Direct Access

This article describes how to grant a user access to an object in OpenFGA.

When to use

Granting access with relationship tuples is a core part of OpenFGA. Without relationship tuples, any checks_ will fail. You should use:

• authorization model to represent what relations are possible between the users and objects in the system
• relationship tuples to represent the facts about the relationships between users and objects in your system.

Before you start

Familiarize yourself with OpenFGA Concepts to understand how to develop a relationship tuple and authorization model.

Assume that you have the following authorization model.
You have a type called document that can have a viewer and/or an editor.

DSL

model
  schema 1.1

type user

type document
  relations
    define viewer: [user]
    define editor: [user]

JSON

{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "type_definitions": [
    {
      "type": "user"
    },
    {
      "type": "document",
      "relations": {
        "viewer": {
          "this": {}
        },
        "editor": {
          "this": {}
        }
      },
      "metadata": {
        "relations": {
          "viewer": {
            "directly_related_user_types": [
              {
                "type": "user"
              }
            ]
          },
          "editor": {
            "directly_related_user_types": [
              {
                "type": "user"
              }
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

---

In addition, you will need to know the following:

OpenFGA Concepts

• A Type: a class of objects that have similar characteristics
• A User: an entity in the system that can be related to an object
• A Relation: a string defined in the type definition of an authorization model that defines the possibility of a relationship between an object of the same type as the type definition and a user in the system
• An Object: represents an entity in the system. Users' relationships to it can be define through relationship tuples and the authorization model
• A Relationship Tuple: a grouping consisting of a user, a relation and an object stored in OpenFGA

Step By Step

For an application to understand that user x has access to document y, it must provide OpenFGA that information with relationship tuples. Each relationship tuple has three basic parameters: a user, a relation and an object.

01. Create A Relationship Tuple

Below, you'll add a relationship tuple to indicate that bob is an editor of document:meeting_notes.doc by adding the following:

Node.js

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
// import the SDK
const { OpenFgaClient } = require('@openfga/sdk');

// Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
const fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient({
  apiUrl: process.env.FGA_API_URL, // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
  storeId: process.env.FGA_STORE_ID,
  authorizationModelId: process.env.FGA_MODEL_ID, // Optional, can be overridden per request
});

await fgaClient.write({
  writes: [
      {"user":"user:bob","relation":"editor","object":"document:meeting_notes.doc"}
  ],
}, {
  authorization_model_id: "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA" 
});

Go

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
import (
    "os"

    . "github.com/openfga/go-sdk"
    . "github.com/openfga/go-sdk/client"
)

func main() {
    // Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
    fgaClient, err := NewSdkClient(&ClientConfiguration{
        ApiUrl:               os.Getenv("FGA_API_URL"), // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
        StoreId:              os.Getenv("FGA_STORE_ID"), // optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
        AuthorizationModelId: os.Getenv("FGA_MODEL_ID"),  // Optional, can be overridden per request
    })

    if err != nil {
    // .. Handle error
    }
}

options := ClientWriteOptions{
    AuthorizationModelId: PtrString("01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"),
}

body := ClientWriteRequest{
    Writes: []ClientTupleKey{
        {
             User: "user:bob",
             Relation: "editor",
             Object: "document:meeting_notes.doc",
        }, 
    }, 
}

data, err := fgaClient.Write(context.Background()).
    Body(body).
    Options(options).
    Execute()

if err != nil {
    // .. Handle error
}

_ = data // use the response

.NET

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
// import the SDK
using OpenFga.Sdk.Client;
using OpenFga.Sdk.Client.Model;
using OpenFga.Sdk.Model;
using Environment = System.Environment;

namespace Example;

class Example {
    public static async Task Main() {
        // Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
        var configuration = new ClientConfiguration() {
          ApiUrl = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_API_URL"), ?? "http://localhost:8080", // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
          StoreId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_STORE_ID"), // optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
          AuthorizationModelId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_MODEL_ID"), // Optional, can be overridden per request
        };
        var fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient(configuration);
    }
}

var options = new ClientWriteOptions {
    AuthorizationModelId = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA",
};
var body = new ClientWriteRequest() {
    Writes = new List<ClientTupleKey>() {
       new() {
                  User = "user:bob",
                  Relation = "editor",
                  Object = "document:meeting_notes.doc"
              }
  },
};
var response = await fgaClient.Write(body, options);

