Retrieve a session token
A server needs a token for an identified Clerk session.
Clerk · Pipe
getToken
Retrieves a token for a Clerk session or creates a JWT from a specified Dashboard template. The backend method accepts a session ID and returns the generated token asynchronously.
How it works
The backend Sessions API method accepts a session ID and can optionally use a Dashboard-configured JWT template. It returns a promise containing the generated token; the SDK delegates this operation to Clerk’s session-token endpoint.
Syntax
function getToken(sessionId: string, template?: string, expiresInSeconds?: number): Promise<Token>Parameters
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
sessionId | string | The ID of the session to get the token for. |
template? | string | The name of the JWT template configured in the Clerk Dashboard to generate a new token from. |
expiresInSeconds? | number | The number of seconds for which the generated token should be valid. |
Returns
Promise<Token> containing the generated token.
Key points
- Use it either to obtain a session token or to create a JWT from a named Clerk template.
- The required
sessionIdidentifies the target session. - The optional
templateselects a Dashboard-configured JWT template. - The asynchronous result contains the generated token.
- Its declared signature supports a session ID, optional template, and optional expiration duration.
Common mistakes
- A referenced JWT template must already exist in the Clerk Dashboard, or template-based generation will not work.
- This is a backend SDK operation tied to Clerk’s session-token endpoint, not a client-side-only helper.
Example: Generate a session token
const sessionId = 'sess_123'
const template = 'test'
const response = await clerkClient.sessions.getToken(sessionId, template)
console.log(response)Generates a token for the specified session using the JWT template named test. Create that template in the Clerk Dashboard before running this code.
When to use it
Generate a custom JWT
A backend integration expects claims defined by a Clerk JWT template.
Set token expiration
A service needs to control how long a generated token remains valid.
Interview questions
QWhat does the backend getToken method do?
getToken takes a required session ID, plus optional template and expiration arguments, and returns a Promise<Token>. It either retrieves a session token or creates a JWT from the selected Clerk Dashboard template.
Follow-up: What must be configured before using a template? A JWT template with the requested name must exist in the Clerk Dashboard.
QWhat are the method's main arguments used for?
The first argument identifies the session whose token is requested. The optional template argument selects the Dashboard JWT template used to generate a custom token.
Follow-up: What happens if the session ID is invalid? The method cannot generate the requested session token because the operation targets that specific session.
QHow does this SDK method map to Clerk’s API?
The SDK method wraps Clerk’s BAPI session-token route, using the session ID and, when supplied, the template name. The asynchronous result is the generated token.
Follow-up: How would you obtain a token for a different session? Pass that session’s ID as the first argument, subject to the backend authorization and session validity required by Clerk.
Related
JWT templatesclerkClient.sessionsSessionTokenBAPI endpoint