Google Docs Simplified

This example models a simplified version of Google Docs style permission system where users can be granted direct access to a document, or access via organizations and nested groups.

Schema | Open in playground

entity user {}

entity organization {
    relation group @group
    relation document @document
    relation administrator @user @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation direct_member @user

    permission admin = administrator
    permission member = direct_member or administrator or group.member
}

entity group {
    relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation direct_member @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

    permission member = direct_member or manager
}

entity document {
    relation org @organization

    relation viewer  @user  @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

    action edit = manager or org.admin
    action view = viewer or manager or org.admin
}

Breakdown of the Model

User

entity user {}

Represents a user who can be granted permission to access a documents directly, or through their membership in a group or organization.

Document

entity document {
    relation org @organization

    relation viewer  @user  @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

    action edit = manager or org.admin
    action view = viewer or manager or org.admin
}

Represents a document that users can be granted permission to access. The document entity has two relationships:

Relations

org: Represents organization that document belongs to.

manager: A relationship between users who are authorized to manage the document. This relationship is defined by the @user annotation on both ends, and by the @group#member and @group#manager annotations on the ends corresponding to the group member and manager relations.

viewer: A relationship between users who are authorized to view the document. This relationship is defined by the @user annotation on one end and the @group#member and @group#manager annotations on the other end corresponding to the group entity member and manager relations.

The document entity has two actions defined:

Actions

manage:: An action that can be performed by users who are authorized to manage the document, as determined by the manager relationship.

view: An action that can be performed by users who are authorized to view the document, as determined by the viewer and manager relationships.

Group

entity group {
    relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation direct_member @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

    permission member = direct_member or manager
}

Represents a group of users who can be granted permission to access a document. The group entity has two relationships:

Relations

manager: A relationship between users who are authorized to manage the group. This relationship is defined by the @user annotation on both ends, and by the @group#member and @group#manager annotations on the ends corresponding to the group entity member and manager.

direct_member: A relationship between users who are members of the group. This relationship is defined by the @user annotation on one end and the @group#member and @group#manager annotations on the other end corresponding to the group entity member and manager.

The group entity has one action defined:

Organization

entity organization {
    relation group @group
    relation document @document
    relation administrator @user @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation direct_member @user

    permission admin = administrator
    permission member = direct_member or administrator or group.member
}

Represents an organization that can contain groups, users, and documents. The organization entity has several relationships:

Relations

group: A relationship between the organization and its groups. This relationship is defined by the @group annotation on the end corresponding to the group entity.

document: A relationship between the organization and its document. This relationship is defined by the @document annotation on the end corresponding to the group entity.

administrator: A relationship between users who are authorized to manage the organization. This relationship is defined by the @user annotation on both ends, and by the @group#member and @group#manager annotations on the ends corresponding to the group entity member and manager.

direct_member: A relationship between users who are directly members of the organization. This relationship is defined by the @user annotation on the end corresponding to the user entity.

The organization entity has two permissions defined:

Permissions

admin: An permission that can be performed by users who are authorized to manage the organization, as determined by the administrator relationship.

member: An permission that can be performed by users who are directly members of the organization, or who have administrator relationship, or who are members of groups that are part of the organization,

Relationships

Based on our schema, let's create some sample relationships to test both our schema and our authorization logic.

// Assign users to different groups
group:tech#manager@user:ashley
group:tech#direct_member@user:david
group:marketing#manager@user:john
group:marketing#direct_member@user:jenny
group:hr#manager@user:josh
group:hr#direct_member@user:joe

// Assign groups to other groups
group:tech#direct_member@group:marketing#direct_member
group:tech#direct_member@group:hr#direct_member

// Connect groups to organization
organization:acme#group@group:tech
organization:acme#group@group:marketing
organization:acme#group@group:hr

// Add some documents under the organization
organization:acme#document@document:product_database
organization:acme#document@document:marketing_materials
organization:acme#document@document:hr_documents

// Assign a user and members of a group as administrators for the organization
organization:acme#administrator@group:tech#manager
organization:acme#administrator@user:jenny

// Set the permissions on some documents
document:product_database#manager@group:tech#manager
document:product_database#viewer@group:tech#direct_member
document:marketing_materials#viewer@group:marketing#direct_member
document:hr_documents#manager@group:hr#manager
document:hr_documents#viewer@group:hr#direct_member

Test & Validation

Finally, let's check some permissions and test our authorization logic.

can user:ashley edit document:product_database ?

   entity document {
    relation org @organization

    relation viewer  @user  @group#member @group#manager
    relation manager @user @group#member @group#manager

    action edit = manager or org.admin
    action view = viewer or manager or org.admin
    }

According what we have defined for the edit action managers and admins, of the organization that document belongs, can edit product database. In this context, Permify engine will check does subject user:ashley has any direct or indirect manager relation within document:product_database. Consecutively it will check does user:ashley has admin relation in the Acme Org - organization:acme#document@document:product_database.

