There are several ways to detect the user in a web application, it depends on the requirements and the architecture of your application. Here are a few examples:
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Cookies: Cookies are small text files stored on the client’s browser. You can use them to store a unique identifier for the user, such as a user ID or session ID. When the user makes a request to your server, you can read the cookie and use the identifier to look up the user in your database.
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JWT (Json Web Token) : JWT is a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties. JWT can be used to identify the user, you can store user information inside the JWT and attach it to the client’s browser. When the client makes a request, it will send the JWT with the request and the server can decode the JWT to get the user information.
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IP Address: The IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. You can use the IP address to identify the user, however, it has some limitations as IP addresses can change and be shared among multiple users.
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Fingerprinting: Fingerprinting is a technique that uses various browser and device attributes to create a unique identifier for the user. These attributes can include browser type, screen resolution, installed fonts, and more. Fingerprinting can be used to identify the user, but it has limitations as some attributes can be easily spoofed.
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Mobile Device ID: If you are developing a mobile app, you can use the unique device ID provided by the operating system to identify the user.
It’s important to keep in mind that all of these options have their own advantages and limitations, you should consider the security, privacy, and scalability aspects when choosing the way to detect the user.