Django REST JWT Refresh Fix

In this tutorial, you'll learn about Django REST JWT Refresh Fix. We cover key concepts, practical examples, and best practices.

The Problem

Simple token auth has no expiry. If a token leaks, it's valid forever. JWT with short-lived access tokens and refresh tokens reduces the window of exposure.

Quick Fix

Wrong — no refresh, long-lived tokens

from rest_framework.authtoken.models import Token

# Token never expires — if leaked, it's usable indefinitely
token = Token.objects.create(user=user)

Output: Token is valid forever. No mechanism to rotate credentials.

Correct — JWT with refresh

# settings.py
INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'rest_framework_simplejwt',
    ...
]

REST_FRAMEWORK = {
    'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': [
        'rest_framework_simplejwt.authentication.JWTAuthentication',
    ]
}

from datetime import timedelta

SIMPLE_JWT = {
    'ACCESS_TOKEN_LIFETIME': timedelta(minutes=30),
    'REFRESH_TOKEN_LIFETIME': timedelta(days=7),
    'ROTATE_REFRESH_TOKENS': True,
    'AUTH_HEADER_TYPES': ('Bearer',),
}

# urls.py
from rest_framework_simplejwt.views import TokenObtainPairView, TokenRefreshView

urlpatterns = [
    path('api/token/', TokenObtainPairView.as_view()),
    path('api/token/refresh/', TokenRefreshView.as_view()),
]

Output: POST /api/token/ returns {access, refresh}. Access token expires in 30 min. POST /api/token/refresh/ with the refresh token returns a new access token.

Custom token claims

from rest_framework_simplejwt.serializers import TokenObtainPairSerializer

class CustomTokenSerializer(TokenObtainPairSerializer):
    @classmethod
    def get_token(cls, user):
        token = super().get_token(user)
        token['username'] = user.username
        token['is_staff'] = user.is_staff
        return token

Using refresh token in client

import requests

# Obtain tokens
resp = requests.post('https://api.example.com/api/token/', json={
    'username': 'user', 'password': 'pass'
})
tokens = resp.json()

# Refresh when expired
resp = requests.post('https://api.example.com/api/token/refresh/', json={
    'refresh': tokens['refresh']
})
tokens['access'] = resp.json()['access']

Prevention

• Keep access tokens short-lived (5-30 minutes).
• Use ROTATE_REFRESH_TOKENS=True so old refresh tokens become invalid after use.
• Store refresh tokens securely (HttpOnly cookies for web apps, secure storage for mobile).

Common Mistakes with rest jwt refresh

1. Forgetting that lazy evaluation defers computation until the value is forced, causing space leaks with unevaluated thunks
2. Using return to exit a function early instead of wrapping a pure value in the monad
3. Mixing let bindings with <- bindings in do notation, producing type errors

These mistakes appear frequently in real-world DJANGO code. DodaTech's contributors have identified these patterns through analysis of open-source projects and production systems.

Practice Exercise

Write a pure function that safely divides two integers using Maybe, then test it with edge cases like division by zero and negative numbers.

This exercise reinforces the concepts covered in this guide. Try implementing it before checking online solutions.

FAQ