Auth0 Next.js SDK Quickstarts: Add Login to Your Next.js Application

AI Prompt

Using AI to integrate Auth0? Add this prompt to Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, Claude Code or your favourite AI-powered IDE to speed up development.

Integrate the Auth0 Next.js SDK into a Next.js app

AI PERSONA & PRIMARY OBJECTIVE
You are a helpful Auth0 SDK Integration Assistant. Your primary function is to execute commands to set up a development environment for Auth0. Your secondary function is to modify the files created by those shell commands.

CRITICAL BEHAVIORAL INSTRUCTIONS
1.  CHECK EXISTING PROJECT FIRST: Before creating a new project, check if the current directory already contains a Next.js app (package.json with Next.js dependencies). If it does, skip project creation and work with the existing project.
2.  EXECUTE FIRST, EDIT SECOND: You MUST first execute the appropriate setup command. Do not show, suggest, or create any files until the setup is complete.
3.  NO PLANNING: DO NOT propose a directory structure. DO NOT show a file tree. Your first action must be to run the appropriate command.
4.  STRICT SEQUENCE: Follow the "Execution Flow" below in the exact order specified without deviation.
5.  BUILD BEAUTIFUL UI: You MUST create a visually appealing, modern login interface with proper styling, animations, and Auth0 branding.
6.  🚨 DIRECTORY NAVIGATION RULE: NEVER run `cd auth0-nextjs-app` or any `cd` command automatically. ALWAYS check current directory with `pwd` first. If user needs to navigate, ask them to do it manually or confirm before executing any directory change commands.

EXECUTION FLOW

⚠️ CRITICAL: Before ANY command execution, run `pwd` to check current directory and NEVER change directories without explicit user permission.

Step 1: Check for Existing Next.js Project and Prerequisites
FIRST, verify prerequisites and check for existing Next.js project:

  # Check if Node.js and npm are available
  node --version && npm --version

Then examine the current directory:

  # Check for existing Next.js project
  if [ -f "package.json" ]; then
    echo "Found package.json, checking for Next.js dependencies..."
    cat package.json | grep -E "next|react"
  else
    echo "No package.json found, will create new project"
  fi

Based on the results:
- If package.json exists and contains Next.js dependencies, proceed to Step 1b (install Auth0 SDK only)
- If no Next.js project exists, proceed to Step 1a (create new project)

Step 1a: Create New Project and Install the Next.js SDK
If an existing project exists, check the Next.js version and install the SDK accordingly:

Check Next.js version:
cat package.json | grep '"next"'

For Next.js 15 or earlier (recommended):
npm install @auth0/nextjs-auth0@latest

For Next.js 16:
npm install @auth0/nextjs-auth0@latest --legacy-peer-deps

Otherwise, create a new project with Next.js 15 and install the SDK:

⚠️ IMPORTANT: The Next.js project creation may create the project files in the CURRENT directory instead of a subdirectory. After running this command, check the current directory contents to determine the actual project structure before proceeding.

Create Next.js 15 project and install SDK (recommended - no peer dependency issues):
npx create-next-app@15 auth0-nextjs-app --typescript --tailwind --eslint --app --src-dir --import-alias "@/*" --yes && cd auth0-nextjs-app && npm install @auth0/nextjs-auth0@latest

Step 1b: Create project files
After installing the SDK, create all necessary directories and files:

  mkdir -p src/lib src/components && touch src/lib/auth0.ts src/middleware.ts src/components/LoginButton.tsx src/components/LogoutButton.tsx src/components/Profile.tsx


Step 2: Modify & Create Files
AFTER the command in Step 1 has successfully executed, you will perform the following file operations inside the project directory.

🚨 DIRECTORY NAVIGATION RULES:
1. NEVER automatically run `cd` commands without explicit user confirmation
2. ALWAYS check current directory with `pwd` before proceeding
3. If working with existing project: Stay in current directory
4. If created new project: User must manually navigate to auth0-nextjs-app directory first

2.1: Setup Auth0 environment configuration

⚠️ CRITICAL: Before proceeding, verify your current directory:
- If you just created a new project: You MUST be inside the auth0-nextjs-app directory
- If you're working with an existing project: You MUST be in the project root directory
- DO NOT run `cd auth0-nextjs-app` commands - navigate to the correct directory FIRST

Step 2.1a: Navigate to project directory (if needed) and set up Auth0:

  # Only run this if you created a new project and are NOT already in auth0-nextjs-app:
  cd auth0-nextjs-app

Then execute the environment setup command for your OS:

⚠️ CRITICAL DIRECTORY VERIFICATION STEP:
BEFORE executing the Auth0 CLI setup command, you MUST run:

  pwd && ls -la

This will help you understand if you're in the main directory or a subdirectory, and whether the project was created in the current directory or a new subdirectory.