Ashley doesn't have any administrative relation in Acme Org but she is the manager in group tech (group:tech#manager@user:ashley) and we have defined that manager of group tech is manager of product_database with the tuple (document:product_database#manager@group:tech#manager). Therefore, the user:ashley edit document:product_database check request should yield true response.

can user:joe view document:hr_documents ?

entity document {
    relation org @organization

    relation viewer  @user  @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

    action edit = manager or org.admin
    action view = viewer or manager or org.admin
}

According what we have defined for the view action viewers or managers or org.admin's can view hr documents. In this context, Permify engine will check whether subject user:joe has any direct or indirect manager or viewer relation within document:hr_documents. Also consecutively it will check does user:joe has admin relation in the Acme Org - organization:acme#document@document:hr_documents.

Joe doesn't have administrative role/relation in Acme Org.

Also he doesn't have have manager relationship in that document or within any entity.

But he is member in the hr group (group:hr#member@user:joe) and we defined hr members have viewer relationship in hr documents (document:hr_documents#viewer@group:hr#member). So that, this enforcement should yield true response.

can user:david view document:marketing_materials ?

entity document {
    relation org @organization

    relation viewer  @user  @group#direct_member @group#manager
    relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

    action edit = manager or org.admin
    action view = viewer or manager or org.admin
}

According what we have defined for the view action viewers or managers or org.admin's can view hr documents. In this context, Permify engine will check does subject user:david has any direct or indirect manager or viewer relation within document:marketing_materials. Also consecutively it will check does user:david has admin relation in the Acme Org - organization:acme#document@document:marketing_materials.

Similar Joe and Ashley, David also doesn't have administrative role/relation in Acme Org.

Also David doesn't have member or manager relationship related with marketing group - document:marketing_materials. So that, this enforcement should yield false response.

Let's test these access checks in our local with using permify validator. We'll use the below schema for the schema validation file.

schema: >-
    entity user {}

    entity organization {
        relation group @group
        relation document @document
        relation administrator @user @group#direct_member @group#manager
        relation direct_member @user

        permission admin = administrator
        permission member = direct_member or administrator or group.member
    }

    entity group {
        relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager
        relation direct_member @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

        permission member = direct_member or manager
    }

    entity document {
        relation org @organization

        relation viewer  @user  @group#direct_member @group#manager
        relation manager @user @group#direct_member @group#manager

        action edit = manager or org.admin
        action view = viewer or manager or org.admin
    }

relationships:
  - group:tech#manager@user:ashley
  - group:tech#direct_member@user:david
  - group:marketing#manager@user:john
  - group:marketing#direct_member@user:jenny
  - group:hr#manager@user:josh
  - group:hr#direct_member@user:joe

  - group:tech#direct_member@group:marketing#direct_member
  - group:tech#direct_member@group:hr#direct_member

  - organization:acme#group@group:tech
  - organization:acme#group@group:marketing
  - organization:acme#group@group:hr
  - organization:acme#document@document:product_database
  - organization:acme#document@document:marketing_materials
  - organization:acme#document@document:hr_documents
  - organization:acme#administrator@group:tech#manager
  - organization:acme#administrator@user:jenny
    
  - document:product_database#manager@group:tech#manager
  - document:product_database#viewer@group:tech#direct_member
  - document:marketing_materials#viewer@group:marketing#direct_member
  - document:hr_documents#manager@group:hr#manager
  - document:hr_documents#viewer@group:hr#direct_member


scenarios:
  - name: "scenario 1"
    description: "test description"
    checks:
      - entity: "document:product_database"
        subject: "user:ashley"
        assertions:
          edit: true
      - entity: "document:hr_documents"
        subject: "user:joe"
        assertions:
          view: true
      - entity: "document:marketing_materials"
        subject: "user:david"
        assertions:
          view: false

Using Schema Validator in Local

After cloning Permify, open up a new file and copy the schema yaml file content inside. Then, build and run Permify instance using the command make serve.

Then run permify validate {path of your schema validation file} to start the test process.

The validation result according to our example schema validation file:

Need any help ?

This is the end of modeling Google Docs style permission system. To install and implement this see the Set Up Permify section.

If you need any kind of help, our team is happy to help you get started with Permify. If you'd like to learn more about using Permify in your app or have any questions about it, schedule a call with one of our Permify engineer.