Frequently Asked Questions
Integrate Sinch's Verification API into your Node.js application using their provided SDK. This guide demonstrates a step-by-step implementation using Fastify, a high-performance Node.js framework, and TypeScript for improved code maintainability.
Sinch Verification API simplifies OTP generation, delivery via SMS or voice, and verification, offloading tasks like number formatting and carrier deliverability. It enhances security by managing the complexities of OTP lifecycles, improving implementation reliability.
Fastify is a performant and developer-friendly Node.js framework. Its speed and efficiency make it an ideal choice for building a robust and scalable 2FA system with Sinch. The guide leverages Fastify's plugin system for cleaner code organization.
Initialize a Node.js project, install Fastify, TypeScript dependencies, the Sinch SDK, Prisma ORM, and relevant type definitions. Configure a tsconfig.json file and define npm scripts for building, starting, development, and testing.
The guide uses PostgreSQL as the database and Prisma as an ORM for simplified database interactions. Prisma's type safety and migration features contribute to better code maintainability and reduced errors.
Leverage Sinch's dedicated service for OTP generation, delivery, and verification anytime you need to implement 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) in your Node.js applications to streamline the implementation and enhance security.
The architecture involves the end-user, a frontend app, a Fastify backend, the Sinch platform, and a database. The user interacts with the frontend, which communicates with the Fastify backend. The backend integrates with Sinch for OTP delivery and verification, and Prisma connects to the database.
The user initiates login, the backend verifies credentials, and then calls Sinch to initiate SMS verification. Sinch sends the OTP, the user enters it, and the backend verifies it with Sinch. Upon successful verification, the backend updates the user's session and grants access.
While the example uses PostgreSQL with Prisma, you can adapt the guide to use other databases. Ensure you have the appropriate database driver and adjust the Prisma schema and database connection settings accordingly.
The Fastify backend calls the Sinch SDK's `report` (verify) function to verify the OTP entered by the user against the phone number and initial verification request. The backend receives a success or failure response from Sinch.
Zod is used for schema validation and type safety. It ensures that all environment variables and request bodies are correctly formatted, minimizing runtime errors by catching type mismatches early in the development process.
The Sinch plugin might throw errors directly, or the guide recommends using a try-catch block to catch specific Sinch error codes within the verification handler. Mapping Sinch error codes to user-friendly messages improves the user experience.
Use bcrypt, a robust password hashing library, to securely store user passwords. The example provides utility functions for hashing and comparing passwords. Never store passwords in plain text.
You need Node.js v18 or later, npm/yarn, a Sinch account with a Verification App, a mobile phone for testing, basic understanding of TypeScript and REST APIs, and optionally, Docker and Docker Compose for a local PostgreSQL database.
This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough for building a secure SMS-based Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) system using Sinch's Verification API within a Fastify Node.js application. We will cover everything from project setup and core logic implementation to error handling, security considerations, and deployment.
Target Audience: Developers familiar with Node.js and potentially Fastify, looking to add robust SMS OTP verification to their applications. Goal: Build a production-ready Fastify API that handles user registration, login, and secures sessions using Sinch SMS OTP verification. Outcome: A secure, documented, and testable API backend with SMS 2FA.
What You Will Build:
Why This Approach?
System Architecture:
Prerequisites:
async/await
.curl
or a tool like Postman/Insomnia for API testing.1. Setting Up the Project
Let's initialize our Fastify project using TypeScript and set up the basic structure.
1.1 Initialize Project & Install Dependencies
Open your terminal and run the following commands:
1.2 Configure TypeScript (
tsconfig.json
)Create a
tsconfig.json
file in the project root:Why these settings?