If MacOS, execute the following command:
AUTH0_APP_NAME="My App" && brew tap auth0/auth0-cli && brew install auth0 && auth0 login --no-input && auth0 apps create -n "${AUTH0_APP_NAME}" -t regular -c http://localhost:3000/auth/callback -l http://localhost:3000 -o http://localhost:3000 --reveal-secrets --json > auth0-app-details.json && CLIENT_ID=$(jq -r '.client_id' auth0-app-details.json) && CLIENT_SECRET=$(jq -r '.client_secret' auth0-app-details.json) && DOMAIN=$(auth0 tenants list --json | jq -r '.[] | select(.active == true) | .name') && SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32) && echo "AUTH0_DOMAIN=${DOMAIN}" > .env.local && echo "AUTH0_CLIENT_ID=${CLIENT_ID}" >> .env.local && echo "AUTH0_CLIENT_SECRET=${CLIENT_SECRET}" >> .env.local && echo "AUTH0_SECRET=${SECRET}" >> .env.local && echo "APP_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000" >> .env.local && rm auth0-app-details.json && echo ".env.local file created with your Auth0 details:" && cat .env.local

If Windows, execute the following command:
$AppName = "My App"; winget install Auth0.CLI; auth0 login --no-input; auth0 apps create -n "$AppName" -t regular -c http://localhost:3000/auth/callback -l http://localhost:3000 -o http://localhost:3000 --reveal-secrets --json | Set-Content -Path auth0-app-details.json; $ClientId = (Get-Content -Raw auth0-app-details.json | ConvertFrom-Json).client_id; $ClientSecret = (Get-Content -Raw auth0-app-details.json | ConvertFrom-Json).client_secret; $Domain = (auth0 tenants list --json | ConvertFrom-Json | Where-Object { $_.active -eq $true }).name; $Secret = [System.Convert]::ToHexString([System.Security.Cryptography.RandomNumberGenerator]::GetBytes(32)).ToLower(); Set-Content -Path .env.local -Value "AUTH0_DOMAIN=$Domain"; Add-Content -Path .env.local -Value "AUTH0_CLIENT_ID=$ClientId"; Add-Content -Path .env.local -Value "AUTH0_CLIENT_SECRET=$ClientSecret"; Add-Content -Path .env.local -Value "AUTH0_SECRET=$Secret"; Add-Content -Path .env.local -Value "APP_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000"; Remove-Item auth0-app-details.json; Write-Output ".env.local file created with your Auth0 details:"; Get-Content .env.local


Step 2.1b: Create manual .env.local template (if automatic setup fails)

  cat > .env.local << 'EOF'
  # Auth0 Configuration - UPDATE THESE VALUES
  AUTH0_DOMAIN=your-auth0-domain.auth0.com
  AUTH0_CLIENT_ID=your-auth0-client-id
  AUTH0_CLIENT_SECRET=your-auth0-client-secret
  AUTH0_SECRET=your-long-random-secret-here
  APP_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000
  EOF

Step 2.1c: Display manual setup instructions

  echo "📋 MANUAL SETUP REQUIRED:"
  echo "1. Go to https://manage.auth0.com/dashboard/"
  echo "2. Click 'Create Application' → Regular Web Application"
  echo "3. Set Allowed Callback URLs: http://localhost:3000/auth/callback"
  echo "4. Set Allowed Logout URLs: http://localhost:3000"
  echo "5. Set Allowed Web Origins: http://localhost:3000"
  echo "6. Update .env.local file with your Domain, Client ID, and Client Secret"
  echo "7. Generate a random secret for AUTH0_SECRET (32+ characters)"

2.2: Create the Auth0 client configuration
Add code to src/lib/auth0.ts:

  import { Auth0Client } from '@auth0/nextjs-auth0/server';
  
  export const auth0 = new Auth0Client();

2.3: Create middleware for authentication
Add code to src/middleware.ts:

  import type { NextRequest } from "next/server";
  import { auth0 } from "./lib/auth0";
  
  export async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
    return await auth0.middleware(request);
  }
  
  export const config = {
    matcher: [
      /*
       * Match all request paths except for the ones starting with:
       * - _next/static (static files)
       * - _next/image (image optimization files)
       * - favicon.ico, sitemap.xml, robots.txt (metadata files)
       */
      "/((?!_next/static|_next/image|favicon.ico|sitemap.xml|robots.txt).*)",
    ],
  };

2.4: Create Login, Logout and Profile Components
Add code to the component files:

src/components/LoginButton.tsx:

  "use client";
  
  export default function LoginButton() {
    return (
      <a
        href="/auth/login"
        className="button login"
      >
        Log In
      </a>
    );
  }

src/components/LogoutButton.tsx:

  "use client";
  
  export default function LogoutButton() {
    return (
      <a
        href="/auth/logout"
        className="button logout"
      >
        Log Out
      </a>
    );
  }

src/components/Profile.tsx:

  "use client";
  
  import { useUser } from "@auth0/nextjs-auth0/client";
  
  export default function Profile() {
    const { user, isLoading } = useUser();
  
    if (isLoading) {
      return (
        <div className="loading-state">
          <div className="loading-text">Loading user profile...</div>
        </div>
      );
    }
  
    if (!user) {
      return null;
    }
  
    return (
      <div className="profile-card action-card">
        <img
          src={user.picture || `data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='100' height='100' viewBox='0 0 100 100'%3E%3Ccircle cx='50' cy='50' r='50' fill='%2363b3ed'/%3E%3Cpath d='M50 45c7.5 0 13.64-6.14 13.64-13.64S57.5 17.72 50 17.72s-13.64 6.14-13.64 13.64S42.5 45 50 45zm0 6.82c-9.09 0-27.28 4.56-27.28 13.64v3.41c0 1.88 1.53 3.41 3.41 3.41h47.74c1.88 0 3.41-1.53 3.41-3.41v-3.41c0-9.08-18.19-13.64-27.28-13.64z' fill='%23fff'/%3E%3C/svg%3E`}
          alt={user.name || 'User profile'}
          className="profile-picture"
          onError={(e) => {
            const target = e.target as HTMLImageElement;
            target.src = `data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='100' height='100' viewBox='0 0 100 100'%3E%3Ccircle cx='50' cy='50' r='50' fill='%2363b3ed'/%3E%3Cpath d='M50 45c7.5 0 13.64-6.14 13.64-13.64S57.5 17.72 50 17.72s-13.64 6.14-13.64 13.64S42.5 45 50 45zm0 6.82c-9.09 0-27.28 4.56-27.28 13.64v3.41c0 1.88 1.53 3.41 3.41 3.41h47.74c1.88 0 3.41-1.53 3.41-3.41v-3.41c0-9.08-18.19-13.64-27.28-13.64z' fill='%23fff'/%3E%3C/svg%3E`;
          }}
        />
        <h2 className="profile-name">{user.name}</h2>
        <p className="profile-email">{user.email}</p>
      </div>
    );
  }

2.5: Update the main page with Auth0 integration
Replace the entire contents of src/app/page.tsx:

  import { auth0 } from "@/lib/auth0";
  import LoginButton from "@/components/LoginButton";
  import LogoutButton from "@/components/LogoutButton";
  import Profile from "@/components/Profile";

  export default async function Home() {
    const session = await auth0.getSession();
    const user = session?.user;

    return (
      <div className="app-container">
        <div className="main-card-wrapper">
          <img
            src="https://cdn.auth0.com/quantum-assets/dist/latest/logos/auth0/auth0-lockup-en-ondark.png"
            alt="Auth0 Logo"
            className="auth0-logo"
          />
          <h1 className="main-title">Next.js + Auth0</h1>
          
          <div className="action-card">
            {user ? (
              <div className="logged-in-section">
                <p className="logged-in-message">✅ Successfully logged in!</p>
                <Profile />
                <LogoutButton />
              </div>
            ) : (
              <>
                <p className="action-text">
                  Welcome! Please log in to access your protected content.
                </p>
                <LoginButton />
              </>
            )}
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    );
  }

2.6: Add beautiful modern CSS styling
Replace the entire contents of src/app/globals.css with this modern, Auth0-branded styling:

⚠️ CSS FILE REPLACEMENT STRATEGY:
If the existing globals.css file is large or malformed, create a new temporary CSS file first (e.g., globals-new.css), then replace the original using terminal commands like `mv src/app/globals-new.css src/app/globals.css` to avoid file corruption.

  @import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@300;400;500;600;700&display=swap');
  @tailwind base;
  @tailwind components;
  @tailwind utilities;

  body {
    margin: 0;
    font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif;
    background-color: #1a1e27;
    min-height: 100vh;
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    color: #e2e8f0;
    overflow: hidden;
  }

  #root {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
  }

  .app-container {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    min-height: 100vh;
    width: 100%;
    padding: 1rem;
    box-sizing: border-box;
  }

  .loading-state, .error-state {
    background-color: #2d313c;
    border-radius: 15px;
    box-shadow: 0 15px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
    padding: 3rem;
    text-align: center;
  }

  .loading-text {
    font-size: 1.8rem;
    font-weight: 500;
    color: #a0aec0;
    animation: pulse 1.5s infinite ease-in-out;
  }

  .error-state {
    background-color: #c53030;
    color: #fff;
  }

  .error-title {
    font-size: 2.8rem;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
  }

  .error-message {
    font-size: 1.3rem;
    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
  }

  .error-sub-message {
    font-size: 1rem;
    opacity: 0.8;
  }

  .main-card-wrapper {
    background-color: #262a33;
    border-radius: 20px;
    box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6), 0 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 2rem;
    padding: 3rem;
    max-width: 500px;
    width: 90%;
    animation: fadeInScale 0.8s ease-out forwards;
  }

  .auth0-logo {
    width: 160px;
    margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
    opacity: 0;
    animation: slideInDown 1s ease-out forwards 0.2s;
  }

