.env

.gitignore

@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-/node_modules
+/node_modules
+
+.env

middleware/auth.js

@@ -1,17 +1,22 @@
 const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
 
 const authMiddleware = (req, res, next) => {
-  const token = req.header('Authorization').replace('Bearer ', '');
+  // Retrieve the token from the Authorization header
+  const token = req.header('Authorization')?.replace('Bearer ', '');
+
+  // Check if token is provided
   if (!token) {
-    return res.status(401).send('Access denied');
+    return res.status(401).json({ message: 'Access denied: No token provided' });
   }
 
   try {
-    const decoded = jwt.verify(token, 'your_jwt_secret');
+    // Verify the token using the secret stored in an environment variable
+    const decoded = jwt.verify(token, process.env.JWT_SECRET);
     req.user = decoded;
     next();
-  } catch (error) {
-    res.status(400).send('Invalid token');
+  } catch {
+    // Handle invalid token error
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid token' });
   }
 };