Partial Schema Update

As development teams regularly roll out new features or API endpoints, features each addition often necessitates corresponding updates to the Permify schema.

To streamline this process, we have published an endpoint allows authorized users to make partial updates to the schema by adding or modifying actions within individual entities.

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Endpoint Definition

/v1/{tenant_id}/schemas/partial-write

This endpoint allows authorized users to make partial updates to the schema by adding or modifying actions within individual entities.

Request Payload Structure

PATCH /v1/{tenant_id}/schemas/partial-write
Content-Type: application/json

body:

{
  "metadata": {
    "schema_version": ""
  },
  "entities": {
		"<entity-name>": {
			"write": [],
			"delete": [],
			"update": []
		}
  }
}

​

Behavior Description

When the schema_version in the request metadata is left empty, the system will default to using the latest(head) schema version as the base for updates.

• name (string): The name of the entity to be changed.
• write (string array): Conditions to be added. If a relation or permission/action already exists, it should return an error.
• delete (string array): Names (permissions/actions) to be deleted. If the relation/permission/action name does not exist, it should return an error. Note: specifying the name is enough as relation/permission/action names should be unique.
• update (string array): Conditions to be updated.

If schema_version is specified, the endpoint will perform the same update process on the given version and generate a new version thereafter.

Partial Schema Endpoint Example Usage

Existing Schema

entity user {}

entity organization {
    relation admin @user
    relation member @user
}

entity team {
    relation owner @user
    relation org @organization

    permission edit = org.admin or owner
    permission delete = org.admin or owner
}

The code block above outlines the existing schema definitions for the user, organization, and team entities. This includes their respective relationships and permissions within the schema.

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Partial Schema Update Request

To update the team entity by introducing new permissions, the following PATCH request with the accompanying payload is sent:

{
  "metadata": {
    "schema_version": ""
  },
  "entities": {
		"team": {
		  "write": [
		    "relation member @user",
		    "permission invite = org.admin and (owner or member)",
		    "permission remove_user = owner"
		  ],
		  "delete": [
		    "edit"
		  ],
		  "update": [
		    "permission delete = member"
		  ]
		}
	}
}

By leaving the schema_version empty string, it signals the system to take the latest(head) schema version as a base for applying updates.

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Resulting Schema After Update

After the request is processed, the system outputs a new schema version where the team entity is revised to include the new permissions as illustrated below:

entity user {}

entity organization {
    relation admin @user
    relation member @user
}

entity team {
    relation owner @user
    relation member @user
    relation org @organization

    permission delete = member
    permission invite = org.admin and (owner or member)
    permission remove_user = owner
}

invite and remove_user permissions have been added, a member relation has been included, the edit permission has been deleted, and the delete permission has been updated.