JWT plugin README

plugins/auth-jwt/README.md

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+# JSON Web Token (JWT) Authentication
+
+A [JSON Web Token](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7519) (JWT) authentication
+plugin that supports token generation, signing, and automatic header management.
+
+![Screenshot of JWT auth UI](screenshot.png)
+
+## Overview
+
+This plugin provides JWT authentication support for API requests. JWT is a compact,
+URL-safe means of representing claims between two parties, commonly used for
+authentication and information exchange in modern web applications and APIs.
+
+## How JWT Authentication Works
+
+JWT authentication involves creating a signed token containing claims about the user or
+application. The token is sent in the `Authorization` header:
+
+```
+Authorization: Bearer <jwt-token>
+```
+
+A JWT consists of three parts separated by dots:
+
+- **Header**: Contains the token type and signing algorithm
+- **Payload**: Contains the claims (user data, permissions, expiration, etc.)
+- **Signature**: Ensures the token hasn't been tampered with
+
+## Usage
+
+1. Configure the request, folder, or workspace to use JWT Authentication
+2. Set up your signing algorithm and secret/key
+3. Configure the required claims for your JWT
+4. The plugin will generate, sign, and include the JWT in your requests
+
+## Common Use Cases
+
+JWT authentication is commonly used for:
+
+- **Microservices Authentication**: Service-to-service communication
+- **API Gateway Integration**: Authenticating with API gateways
+- **Single Sign-On (SSO)**: Sharing authentication across applications
+- **Stateless Authentication**: No server-side session storage required
+- **Mobile App APIs**: Secure authentication for mobile applications
+- **Third-party Integrations**: Authenticating with external services
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+- **Invalid Signature**: Check your secret/key and algorithm configuration
+- **Token Expired**: Verify expiration time settings
+- **Invalid Claims**: Ensure required claims are properly configured
+- **Algorithm Mismatch**: Verify the algorithm matches what the API expects
+- **Key Format Issues**: Ensure RSA keys are in the correct PEM format