I’m building a custom agent desktop widget using the React wrapper for the Embeddable Client App SDK. The setup uses the implicit grant flow which is standard for these client-side apps. I get the token from the SDK’s session.getAccessToken() method. It works fine for initial API calls.
The issue is handling token refresh or validation manually because the SDK doesn’t expose the raw JWT payload for easy inspection of the exp claim. I need to know if the token is about to expire so I can prefetch data before the next call fails with a 401.
Here is what I’ve tried so far in my React component:
import { useSession } from '@genesyscloud/genesys-cloud-react-sdk';
const MyWidget = () => {
const { session } = useSession();
const checkTokenValidity = async () => {
try {
const token = await session.getAccessToken();
// I need to decode this token to check expiry
// But base64 decoding gives me a string, not a parsed object
const parts = token.split('.');
const payload = JSON.parse(atob(parts[1]));
const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
console.log('Token exp:', payload.exp, 'Now:', now);
if (payload.exp < now) {
console.warn('Token expired');
// What do I do here? session.refresh()?
}
} catch (e) {
console.error('Token validation failed', e);
}
};
useEffect(() => {
checkTokenValidity();
}, []);
return <div>Widget Content</div>;
};
The atob decoding works to get the payload, but I’m not sure if this is the supported way. Sometimes the token comes back undefined if the session isn’t fully initialized yet. Also, calling session.refresh() manually throws an error saying I cannot refresh an implicit grant token directly in this context. It seems the SDK handles refresh internally via a silent re-auth, but I can’t hook into that event to know when it happens.
Is there a proper way to listen for token expiry events in the React SDK? Or should I just wrap my API calls in a retry logic that catches 401s and waits for the SDK to refresh? The docs mention onSessionChange but I’m not seeing a clear example for React functional components.
I’ve tried adding a listener:
session.onSessionChange((event) => {
console.log('Session changed:', event);
});
But the event object doesn’t seem to fire when the token is just about to expire, only when the user logs out or switches users. I’m stuck on how to proactively handle the token lifecycle without hitting 401 errors in my custom UI.
Don’t try to parse the JWT manually in the React widget. It’s a headache and often leads to race conditions. The Embeddable Client App SDK handles the refresh cycle automatically under the hood.
If you need to make API calls, just use the platformClient instance provided by the SDK. It intercepts requests and refreshes the token if it’s about to expire. You don’t need to check the exp claim yourself.
Here is how you should structure your API calls to ensure they use the valid token:
import { useGenesysCloud } from '@gencloud/eslint-plugin'; // Or your specific wrapper hook
const { platformClient } = useGenesysCloud();
const fetchUserData = async () => {
try {
// The SDK handles token refresh here automatically
const response = await platformClient.Users.getUser({ userId: 'me' });
return response.body;
} catch (error) {
console.error("API call failed", error);
}
};
If you really need the raw token for some external service, session.getAccessToken() returns a Promise that resolves with the current valid token. Just await it. Don’t store it in state unless you have a very specific reason. The token changes frequently.
Also, remember that implicit grant tokens expire quickly. Relying on manual expiry checks usually fails because of clock drift between client and server. Let the SDK do the heavy lifting.
What exactly are you trying to validate the token against?
is spot on about the SDK handling the refresh cycle, but I think you’re conflating two different needs here. If you just need to call the API, yes, use the platformClient instance. It abstracts away the token management entirely. You don’t need to touch the JWT.
However, if you specifically need to inspect the token payload (maybe for custom logging or conditional UI rendering based on user roles inside the widget), you can still grab it. The SDK doesn’t hide it completely. You just need to access it correctly before it expires.
Here’s how I handle this in my React widgets:
- Don’t parse the JWT manually for expiration checks. The SDK exposes an event listener for token changes. Use that instead of polling or trying to decode the
exp claim yourself. It’s cleaner and avoids race conditions.
- Use
session.getAccessToken() combined with a simple decoder if you absolutely need the payload. But only do this for read-only info. Never store the token or try to refresh it manually.
- use the
platformClient for all API calls. This is the golden rule. It ensures your requests always have a valid token.
import { session } from '@genesyscloud/embeddable-client-app-sdk';
// Only do this if you truly need the payload for UI logic
const checkTokenPayload = async () => {
try {
const token = await session.getAccessToken();
// Simple base64 decode of the payload part (split by '.')
const payload = JSON.parse(atob(token.split('.')[1]));
console.log('User ID:', payload.sub);
console.log('Expires at:', new Date(payload.exp * 1000).toISOString());
} catch (error) {
console.error('Failed to get token', error);
}
};
// For API calls, just use platformClient directly
// const platformClient = await session.getPlatformClient();
// await platformClient.users.getUserMe();
The key takeaway is to let the SDK manage the lifecycle. If you start managing the token yourself, you’ll end up fighting the SDK’s internal state machine. Stick to the platformClient for data fetching and use the token payload only for passive UI updates.