Registry / auth-security / basic

basic

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library2.0.3jsnpmunverified

The `basic` package provides a minimalist HTTP Basic Authentication middleware for Node.js applications. It abstracts the process of parsing the `Authorization` header and validating user credentials against a provided callback function. As of its latest stable version, 2.0.3 (published over seven years ago), the package is primarily designed for CommonJS environments and integrates directly with Node.js's native `http` module. It follows a callback-based asynchronous pattern for credential verification. Its primary differentiation lies in its extreme simplicity and lack of external dependencies, making it a lightweight option for adding basic authentication to a server. Due to its age, it receives infrequent updates and may not natively support modern JavaScript features like Promises or ES Modules without additional wrappers.

auth-securityhttp-networking
npm install basic
github ↗package ↗
INSTALL
IMPORT
SIG · BASIC
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basic
auth-securityjavascriptv2.0.3
Install
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Import
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Disk
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Pass rate
0/ 6
Env Coverage0 / 6
glibc
18–22
musl
18–22
Install & Compatibility
Where this runs
tested against v? · npm install
Install × environment matrix
Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux
musl
node 18–226 runs
build_error
glibc
node 18–226 runs
build_error
Code
Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

basic
✓ const basic = require('basic');
✗ import basic from 'basic'; // Does not support ES Modules
This package is CommonJS-only. Attempting to use ES Module import syntax will result in a runtime error.
authFunction
✓ const auth = basic(function (user, pass, callback) { /* ... */ });
The primary export is a factory function that takes a callback-based authentication function as its argument, returning the middleware.

Demonstrates setting up a basic HTTP server with basic authentication using the `basic` package, handling success and 401 responses.

const http = require('http'); const basic = require('basic'); const auth = basic(function (user, pass, callback) { // In a real application, you'd verify credentials against a database if (user === 'let' && pass === 'me in') { // Credentials are valid, proceed return callback(null); } // Credentials invalid, respond with 401 callback(401); }); const server = http.createServer(function (req, res) { auth(req, res, function (err) { // err will be 401 if authentication failed const headers = (err) ? {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic realm="Secure Area"'} : {}; res.writeHead(err || 200, headers); res.end(err ? 'Unauthorized' : 'Welcome to the secure area!'); }); }); server.listen(8000, () => { console.log('Server running on http://localhost:8000'); console.log('Test with: curl --head -H "Authorization:Basic bGV0Om1lIGlu" http://localhost:8000'); console.log('Test with invalid credentials: curl --head -H "Authorization:Basic d3Jvbmc6Y3JlZGVudGlhbHM=" http://localhost:8000'); });
Debug
Known issues
gotchaThe `basic` package is CJS-only and does not support ES Modules natively. Attempting to use `import` statements will result in runtime errors.
fix
Use `const basic = require('basic');` for importing the module.
affects: >=1.0
gotchaThis package requires manual handling of the `WWW-Authenticate` header for 401 Unauthorized responses. Failing to set this header will prevent browsers and clients from prompting for credentials.
fix
Ensure `res.writeHead(401, {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic realm="Secure Area"'});` is called when authentication fails, replacing 'Secure Area' with your desired realm.
affects: >=1.0
gotchaThe package uses an older callback-based asynchronous pattern. It does not natively support Promises or async/await syntax, which might require wrapping the authentication function for use in modern async codebases.
fix
Consider wrapping the authentication function in a Promise for easier integration with async/await patterns, or use a more modern authentication middleware for new projects.
affects: >=1.0
Errors
Common errors & fixes
TypeError: basic is not a function
Attempting to use ES Module `import basic from 'basic';` syntax, or incorrect `require` usage.
fix
Change your import to `const basic = require('basic');` as the package is CommonJS-only.
401 Unauthorized (but no login prompt in browser)
The `WWW-Authenticate` header was not correctly set in the HTTP response when authentication failed.
fix
On authentication failure, ensure you set the `WWW-Authenticate` header: `res.writeHead(401, {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic realm="Secure Area"'});`
Authentication always fails / user and pass are always incorrect
The callback function provided to `basic()` is not correctly invoking `callback(null)` on success or `callback(401)` on failure, or the credential verification logic is flawed.
fix
Double-check your `user` and `pass` comparison logic and ensure `callback(null)` is called when credentials are valid, and `callback(401)` (or another error code) when invalid.
Upgrade
Version history
2.0.3latest on npm
Audit
Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity
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Resources
githubhttps://github.com/thisandagain/basic ↗
packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/basic ↗
basic — npm install basic · libregistry