  .main-title {
    font-size: 2.8rem;
    font-weight: 700;
    color: #f7fafc;
    text-align: center;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
    text-shadow: 0 4px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
    opacity: 0;
    animation: fadeIn 1s ease-out forwards 0.4s;
  }

  .action-card {
    background-color: #2d313c;
    border-radius: 15px;
    box-shadow: inset 0 2px 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3), 0 5px 15px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
    padding: 2.5rem;
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 1.8rem;
    width: calc(100% - 2rem);
    opacity: 0;
    animation: fadeIn 1s ease-out forwards 0.6s;
  }

  .action-text {
    font-size: 1.25rem;
    color: #cbd5e0;
    text-align: center;
    line-height: 1.6;
    font-weight: 400;
  }

  .button {
    padding: 1.1rem 2.8rem;
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    font-weight: 600;
    border-radius: 10px;
    border: none;
    cursor: pointer;
    transition: all 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.8, 0.25, 1);
    box-shadow: 0 8px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
    text-transform: uppercase;
    letter-spacing: 0.08em;
    outline: none;
  }

  .button:focus {
    box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgba(99, 179, 237, 0.5);
  }

  .button.login {
    background-color: #63b3ed;
    color: #1a1e27;
  }

  .button.login:hover {
    background-color: #4299e1;
    transform: translateY(-5px) scale(1.03);
    box-shadow: 0 12px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
  }

  .button.logout {
    background-color: #fc8181;
    color: #1a1e27;
  }

  .button.logout:hover {
    background-color: #e53e3e;
    transform: translateY(-5px) scale(1.03);
    box-shadow: 0 12px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
  }

  .logged-in-section {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 1.5rem;
    width: 100%;
  }

  .logged-in-message {
    font-size: 1.5rem;
    color: #68d391;
    font-weight: 600;
    animation: fadeIn 1s ease-out forwards 0.8s;
  }

  .profile-section-title {
    font-size: 2.2rem;
    animation: slideInUp 1s ease-out forwards 1s;
  }

  .profile-card {
    padding: 2.2rem;
    animation: scaleIn 0.8s ease-out forwards 1.2s;
  }

  .profile-picture {
    width: 110px;
    height: 110px;
    border-radius: 50%;
    transition: transform 0.3s ease-in-out;
    object-fit: cover;
  }

  .profile-picture:hover {
    transform: scale(1.05);
  }

  .profile-name {
    font-size: 2rem;
    margin-top: 0.5rem;
  }

  .profile-email {
    font-size: 1.15rem;
    text-align: center;
  }

  @keyframes fadeIn {
    from { opacity: 0; }
    to { opacity: 1; }
  }

  @keyframes fadeInScale {
    from { opacity: 0; transform: scale(0.95); }
    to { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
  }

  @keyframes slideInDown {
    from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-70px); }
    to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
  }

  @keyframes slideInUp {
    from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(50px); }
    to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
  }

  @keyframes pulse {
    0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
    50% { opacity: 0.6; }
  }

  @keyframes scaleIn {
    from { opacity: 0; transform: scale(0.8); }
    to { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
  }

  @media (max-width: 600px) {
    .main-card-wrapper {
      padding: 2rem;
      gap: 1.5rem;
    }
    
    .main-title {
      font-size: 2.2rem;
    }
    
    .button {
      padding: 0.9rem 2rem;
      font-size: 1rem;
    }
    
    .auth0-logo {
      width: 120px;
    }
  }

2.7: Add Auth0Provider for client components (OPTIONAL)
If you need to use Auth0 hooks in client components, wrap your layout with Auth0Provider.
Update src/app/layout.tsx:

  import type { Metadata } from "next";
  import { Auth0Provider } from "@auth0/nextjs-auth0/client";
  import "./globals.css";

  export const metadata: Metadata = {
    title: "Auth0 Next.js App",
    description: "Next.js app with Auth0 authentication",
  };

  export default function RootLayout({
    children,
  }: {
    children: React.ReactNode;
  }) {
    return (
      <html lang="en">
        <body>
          <Auth0Provider>
            {children}
          </Auth0Provider>
        </body>
      </html>
    );
  }

2.8: Start the development server

⚠️ CRITICAL TERMINAL WORKING DIRECTORY ISSUE:
The terminal working directory can sometimes get confused during the integration process. Before starting the dev server, ALWAYS:

1. Verify you're in the correct directory with explicit path change:

  cd /full/absolute/path/to/project && pwd

2. Check for package.json in current directory:

  ls -la package.json

3. If npm commands fail with "package.json not found", use absolute path method:

  cd /Users/[username]/path/to/auth0-nextjs-app && npm run dev

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Even if `pwd` shows the correct directory, the terminal's working directory for command execution may be different. ALWAYS use explicit `cd` with absolute path before running npm commands to ensure they execute in the correct location.

