Glossary coding Term Page
Access Token
A short-lived token sent with protected requests to prove identity
Core Idea
An access token is the token a client sends with protected API requests to prove who the current user is. It is usually short-lived and travels either in an Authorization header or a carefully configured cookie.
Why It Matters Here
Mathbong uses access tokens when explaining FastAPI protected routes, SvelteKit login persistence, and the trade-off with refresh tokens. The short lifetime is a security decision that limits the damage of exposure.