When building an ASP.NET Core application, middleware order is critical. Two common middlewares are app.UseAuthentication() and app.UseAuthorization().
** What they do**
app.UseAuthentication(): Checks and validates the user's credentials. It sets the HttpContext.User property.
app.UseAuthorization(): Uses the authenticated identity to check whether the user has permission to access a resource.
✅** Correct Order**
app.UseAuthentication();
app.UseAuthorization();
This order is essential because authentication must happen before authorization. Authorization relies on an authenticated user identity to decide access rights.
⚠️ What happens if you reverse the order
app.UseAuthorization();
app.UseAuthentication();
If reversed:
UseAuthorization runs before UseAuthentication, so HttpContext.User will be empty.Authorization fails because the user hasn’t been authenticated yet.
The result: authorization will not work as expected, and access to protected resources will be denied even for valid users.
💡 Key takeaway
Always place app.UseAuthentication() before app.UseAuthorization() in your middleware pipeline. This ensures proper authentication and authorization flow.
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