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# Quick Start: Generate Your First JWT Secret in 5 Minutes

Need a JWT secret for your app right now? This guide gets you from zero to a signed token in five minutes.

## Step 1: Generate a Secret

Open the [JWT Secret Generator](/tools/jwt-secret-generator) and click **Generate**. The default 256-bit key is the right choice for most HS256 applications.

All generation happens in your browser — nothing is sent to a server.

## Step 2: Store It Safely

Copy the generated key and add it to your environment:

```bash
JWT_SECRET=your-generated-hex-key-here
```

Never commit this value to git. Use your hosting platform's secrets manager in production.

## Step 3: Sign a Token

**Node.js:**

```javascript
const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
const token = jwt.sign({ userId: 1 }, process.env.JWT_SECRET, { algorithm: 'HS256', expiresIn: '1h' });
```

**Python:**

```python
import jwt, os
token = jwt.encode({'userId': 1}, os.environ['JWT_SECRET'], algorithm='HS256')
```

## Step 4: Verify It Works

Paste your token into the [JWT Validator](/tools/jwt-validator) with your secret to confirm the signature is valid.

## Next Steps

- Read the [JWT Best Practices Checklist](/blog/jwt-best-practices-checklist) before going to production
- Learn [HS256 vs RS256](/compare/hs256-vs-rs256) if you are choosing an algorithm
- Set up [key rotation](/blog/how-to-rotate-jwt-secrets) for long-running services

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