---
name: webiny-api-permissions
context: webiny-api
description: >
Schema-based permission system for API features. Use this skill when implementing
authorization in use cases, defining permission schemas with createPermissionSchema,
creating injectable permissions via createPermissionsAbstraction/createPermissionsFeature,
checking read/write/delete/publish permissions, handling own-record scoping,
or testing permission scenarios. Covers the full pattern from schema definition
to use case integration to test matrices.
---
# API Permissions
## Overview
Permissions follow two layers: **domain** (schema) and **features** (DI abstractions + feature registration). Each package declares a permission schema and gets a typed `Permissions` abstraction injectable into use cases via DI. Methods like `canRead`, `canEdit`, `canDelete`, `canPublish`, `onlyOwnRecords` replace manual `identityContext.getPermission()` calls.
## Layer 1: Domain — Permission Schema
Define the schema in `src/domain/permissionsSchema.ts`:
```ts
import { createPermissionSchema } from "webiny/api/security";
export const SM_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA = createPermissionSchema({
prefix: "sm",
fullAccess: true,
entities: [
{
id: "product",
permission: "sm.product",
scopes: ["full", "own"],
actions: [{ name: "rwd" }, { name: "pw" }]
},
{
id: "settings",
permission: "sm.settings",
scopes: ["full"]
}
]
});
```
The schema MUST use `as const` inference (handled by `createPermissionSchema`) for TypeScript to narrow entity IDs in method signatures.
### Schema Fields
| Field | Description |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `prefix` | Namespaces the DI abstraction: `${prefix}:Permissions` |
| `fullAccess` | `true` for standard full access. Pass an object with custom boolean flags for full-access extras (e.g., `{ canForceUnlock: true }`). |
| `entities[].id` | Entity identifier used in method calls: `canRead("product")` |
| `entities[].permission` | Permission name matched against identity permissions |
| `entities[].scopes` | `["full"]` or `["full", "own"]` — determines if own-scope supported |
| `entities[].actions` | Action definitions — built-in: `"rwd"`, `"pw"`; custom: boolean flags |
### Scopes
- **`"full"`** — User can access all records (default when no `own` flag on permission object)
- **`"own"`** — User can only access records where `createdBy.id === identity.id`
### Simple Apps (No Entities)
Omit `entities` for binary full/no access:
```ts
export const MA_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA = createPermissionSchema({
prefix: "ma",
fullAccess: true
});
```
---
## Layer 2: Features — DI Artifacts + Registration
### Abstraction (`src/features/permissions/abstractions.ts`)
```ts
import { createPermissionsAbstraction } from "webiny/api/security";
import type { Permissions } from "webiny/api/security";
import { SM_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA } from "~/domain/permissionsSchema.js";
export const SmPermissions = createPermissionsAbstraction(SM_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA);
export namespace SmPermissions {
export type Interface = Permissions<typeof SM_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA>;
}
```
### Feature (`src/features/permissions/feature.ts`)
```ts
import { createPermissionsFeature } from "webiny/api/security";
import { SM_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA } from "~/domain/permissionsSchema.js";
import { SmPermissions } from "./abstractions.js";
export const SmPermissionsFeature = createPermissionsFeature(SM_PERMISSIONS_SCHEMA, SmPermissions);
```
### Registration
Register the feature in your context plugin:
```ts
import { SmPermissionsFeature } from "~/features/permissions/feature.js";
// In createContext:
SmPermissionsFeature.register(container);
```
---
## File Structure
```
src/
├── domain/
│ └── permissionsSchema.ts # createPermissionSchema()
├── features/
│ └── permissions/
│ ├── abstractions.ts # createPermissionsAbstraction() + namespace type
