Resolving false Responses in WP REST API Custom Endpoints with JWT Authorization

Discover how to troubleshoot the `false` return values in WP REST API custom endpoints using JWT Authorization, especially on AWS Lightsail hosting.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/65481602/ asked by the user 'rguttersohn' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12187826/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/65516130/ provided by the user 'rguttersohn' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12187826/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Troubleshooting false Responses in WP REST API Custom Endpoints

Creating custom endpoints for the WordPress REST API can be a fulfilling experience, but sometimes developers run into frustrating issues. One common problem is encountering false return values on GET and POST requests when using JWT Authorization. In this guide, we’ll explore the steps to resolve this issue and ensure smooth operation of your custom API endpoints.

The Issue at Hand

You’ve set up your custom endpoint for user meta and successfully registered it in the WP REST API. However, whenever you attempt to make GET and POST requests from your single-page application (built with Vue.js), you receive a disappointing response—false. This leads to confusion, especially since it seems related to authentication issues when using the JWT Authorization for WP REST API plugin.

Common Reasons for the Issue

The challenges often stem from two primary areas:

User Authorization: If the current user ID is not correctly identified, functions like get_user_meta and update_user_meta return false.

Server Configuration: If your server’s configuration does not handle authorization headers properly, it can lead to a failure in user recognition.

Steps to Resolve the Issue

1. Adjust Your .htaccess File

If you're hosting your WordPress site on AWS Lightsail using Bitnami stack, you may need to make some adjustments to your .htaccess file to handle authentication correctly. Here’s the recommended configuration to include:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

What This Does: It ensures that your server correctly handles the HTTP Authorization headers necessary for JWT authentication to recognize the current user.

2. Modify Your Authorization Header in AJAX Requests

Another area for potential issues lies in the way you're formatting your authorization header in your front-end requests. If the token is a string and included in a template literal, it can create parsing issues. Instead, use simple string concatenation. Here's the adjusted code for your authorization header:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why This Works: By simplifying the format, it avoids parsing errors that might occur when using template literals unnecessarily.

Conclusion

By addressing the server configuration and modifying the way the authorization token is set in your requests, you can effectively resolve the issue of receiving false responses from your custom WordPress REST API endpoints. This ensures that your Vue.js app interacts correctly with the backend and that user meta data is managed as intended.

If you encounter this issue in the future, follow these steps to get back on track and enjoy the benefits of a fully operational API!

For any further questions or if you encounter additional issues, don’t hesitate to seek further assistance or consult the official WordPress documentation on REST APIs and JWT authentication.

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