extends
: Inherits sensible defaults for Node.js 18.outDir
,rootDir
: Define project structure for source and compiled files.module
:CommonJS
is standard for Node.js unless you're specifically setting up ES Modules.strict
: Catches more potential errors during development.esModuleInterop
,forceConsistentCasingInFileNames
,skipLibCheck
: Common settings for compatibility and faster builds.sourceMap
: Crucial for debugging compiled code.1.3 Configure Development Scripts (
package.json
)Add the following scripts to your
package.json
:build
: Compiles TypeScript to JavaScript.start
: Runs the compiled JavaScript application (for production).dev
: Runs the application usingts-node
andnodemon
for automatic restarts during development.test
: Command to run automated tests (example uses Vitest).prisma:*
: Commands for managing database migrations and generating the Prisma client.1.4 Project Structure
Create the following directory structure:
fastify-sinch-otp/
prisma/
schema.prisma
# Prisma schema definitionmigrations/
# Database migration files (generated)src/
modules/
# Feature modules (e.g., auth, users)auth/
auth.controller.ts
auth.routes.ts
auth.schema.ts
# Zod schemas & type definitionsauth.service.ts
plugins/
# Fastify plugins (e.g., db client, auth)prisma.ts
sinch.ts
jwtAuth.ts
config/
# Configuration files/logicindex.ts
types/
# Global or shared type definitionsfastify-jwt.d.ts
# JWT type augmentationsutils/
# Utility functionshash.ts
app.ts
# Main Fastify application setupserver.ts
# Entry point, starts the server.env
# Environment variables (ignored by git).env.example
# Example environment variables.gitignore
package.json
package-lock.json
tsconfig.json
Why this structure?
auth
) into modules makes the codebase easier to navigate and maintain.types
directory for global type definitions and augmentations (like for Fastify plugins).1.5 Environment Variables (
.env
and.env.example
)Create
.env.example
with placeholders:Create a
.env
file (copy from.env.example
) and fill in your actual development values. Crucially, add.env
to your.gitignore
file to prevent committing secrets.Why
.env
? Keeps sensitive information (API keys, database URLs, secrets) out of your codebase, making it secure and configurable per environment.1.6 Docker Setup for PostgreSQL (Optional)
If you don't have PostgreSQL running locally, create a
docker-compose.yml
file:Run
docker-compose up -d
to start the database container in the background.2. Database Schema and User Model (Prisma)
We'll use Prisma to define our database schema and interact with the database.
2.1 Define Prisma Schema
Edit
prisma/schema.prisma
:Why this schema?
id
: Standard unique primary key.email
,password
: Essential for basic authentication.phone
: Needed for Sinch SMS OTP. Making it@unique
prevents multiple accounts using the same phone number for verification. Decide if it should be nullable or required based on your signup flow.createdAt
,updatedAt
: Standard practice for tracking record changes.2.2 Generate Prisma Client and Run Initial Migration
prisma/migrations
directory if it doesn't exist.prisma/migrations/20250420000000_init/migration.sql
).User
table).2.3 Create Prisma Plugin for Fastify
Create
src/plugins/prisma.ts
to make the Prisma client available throughout your Fastify application.Why this plugin?
fastify-plugin
to avoid encapsulation issues and makefastify.prisma
available globally within the Fastify instance.3. Implementing Core Functionality (Auth Service & Controller)
Now, let's build the core logic for user registration, login, and preparing for OTP.
3.1 Configuration Setup
Create
src/config/index.ts
to load environment variables safely.Why Zod for config? Ensures required variables are present and have the correct type at application startup, preventing runtime errors later.
3.2 Zod Schemas and Type Definitions
Create
src/modules/auth/auth.schema.ts
to define input shapes using Zod and centralize JWT payload types.Why Zod schemas? Provides runtime validation of request bodies and parameters, ensuring data integrity before it hits your service logic. Also enables type inference for request handlers. Centralizing JWT types improves consistency.
3.3 Password Hashing Utility
Create
src/utils/hash.ts
:Why bcrypt? The standard and secure way to hash passwords. Never store plain text passwords.
3.4 Auth Service Logic
Create
src/modules/auth/auth.service.ts
. This handles the core business logic, interacting with the database and hashing.Why this structure?
PrismaClient
makes the service testable (you can pass a mock client).http-errors
for standard, descriptive HTTP errors. Throws errors instead of returning complex objects.3.5 Auth Controller (Request/Response Handling)
Create
src/modules/auth/auth.controller.ts
. This connects HTTP requests to the service logic.