How do I store a current user context in AngularJS?

Issue

I have an AuthService, which logs in a user, it returns back a user json object. What I want to do is set that object and have all the changes reflected across the application (logged in/logged out state) without having to refresh the page.

How would I accomplish this with AngularJS?

Solution

The easiest way to accomplish this is by using a service. For example:

app.factory( 'AuthService', function() {
  var currentUser;

  return {
    login: function() { ... },
    logout: function() { ... },
    isLoggedIn: function() { ... },
    currentUser: function() { return currentUser; }
    ...
  };
});

You can then reference this in any of your controllers. The following code watches for changes in a value from the service (by calling the function specified) and then syncs the changed values to the scope.

app.controller( 'MainCtrl', function( $scope, AuthService ) {
  $scope.$watch( AuthService.isLoggedIn, function ( isLoggedIn ) {
    $scope.isLoggedIn = isLoggedIn;
    $scope.currentUser = AuthService.currentUser();
  });
});

And then, of course, you can use that information however you see fit; e.g. in directives, in templates, etc. You can repeat this (customized to what you need to do) in your menu controllers, etc. It will all be updated automatically when you change the state on the service.

Anything more specific depends on your implementation.

Answered By - Josh David Miller