When creating an application that requires authentication, like a dashboard, how should you approach the development process? Should you implement the entire application first and then tackle authentication later, even though that could complicate updates? Or is it better to set up the authentication system initially and find a way to bypass it during development? I'm asking because my last experience with adding authentication at the end was quite frustrating, and I'm looking for better practices or standards around this.
5 Answers
When I use Laravel, I just run `laravel new` which sets up the authentication for me immediately! It’s a great start for any new project.
I believe in building the auth features early on, even the team functionalities. I can hide those features in the UI, but making changes later can be tough. What’s specifically been difficult for you with authentication?
I always start with the authentication part right off the bat and use a dummy account for my local testing. This way, I avoid any hassle when making changes later on.
In development, I just hardcode a user ID and skip actual auth checks. This removes a lot of the friction compared to implementing real auth first and dealing with logging in every single time you refresh. It’s much more efficient.
Most of our projects don’t begin from scratch, so we usually rely on the built-in authentication systems provided by the frameworks or CMS we use. It makes things a lot easier.

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