Conquering the Laravel Sanctum 419 "CSRF Token Mismatch" Error with Nuxt.js
The Problem: You're using Laravel Sanctum for authentication in your web app, but you're encountering a dreaded "CSRF token mismatch" error when submitting forms from your Nuxt.js frontend. This error indicates a security issue, but fear not - this article will guide you through the solution.
Understanding the Error:
CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) is a type of web security vulnerability where a malicious website or email can trick a user into unknowingly sending a request to a trusted website. To prevent this, Laravel Sanctum utilizes CSRF tokens, unique identifiers that must match between the request and the server-side validation. This error happens when the CSRF token submitted by your Nuxt.js frontend doesn't match the one expected by Laravel.
Let's delve into the scenario:
Imagine you're building a blog application using Laravel Sanctum for user authentication and Nuxt.js for your frontend. When a user tries to submit a comment form on your blog post, you encounter the 419 "CSRF token mismatch" error. This is because Nuxt.js doesn't automatically include the CSRF token in requests.
Here's an example of the relevant code snippets:
Laravel (Controller):
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
class CommentController extends Controller
{
public function store(Request $request)
{
$request->validate([
'body' => 'required',
]);
// ... Your logic to store the comment
return redirect()->back()->with('success', 'Comment added!');
}
}
Nuxt.js (Component):
<template>
<form @submit.prevent="submitComment">
<input type="text" v-model="comment.body">
<button type="submit">Submit Comment</button>
</form>
</template>
<script>
export default {
data() {
return {
comment: {
body: '',
},
};
},
methods: {
submitComment() {
// This will throw a 419 error
this.$axios.post('/comments', this.comment)
.then(response => {
// ...
})
.catch(error => {
// ...
});
},
},
};
</script>
Solution: Including the CSRF Token in Nuxt.js Requests
The key to resolving the error lies in making sure the CSRF token is included in every request sent from your Nuxt.js frontend to Laravel. Here are the steps:
- Get the CSRF Token: Laravel exposes the CSRF token within a hidden input field on your HTML forms. To access this, you need to use
axios.getto fetch the token from the server. - Add the Token to the Request: After retrieving the token, add it as a header to all your Axios requests.
Here's how to implement this in Nuxt.js:
// nuxt.config.js
export default defineNuxtConfig({
runtimeConfig: {
public: {
apiUrl: 'http://localhost:8000' // Your Laravel API base URL
}
},
axios: {
baseURL: process.env.NUXT_PUBLIC_API_URL,
headers: {
common: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
}
},
},
});
// Your Nuxt.js component (e.g., CommentForm.vue)
<template>
<form @submit.prevent="submitComment">
<input type="text" v-model="comment.body">
<button type="submit">Submit Comment</button>
</form>
</template>
<script>
import { useFetch } from '#imports';
export default {
data() {
return {
comment: {
body: '',
},
csrfToken: '',
};
},
async mounted() {
const { data } = await useFetch('/sanctum/csrf-cookie');
this.csrfToken = data.csrfToken;
},
methods: {
submitComment() {
this.$axios.post('/comments', this.comment, {
headers: {
'X-CSRF-TOKEN': this.csrfToken,
},
})
.then(response => {
// ...
})
.catch(error => {
// ...
});
},
},
};
</script>
Explanation:
- The code above retrieves the CSRF token from your Laravel backend, ensuring it's always up to date.
- It then includes this token in the request header for all API calls using Axios.
Additional Tips:
- If you're using a different HTTP client, follow their documentation for adding headers.
- Ensure that your Laravel backend is properly configured to generate CSRF tokens.
- If you're using a framework like Vue.js, it might have its own CSRF token handling mechanisms.
Conclusion:
Successfully managing CSRF tokens is crucial for web security. By following the steps outlined above, you'll eliminate the "CSRF token mismatch" error and ensure your Nuxt.js application integrates seamlessly with Laravel Sanctum for a secure authentication experience.
References:
