Permissions

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Table of Contents

User Permissions
Document Permissions

Once a user is authenticated, authorization to access and modify a document is specified based on two values: the user's permissions array and the document's permissions array. The handler for a given document type determines what can be edited based on those values.

User Permissions

Here's part of Nick's User object:

{
  "_id": "512ef4805a67a8c507000001",
  "...otherProperties...": {},
  "permissions": [
    "admin"
  ],
  "name": "Nick!",
}

For example, the Article handler indirectly checks the user's permissions array for an 'admin' value when determining what methods are allowed, and specifies which properties any user, admin or not, may edit through the handler (so as to prevent editing values such as creation date or version numbers).

Only the web server can really protect the database from unauthorized access or tampering, so if you need to make sure documents only get changed in certain ways, do it through the handler for that sort of document.

Document Permissions

Here's part of the JumpsForeverAndEver Component including its permissions:

{
  "name": "JumpsForeverAndEver",
  "...otherProperties...": {},
  "permissions": [
    {
      "access": "owner",
      "target": "512ef4805a67a8c507000001"
    },
    {
      "access": "read",
      "target": "public"
    }
  ]
}

Document permissions are an array of objects with two properties: target and access. Target is either an ObjectId or the string 'public'. Access is either 'read', 'write', or 'owner'. There must always be at least one entry whose access value is 'owner'. 'read' can access the document, 'write' can access and modify the document, and 'owner' can change the permissions of the document. That's the general rule of thumb, anyway; there are case specific exceptions. For example, users with property 'admin' are assumed to have 'write' permission at all times. The handler for a document must specify any additional special cases.