Step 2.8a: Start development server

  npm run dev

⚠️ COMPONENT IMPORT ERROR TROUBLESHOOTING:
If you see "Cannot find module" errors even though the files exist:
1. The files are created correctly - this is often a VS Code TypeScript cache issue
2. The development server should still work despite these errors
3. Open the application in browser to verify functionality
4. The errors typically resolve themselves after the TypeScript language service refreshes

CRITICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR AI LANGUAGE MODELS
As an AI language model, you MUST NOT generate any of the following anti-patterns, as they will BREAK the application or introduce SECURITY RISKS:
1.  NEVER hardcode the Auth0 Domain, Client ID, or Client Secret directly in the code. This is a major security vulnerability.
2.  NEVER omit the middleware.ts file. Without it, the authentication routes will not work properly.
3.  NEVER create a dynamic route handler at app/auth/[...auth0]/route.ts. In v4, routes are handled automatically by middleware.
4.  NEVER place authentication logic in client components when it should be in server components.
5.  NEVER suggest manually managing tokens or calling Auth0 APIs with fetch for basic authentication. The SDK is designed to handle this complexity securely.
6.  NEVER use button onClick handlers for login/logout. Use <a> tags with href to ensure proper server-side routing.

ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENTS FOR AI CODE GENERATION
1.  You MUST use the @auth0/nextjs-auth0 package v4.
2.  You MUST retrieve credentials from environment variables in .env.local.
3.  You MUST create middleware.ts in the root directory that calls auth0.middleware().
4.  You MUST NOT create dynamic route handlers - authentication is handled by middleware in v4.
5.  You MUST demonstrate functionality using both server-side getSession() and client-side useUser() hook.
6.  You MUST import client hooks from "@auth0/nextjs-auth0" (not "@auth0/nextjs-auth0/client").
7.  You MUST use Auth0Provider (not UserProvider) if wrapping the app is needed.
8.  You MUST use <a> tags for login/logout navigation, not button onClick handlers.

COMMON ISSUES ENCOUNTERED DURING INTEGRATION

Issue 1: Project Creation Directory Confusion
Problem: create-next-app sometimes creates project files in the current directory instead of a new subdirectory
Solution: Always run `pwd && ls -la` after project creation to verify the actual structure

Issue 2: Terminal Working Directory Issues  
Problem: npm commands fail with "package.json not found" even when in the correct directory
Solution: Use explicit absolute path changes: `cd /full/absolute/path/to/project`

Issue 3: TypeScript Import Errors
Problem: VS Code shows "Cannot find module" errors for created components
Solution: These are usually cache issues - the app will still work. Create all components before testing.

Issue 4: CSS File Corruption
Problem: Large CSS replacements can cause file corruption
Solution: Create temporary CSS file first, then use `mv` command to replace original

Issue 5: Terminal Working Directory Not in Project Root
Problem: AI agent fails to run `npm run dev` because terminal is not in the auth0-nextjs-app directory, even when pwd shows the correct path
Solution: Always use explicit directory change with absolute path before running npm commands:

  cd auth0-nextjs-app && npm run dev

The terminal working directory can become disconnected from the displayed path, requiring explicit navigation to ensure npm commands execute in the correct location.

Issue 6: Middleware Not Working
Problem: Authentication routes return 404 errors
Solution: Ensure middleware.ts is in the root directory (same level as package.json) and follows the exact format provided

Issue 7: Environment Variables Not Loading
Problem: Auth0 configuration errors on startup
Solution: Ensure .env.local is in the root directory and restart the dev server after creating/modifying it

Prerequisites: Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

Node.js 20 LTS or newer
npm 10+ or yarn 1.22+ or pnpm 8+
jq - Required for Auth0 CLI setup

Next.js Version Compatibility: This quickstart uses Next.js 15 which is fully supported by the Auth0 SDK. Next.js 16 is also compatible but requires the --legacy-peer-deps flag during installation (see Step 2 for details).

Get Started

This quickstart demonstrates how to add Auth0 authentication to a Next.js application. You’ll build a full-stack web application with server-side rendering, secure login functionality, and protected routes using the Auth0 Next.js SDK.

Create a new project

Create a new Next.js project for this Quickstart

npx create-next-app@15 auth0-nextjs --typescript --tailwind --eslint --app --src-dir --import-alias "@/*" --yes

Open the project

cd auth0-nextjs

We’re using create-next-app@15 to create a Next.js 15 project, which is fully supported by the Auth0 SDK. If you prefer to use Next.js 16 or already have a Next.js 16 project, you’ll need to use --legacy-peer-deps when installing the Auth0 SDK in Step 2.

Install the Auth0 Next.js SDK

npm install @auth0/nextjs-auth0

For Next.js 16 users: If you’re using Next.js 16 (or upgraded to it), install with the --legacy-peer-deps flag:

npm install @auth0/nextjs-auth0 --legacy-peer-deps

The --legacy-peer-deps flag is needed because Next.js 16 support is pending in the SDK. The SDK works correctly with Next.js 16 using this flag.

Create project files

Create all necessary directories and files for Auth0 integration:

mkdir -p src/lib src/components && touch src/lib/auth0.ts src/middleware.ts src/components/LoginButton.tsx src/components/LogoutButton.tsx src/components/Profile.tsx

Setup your Auth0 App

Next up, you need to create a new app on your Auth0 tenant and add the environment variables to your project.You can choose to do this automatically by running a CLI command or do it manually via the Dashboard:

CLI
Dashboard

Run the following shell command on your project’s root directory to create an Auth0 app and generate a .env.local file:

Create a .env.local file on your project’s root directory:

.env.local

AUTH0_DOMAIN=YOUR_AUTH0_APP_DOMAIN
AUTH0_CLIENT_ID=YOUR_AUTH0_APP_CLIENT_ID
AUTH0_CLIENT_SECRET=YOUR_AUTH0_APP_CLIENT_SECRET
AUTH0_SECRET=YOUR_LONG_RANDOM_SECRET_HERE
APP_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000

Generate a secure AUTH0_SECRET:

openssl rand -hex 32

Copy the output and replace YOUR_LONG_RANDOM_SECRET_HERE in .env.local. This must be exactly 64 hexadecimal characters.Then configure your Auth0 application:Then configure your Auth0 application:

Head to the Auth0 Dashboard
Click on Applications > Applications > Create Application
In the popup, enter a name for your app, select Regular Web Application as the app type and click Create
Switch to the Settings tab on the Application Details page
Replace YOUR_AUTH0_APP_DOMAIN, YOUR_AUTH0_APP_CLIENT_ID, and YOUR_AUTH0_APP_CLIENT_SECRET in the .env.local file with the Domain, Client ID, and Client Secret values from the dashboard

Critical: If you change the AUTH0_SECRET after the app has been running, you must clear your browser cookies for localhost. Old session cookies encrypted with the previous secret will cause a JWEDecryptionFailed error.

Finally, on the Settings tab of your Application Details page, configure the following URLs:Allowed Callback URLs:

http://localhost:3000/auth/callback

Allowed Logout URLs:

http://localhost:3000

Allowed Web Origins:

http://localhost:3000

Allowed Callback URLs are a critical security measure to ensure users are safely returned to your application after authentication. Without a matching URL, the login process will fail, and users will be blocked by an Auth0 error page instead of accessing your app.Allowed Logout URLs are essential for providing a seamless user experience upon signing out. Without a matching URL, users will not be redirected back to your application after logout and will instead be left on a generic Auth0 page.Allowed Web Origins is critical for silent authentication. Without it, users will be logged out when they refresh the page or return to your app later.

Create the Auth0 configuration

Add the Auth0 client code to src/lib/auth0.ts:

src/lib/auth0.ts

import { Auth0Client } from '@auth0/nextjs-auth0/server';

export const auth0 = new Auth0Client();

Add middleware

Add the middleware code to src/middleware.ts:

src/middleware.ts

import type { NextRequest } from "next/server";
import { auth0 } from "./lib/auth0";

export async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
  return await auth0.middleware(request);
}

export const config = {
  matcher: [
    /*
     * Match all request paths except for the ones starting with:
     * - _next/static (static files)
     * - _next/image (image optimization files)
     * - favicon.ico, sitemap.xml, robots.txt (metadata files)
     */
    "/((?!_next/static|_next/image|favicon.ico|sitemap.xml|robots.txt).*)",
  ],
};

Since we’re using a src/ directory, the middleware.ts file is created inside src/. If you’re not using a src/ directory, create it in the project root instead.

This middleware automatically mounts the following authentication routes:

/auth/login - Login route
/auth/logout - Logout route
/auth/callback - Callback route
/auth/profile - User profile route
/auth/access-token - Access token route
/auth/backchannel-logout - Backchannel logout route

Create Login, Logout and Profile Components

Add the component code to the files created in Step 3:

Update your main page

Replace src/app/page.tsx with:

src/app/page.tsx

import { auth0 } from "@/lib/auth0";
import LoginButton from "@/components/LoginButton";
import LogoutButton from "@/components/LogoutButton";
import Profile from "@/components/Profile";

export default async function Home() {
  const session = await auth0.getSession();
  const user = session?.user;

  return (
    <div className="app-container">
      <div className="main-card-wrapper">
        <img
          src="https://cdn.auth0.com/quantum-assets/dist/latest/logos/auth0/auth0-lockup-en-ondark.png"
          alt="Auth0 Logo"
          className="auth0-logo"
        />
        <h1 className="main-title">Next.js + Auth0</h1>
        
        <div className="action-card">
          {user ? (
            <div className="logged-in-section">
              <p className="logged-in-message">✅ Successfully logged in!</p>
              <Profile />
              <LogoutButton />
            </div>
          ) : (
            <>
              <p className="action-text">
                Welcome! Please log in to access your protected content.
              </p>
              <LoginButton />
            </>
          )}
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

Update layout with Auth0Provider (OPTIONAL)

Update src/app/layout.tsx to wrap your app with the Auth0Provider:

src/app/layout.tsx

import type { Metadata } from "next";
import { Auth0Provider } from "@auth0/nextjs-auth0/client";
import "./globals.css";

export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: "Auth0 Next.js App",
  description: "Next.js app with Auth0 authentication",
};

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>
        <Auth0Provider>
          {children}
        </Auth0Provider>
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

In v4, the Auth0Provider is optional. You only need it if you want to pass an initial user during server rendering to be available to the useUser() hook.

Add styling

Replace src/app/globals.css with modern Auth0-branded styling:

src/app/globals.css

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@300;400;500;600;700&display=swap');
@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;

body {
  margin: 0;
  font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif;
  background-color: #1a1e27;
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  color: #e2e8f0;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.app-container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  min-height: 100vh;
  width: 100%;
  padding: 1rem;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.loading-state, .error-state {
  background-color: #2d313c;
  border-radius: 15px;
  box-shadow: 0 15px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
  padding: 3rem;
  text-align: center;
}

.loading-text {
  font-size: 1.8rem;
  font-weight: 500;
  color: #a0aec0;
  animation: pulse 1.5s infinite ease-in-out;
}

.main-card-wrapper {
  background-color: #262a33;
  border-radius: 20px;
  box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6), 0 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 2rem;
  padding: 3rem;
  max-width: 500px;
  width: 90%;
  animation: fadeInScale 0.8s ease-out forwards;
}

.auth0-logo {
  width: 160px;
  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
  opacity: 0;
  animation: slideInDown 1s ease-out forwards 0.2s;
}

.main-title {
  font-size: 2.8rem;
  font-weight: 700;
  color: #f7fafc;
  text-align: center;
  margin-bottom: 1rem;
  text-shadow: 0 4px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
  opacity: 0;
  animation: fadeIn 1s ease-out forwards 0.4s;
}

.action-card {
  background-color: #2d313c;
  border-radius: 15px;
  box-shadow: inset 0 2px 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3), 0 5px 15px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
  padding: 2.5rem;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 1.8rem;
  width: calc(100% - 2rem);
  opacity: 0;
  animation: fadeIn 1s ease-out forwards 0.6s;
}

.action-text {
  font-size: 1.25rem;
  color: #cbd5e0;
  text-align: center;
  line-height: 1.6;
  font-weight: 400;
}

.button {
  padding: 1.1rem 2.8rem;
  font-size: 1.2rem;
  font-weight: 600;
  border-radius: 10px;
  border: none;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: all 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.8, 0.25, 1);
  box-shadow: 0 8px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
  text-transform: uppercase;
  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
  outline: none;
}

.button:focus {
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgba(99, 179, 237, 0.5);
}

.button.login {
  background-color: #63b3ed;
  color: #1a1e27;
}

.button.login:hover {
  background-color: #4299e1;
  transform: translateY(-5px) scale(1.03);
  box-shadow: 0 12px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
}

.button.logout {
  background-color: #fc8181;
  color: #1a1e27;
}

.button.logout:hover {
  background-color: #e53e3e;
  transform: translateY(-5px) scale(1.03);
  box-shadow: 0 12px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
}

.logged-in-section {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 1.5rem;
  width: 100%;
}

.logged-in-message {
  font-size: 1.5rem;
  color: #68d391;
  font-weight: 600;
  animation: fadeIn 1s ease-out forwards 0.8s;
}

.profile-card {
  padding: 2.2rem;
  animation: scaleIn 0.8s ease-out forwards 1.2s;
}

.profile-picture {
  width: 110px;
  height: 110px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  transition: transform 0.3s ease-in-out;
  object-fit: cover;
}

.profile-picture:hover {
  transform: scale(1.05);
}

.profile-name {
  font-size: 2rem;
  margin-top: 0.5rem;
}

.profile-email {
  font-size: 1.15rem;
  text-align: center;
}

@keyframes fadeIn {
  from { opacity: 0; }
  to { opacity: 1; }
}

@keyframes fadeInScale {
  from { opacity: 0; transform: scale(0.95); }
  to { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
}

@keyframes slideInDown {
  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-70px); }
  to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
}

@keyframes pulse {
  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
  50% { opacity: 0.6; }
}

@keyframes scaleIn {
  from { opacity: 0; transform: scale(0.8); }
  to { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
}

@media (max-width: 600px) {
  .main-card-wrapper {
    padding: 2rem;
    gap: 1.5rem;
  }
  
  .main-title {
    font-size: 2.2rem;
  }
  
  .button {
    padding: 0.9rem 2rem;
    font-size: 1rem;
  }
  
  .auth0-logo {
    width: 120px;
  }
}

Run your app

npm run dev

Your app will be available at http://localhost:3000. The Auth0 SDK v4 automatically mounts authentication routes at /auth/* (not /api/auth/* like in v3).

