Web2 Authentication

How to implement user authentication quickly and securely using Clerk

Why AI Struggles with Auth

AI normally struggles to create authentication systems. This is because auth involves complex security considerations, session management, and various edge cases that can be challenging to implement correctly.

Authentication is one of the most security-critical parts of your application. Getting it wrong can expose user data and create serious vulnerabilities.

Common Auth Challenges:

Password hashing and security
Session management
Email verification flows
Password reset functionality
Two-factor authentication
Social login integration

Why Clerk?

Use Clerk to add authentication to your app fast and without getting blocked. It handles all the complex security details for you.

You can use Clerk for as many apps as you want and it's free unless your project goes viral.

🚀 Quick Setup

Get authentication running in minutes, not weeks

🔒 Security Built-in

Industry-standard security practices handled automatically

🎨 Customizable UI

Pre-built components that match your design

📱 Multi-platform

Works with React, Next.js, and mobile apps

What You Get with Clerk

Authentication Methods

Email and password
Social logins (Google, GitHub, etc.)
Magic links
Phone number verification

User Management

User profiles and metadata
Email verification
Password reset flows
Account deletion

Security Features

Two-factor authentication
Session management
Bot protection
Rate limiting

Developer Experience

Pre-built React components
Webhooks for user events
Admin dashboard
Analytics and insights

Quick Start Guide

1. Setup Clerk Account

Go to clerk.com and sign up
Create a new application
Choose your authentication methods
Copy your API keys

2. Install Clerk

npm install @clerk/nextjs

3. Add Environment Variables

NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_publishable_key
CLERK_SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key

4. Ask AI for Help

Example Prompt:

"Help me set up Clerk authentication in my Next.js app. I want users to be able to sign up with email and Google. Show me how to wrap my app with ClerkProvider and create sign-in/sign-up pages."

Best Practices

✅ Do This

Keep your secret keys in environment variables
Test authentication flows in development
Set up proper error handling
Use Clerk's middleware for protected routes
Configure your allowed redirect URLs

❌ Avoid This

Hardcoding API keys in your code
Skipping email verification in production
Forgetting to handle loading states
Not protecting sensitive API routes

Always test your authentication flow thoroughly before deploying to production. Make sure sign-up, sign-in, and password reset all work correctly.

Common Implementation Patterns

Helpful AI Prompts

🔒 Protected Pages

"Show me how to protect my /dashboard route so only authenticated users can access it using Clerk middleware"

👤 User Profile

"Help me create a user profile page where users can see and edit their information using Clerk components"

🎨 Custom Styling

"How can I customize the appearance of Clerk's sign-in component to match my app's design system?"