│ └── feature.ts # createPermissionsFeature()
└── index.ts # SmPermissionsFeature.register(container)
```
---
## Permission Methods
All methods follow a 3-tier bypass:
1. `identityContext.hasFullAccess()` → `name: "*"` permission (super admin)
2. `hasFullSchemaAccess()` → wildcard permission (e.g. `"sm.*"`)
3. Entity-level permission check
### Method Reference
| Method | Purpose | Item-aware | Notes |
| --------------------------- | --------------------- | ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `canAccess(entity, item?)` | General access check | Yes | Without item: checks entity permission exists. With item + `own: true`: checks `createdBy.id` |
| `onlyOwnRecords(entity)` | List filter flag | No | Returns `true` when ALL permissions have `own: true` |
| `canRead(entity)` | Read permission | No | Checks `rwd` includes `"r"` (or no `rwd` = unrestricted) |
| `canCreate(entity)` | Create permission | No | Checks `rwd` includes `"w"` |
| `canEdit(entity, item?)` | Edit permission | Yes | With `own: true` + no item → allows (new/unsaved). With item → checks ownership |
| `canDelete(entity, item?)` | Delete permission | Yes | With `own: true` + no item → **RETURNS FALSE**. Must pass item |
| `canPublish(entity)` | Publish permission | No | Checks `pw` includes `"p"` |
| `canUnpublish(entity)` | Unpublish permission | No | Checks `pw` includes `"u"` |
| `canAction(action, entity)` | Custom boolean action | No | Checks `permission[action] === true` |
All return `Promise<boolean>`. Entity IDs are fully typed — `canRead("bogus")` produces a type error.
### OwnableItem Interface
```ts
interface OwnableItem {
createdBy?: { id: string } | null;
}
```
---
## Use Case Implementation Patterns
### Get Use Case (Read + Ownership Gate)
The Get use case is the **central ownership gate** — mutation use cases that delegate to GetById inherit ownership enforcement automatically.
```ts
import { Result } from "webiny/api";
import { GetByIdUseCase as UseCaseAbstraction, GetByIdRepository } from "./abstractions.js";
import { SmPermissions } from "~/features/permissions/abstractions.js";
import { NotAuthorizedError } from "~/domain/errors.js";
class GetByIdUseCaseImpl implements UseCaseAbstraction.Interface {
constructor(
private permissions: SmPermissions.Interface,
private repository: GetByIdRepository.Interface
) {}
async execute(id: string): UseCaseAbstraction.Return {
// 1. Entity-level read check
if (!(await this.permissions.canRead("product"))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
// 2. Fetch
const result = await this.repository.execute(id);
if (result.isFail()) {
return result;
}
// 3. Item-level ownership check
if (!(await this.permissions.canAccess("product", result.value))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
return result;
}
}
export const GetByIdUseCase = UseCaseAbstraction.createImplementation({
implementation: GetByIdUseCaseImpl,
dependencies: [SmPermissions, GetByIdRepository]
});
```
### List Use Case (Read + Own Records Filter)
```ts
import { IdentityContext } from "webiny/api/security";
class ListUseCaseImpl implements UseCaseAbstraction.Interface {
constructor(
private permissions: SmPermissions.Interface,
private identityContext: IdentityContext.Interface,
private repository: ListRepository.Interface
) {}
async execute(params: UseCaseAbstraction.Params): UseCaseAbstraction.Return {
if (!(await this.permissions.canRead("product"))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
const where = { ...params.where };
// Filter to own records if needed
if (await this.permissions.onlyOwnRecords("product")) {
const identity = this.identityContext.getIdentity();
where.createdBy = identity.id;
}
return this.repository.execute({ ...params, where });
}
}
// Dependencies must include IdentityContext
dependencies: [SmPermissions, IdentityContext, ListRepository];
```
**Important:** The list `where` type must include `createdBy?: string`. For CMS-based entities, `CmsEntryListWhere` already has this.
### Update Use Case (Edit + Item-Level Check)
```ts
class UpdateUseCaseImpl implements UseCaseAbstraction.Interface {
constructor(
private permissions: SmPermissions.Interface,
private getById: GetByIdUseCase.Interface,
private repository: UpdateRepository.Interface
) {}
async execute(id: string, data: UpdateData): UseCaseAbstraction.Return {
// 1. Entity-level edit check (no item yet)
if (!(await this.permissions.canEdit("product"))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
// 2. Fetch original (enforces canRead + canAccess via GetById)
const getResult = await this.getById.execute(id);
if (getResult.isFail()) {
return getResult;
}
const original = getResult.value;
// 3. Item-level edit check (defense in depth)
if (!(await this.permissions.canEdit("product", original))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
// ... events + repository
}
}
```
### Delete Use Case (CRITICAL: Item-Level Delete)
**`canDelete` with `own: true` and no item returns `false`.**
Unlike `canEdit` (which returns `true` for `own: true` + no item), `canDelete` requires the item to verify ownership. The delete use case MUST fetch the item first.
```ts
class DeleteUseCaseImpl implements UseCaseAbstraction.Interface {
async execute(params: Params): UseCaseAbstraction.Return {
// Fetch first (enforces canRead + canAccess via GetById)
const getResult = await this.getById.execute(params.id);
if (getResult.isFail()) {
return Result.fail(getResult.error);
}
const item = getResult.value;
// Item-level delete check — MUST pass the item
if (!(await this.permissions.canDelete("product", item))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
// ... events + repository
}
}
```
### Publish Use Case (Publish + Ownership)
```ts
class PublishUseCaseImpl {
async execute(params: Params): UseCaseAbstraction.Return {
// 1. Entity-level publish check
if (!(await this.permissions.canPublish("product"))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
// 2. Fetch (enforces ownership via GetById)
const getResult = await this.getById.execute(params.id);
if (getResult.isFail()) {
return getResult;
}
// 3. Item-level ownership check (defense in depth)
if (!(await this.permissions.canAccess("product", getResult.value))) {
return Result.fail(new NotAuthorizedError());
}
// ... events + repository
}
}
```
---
## DI Injection
The permissions abstraction is passed directly as a dependency — it IS the DI key:
```ts
export const MyUseCase = UseCaseAbstraction.createImplementation({
implementation: MyUseCaseImpl,
dependencies: [SmPermissions, OtherDep]
});
```
**Note:** Use `SmPermissions` directly (not `SmPermissions.Abstraction`). The abstraction returned by `createPermissionsAbstraction` is the DI key itself.
---
## Gotchas
1. **`canDelete` without item + `own: true` = `false`** — Always pass the item to `canDelete`. Fetch first, then check.
2. **`canEdit` without item + `own: true` = `true`** — Intentional: allows editing new/unsaved records.
3. **`canAccess` without item = `true`** — Only checks entity-level access, not ownership.
4. **List where type** — Ensure the `where` interface includes `createdBy?: string` for own-scope filtering.
5. **Dependencies order** — DI constructor params must match the `dependencies` array order exactly.
6. **Abstraction is the DI key** — Use `SmPermissions` directly in dependencies, not `SmPermissions.Abstraction`.
## Matching Admin-Side Permissions
The API schema and the admin-side `createPermissionSchema` should use the **same prefix, entity IDs, and action names**. This ensures the permissions emitted by the admin UI are correctly evaluated by the API.
```
API: createPermissionSchema({ prefix: "sm", entities: [{ id: "product", permission: "sm.product", ... }] })
Admin: createPermissionSchema({ prefix: "sm", entities: [{ id: "product", permission: "sm.product", ... }] })
```
See **webiny-admin-permissions** for the admin-side implementation.
## Related Skills
- **webiny-admin-permissions** — Admin-side permission UI and DI-backed permission checking
- **webiny-api-architect** — Architecture overview, Services vs UseCases, feature structure
- **webiny-use-case-pattern** — UseCase implementation, Result handling, decorators
- **webiny-dependency-injection** — Injectable services catalog