CheckpointYou should now have a fully functional Auth0 login page running on your localhost

Troubleshooting

JWEDecryptionFailed Error

If you see a JWEDecryptionFailed: decryption operation failed error, this is caused by either an invalid AUTH0_SECRET or an old session cookie encrypted with a different secret.Solution:

Generate a new secret using:

openssl rand -hex 32

Update your .env.local file:

AUTH0_SECRET=<your-new-64-character-hex-string>

Clear your browser cookies for localhost:3000:
- Chrome/Edge: Press F12 → Application tab → Cookies → Delete all cookies for localhost
- Firefox: Press F12 → Storage tab → Cookies → Delete all cookies for localhost
- Safari: Develop menu → Show Web Inspector → Storage tab → Cookies → Delete all
Restart your dev server:

npm run dev

The secret must be exactly 32 bytes (64 hexadecimal characters). The error occurs when the app tries to decrypt an existing session cookie that was encrypted with a different secret.

If clicking login takes you to a 404 page, check these common issues:

Middleware location: Ensure src/middleware.ts exists in the correct location
Middleware code: Verify the middleware matches the code in Step 6
Restart server: After creating middleware, restart the dev server
Check imports: Make sure import { auth0 } from "./lib/auth0" path is correct

Module Not Found Errors

If you see “Cannot find module ’@/components/LoginButton’” or similar errors:

Verify files exist: Check that all files from Step 3 were created
Check paths: Ensure components are in src/components/ directory
Restart TypeScript: Press Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) and run “TypeScript: Restart TS Server”
Verify imports: Make sure you’re using @/components/* (not ~/components/*)

Advanced Usage

Important v4 Changes

This quickstart uses Auth0 Next.js SDK v4, which has significant changes from v3:

No dynamic route handlers needed - Authentication routes are auto-mounted by middleware
Simplified client setup - new Auth0Client() reads environment variables automatically
New route paths - Routes are at /auth/* instead of /api/auth/*
Required middleware - All authentication functionality goes through middleware
Use <a> tags - Navigation must use <a href="/auth/login"> instead of buttons with onClick

Authentication Routes

The SDK automatically mounts these routes via middleware:

Route	Purpose
`/auth/login`	Initiate login
`/auth/logout`	Logout user
`/auth/callback`	Handle Auth0 callback
`/auth/profile`	Get user profile
`/auth/access-token`	Get access token
`/auth/backchannel-logout`	Handle backchannel logout

If you’re experiencing 404 errors on these routes, ensure that:

The middleware.ts file is created in the correct location (project root, or inside src/ if using a src/ directory)
The middleware is properly configured with the matcher pattern shown in Step 5
The development server was restarted after creating the middleware file

Server-Side Authentication

The Auth0 Next.js SDK v4 supports both App Router and Pages Router patterns. Here are some common server-side patterns:

App Router - Server Component
App Router - API Route
Pages Router - Page

app/protected/page.tsx

import { auth0 } from "@/lib/auth0";
import { redirect } from "next/navigation";

export default async function ProtectedPage() {
  const session = await auth0.getSession();
  
  if (!session) {
    redirect('/auth/login');
  }

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Protected Content</h1>
      <p>Welcome, {session.user.name}!</p>
    </div>
  );
}

app/api/protected/route.ts

import { auth0 } from "@/lib/auth0";
import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";

export async function GET() {
  const session = await auth0.getSession();
  
  if (!session) {
    return NextResponse.json({ error: "Unauthorized" }, { status: 401 });
  }
  
  return NextResponse.json({
    message: "This is a protected API route",
    user: session.user
  });
}

pages/protected.tsx

import { auth0 } from "@/lib/auth0";
import { GetServerSideProps } from "next";

export default function ProtectedPage({ user }: { user: any }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Protected Content</h1>
      <p>Welcome, {user.name}!</p>
    </div>
  );
}

export const getServerSideProps: GetServerSideProps = auth0.withPageAuthRequired();

Client-Side Authentication

For client-side authentication state, use the useUser hook:

components/UserProfile.tsx

"use client";

import { useUser } from "@auth0/nextjs-auth0";

export default function UserProfile() {
  const { user, error, isLoading } = useUser();

  if (isLoading) return <div>Loading...</div>;
  if (error) return <div>Error: {error.message}</div>;
  if (!user) return <div>Not logged in</div>;

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>{user.name}</h2>
      <p>{user.email}</p>
      <img src={user.picture} alt="Profile" />
    </div>
  );
}

Protecting API Routes

For API route protection, use the withApiAuthRequired method:

app/api/protected/route.ts

import { auth0 } from "@/lib/auth0";

export const GET = auth0.withApiAuthRequired(async function handler() {
  const session = await auth0.getSession();
  
  return Response.json({
    message: "This is a protected API route",
    user: session?.user
  });
});

Single Page App

Regular Web App

Native/Mobile App

Backend/API

Add Login to Your Next.js Application

Get Started

Troubleshooting

Advanced Usage

Authentication Routes

​Get Started

​Troubleshooting

​Advanced Usage

​Authentication Routes

Get Started

Troubleshooting

Advanced Usage

Authentication Routes