A developer built AuthServer to avoid copying authentication logic across projects. The standalone backend handles email/password login, Google OAuth, JWT verification, and password resets via REST APIs. Built with Node.js, Express, and MySQL, it's containerized with Docker and deployed via Jenkins, taking about 4-5 days of focused work.

The project highlighted the complexity of OAuth flows and token management. Debugging Google OAuth callbacks and JWT verification across services revealed how fragile custom authentication can be without careful design. This experience underscored why many teams opt for managed providers over rolling their own solutions.

AuthServer is now documented and available as an open-source repository with an NPM client. While functional, the developer acknowledges it's not perfect and seeks feedback from others who have built auth systems. The project serves as a practical learning tool for understanding authentication architecture.