db.js'
import studentsRouter from './routes/students.routes.js'
dotenv.config()
connectDB()
const app = express()
app.use(cors())
app.use(express.json({ limit: '50mb' }))
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
app.use(morgan('dev'))
}
// handle routing externally
const apiRouter = express.Router()
app.use('/api', apiRouter)
apiRouter.use('/students', studentsRouter)
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 6000
app.listen(PORT, () =>
console.log(
`Server running in ${process.env.NODE_ENV} mode on port ${PORT}`.yellow.bold
)
)
Routes are implemented in the students.routes.js Route handler.
import express from 'express'
import { getStudent, getStudents } from '../controllers/students.controller.js'
const router = express.Router()
// where can I implement checkJwt?
router.route('/').get(getStudents)
router.route('/:id').get(getStudent)
export default router
Is it possible to simplify the code by moving the routing, and still protect my routes?

Answer 1

you can use any middleware like this in your router:
const router = express.Router();
router.route('/').get([checkJwt, secondMiddleware, ...] , getStudents);
based on documentation:
express-routing
You can provide multiple callback functions that behave like middleware to handle a request. The only exception is that these callbacks might invoke next('route') to bypass the remaining route callbacks. You can use this mechanism to impose pre-conditions on a route, then pass control to subsequent routes if there’s no reason to proceed with the current route.