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JavaScript User Authentication With Express and Mongo Improving the App with Custom Middleware Adding a Log Out Route

Posted by Oliver Statt
Oliver Statt
5,175 Points

Why do you need the destroy method?

Is there a specific reason why you cannot just do it like this:

router.get('/logout', (req, res, next) => { req.session.userId = undefined; res.redirect('/'); });

Seems easier and also works.

Abraham Juliot
Abraham Juliot
47,353 Points
Abraham Juliot
Abraham Juliot
47,353 Points

Behind the scenes, the destroy method is deleting the instance of the session using delete this.req.session. Changing the value of userid to undefined or setting the session object to null will not delete the instance of the session.

1 Answer

Erika Suzuki
Erika Suzuki
20,299 Points
Erika Suzuki
Erika Suzuki
20,299 Points

Because you might have other session variables related to the user. It’s best to delete all.