JSON Web Token (JWT) parts

This table shows the relation of the three parts of a JSON Web Token (JWT) in the three possible cases:

  1. Plain token
  2. Signed token (JSON Web Signature)
  3. Encrypted token (JSON Web Encryption)
JWT Part Plain JWS JWE
first header header header
second claims set payload encrypted key
third signature cipher text
fourth integrity value

Source: http://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-jones-json-web-token-08.txt

Edited 2012-04-03 to update to the latest JWE spec with integrity value part.