Python

Initialize the SDK

# ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.

import asyncio
import os
import json
from openfga_sdk.client import ClientConfiguration, OpenFgaClient

async def main():
    configuration = ClientConfiguration(
        api_url = os.environ.get('FGA_API_URL'), # required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
        store_id = os.environ.get('FGA_STORE_ID'), # optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
        authorization_model_id = os.environ.get('FGA_MODEL_ID'), # Optional, can be overridden per request
    )

    # Enter a context with an instance of the OpenFgaClient
    async with OpenFgaClient(configuration) as fga_client:
        api_response = await fga_client.read_authorization_models()
        await fga_client.close()

asyncio.run(main())

options = {
    "authorization_model_id": "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
}
body = ClientWriteRequest(
        writes=[
                ClientTuple(
                    user="user:bob",
                    relation="editor",
                    object="document:meeting_notes.doc",
                ),
        ],
)

response = await fga_client.write(body, options)

Java

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.

import dev.openfga.sdk.api.client.OpenFgaClient;
import dev.openfga.sdk.api.configuration.ClientConfiguration;

public class Example {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
      var config = new ClientConfiguration()
              .apiUrl(System.getenv("FGA_API_URL")) // If not specified, will default to "https://localhost:8080"
              .storeId(System.getenv("FGA_STORE_ID")) // Not required when calling createStore() or listStores()
              .authorizationModelId(System.getenv("FGA_AUTHORIZATION_MODEL_ID")); // Optional, can be overridden per request

      var fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient(config);
  }
}

var options = new ClientWriteOptions()
        .authorizationModelId("01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA");

var body = new ClientWriteRequest()
        .writes(List.of(
                new ClientTupleKey()
                        .user("user:bob")
                        .relation("editor")
                        ._object("document:meeting_notes.doc")
        ));

var response = fgaClient.write(body, options).get();

curl

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

curl -X POST $FGA_API_URL/stores/$FGA_STORE_ID/write \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FGA_API_TOKEN" \ # Not needed if service does not require authorization
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"writes": { "tuple_keys" : [{"user":"user:bob","relation":"editor","object":"document:meeting_notes.doc"}] }, "authorization_model_id": "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"}'

CLI

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

fga tuple write --store-id=${FGA_STORE_ID} --model-id=01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA user:bob editor document:meeting_notes.doc 

Pseudocode

write([
    {
      "user":"user:bob",
      "relation":"editor",
      "object":"document:meeting_notes.doc"
    }
], authorization_model_id="01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA")

02. Check That The Relationship Exists

Once you add that relationship tuple to OpenFGA, you can check if the relationship is valid by asking if bob is an editor of document:meeting_notes.doc:

Node.js

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
// import the SDK
const { OpenFgaClient } = require('@openfga/sdk');

// Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
const fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient({
  apiUrl: process.env.FGA_API_URL, // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
  storeId: process.env.FGA_STORE_ID,
  authorizationModelId: process.env.FGA_MODEL_ID, // Optional, can be overridden per request
});

// Run a check
const { allowed } = await fgaClient.check({
    user: 'user:bob',
    relation: 'editor',
    object: 'document:meeting_notes.doc',
  }, {
  authorization_model_id: '01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA',
});

// allowed = true

Go

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
import (
    "os"

    . "github.com/openfga/go-sdk"
    . "github.com/openfga/go-sdk/client"
)

func main() {
    // Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
    fgaClient, err := NewSdkClient(&ClientConfiguration{
        ApiUrl:               os.Getenv("FGA_API_URL"), // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
        StoreId:              os.Getenv("FGA_STORE_ID"), // optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
        AuthorizationModelId: os.Getenv("FGA_MODEL_ID"),  // Optional, can be overridden per request
    })

    if err != nil {
    // .. Handle error
    }
}

options := ClientCheckOptions{
    AuthorizationModelId: PtrString("01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"),
}

body := ClientCheckRequest{
    User:     "user:bob",
    Relation: "editor",
    Object:   "document:meeting_notes.doc",
}

data, err := fgaClient.Check(context.Background()).
    Body(body).
    Options(options).
    Execute()

// data = { allowed: true }

.NET

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
// import the SDK
using OpenFga.Sdk.Client;
using OpenFga.Sdk.Client.Model;
using OpenFga.Sdk.Model;
using Environment = System.Environment;

namespace Example;

class Example {
    public static async Task Main() {
        // Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
        var configuration = new ClientConfiguration() {
          ApiUrl = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_API_URL"), ?? "http://localhost:8080", // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
          StoreId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_STORE_ID"), // optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
          AuthorizationModelId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_MODEL_ID"), // Optional, can be overridden per request
        };
        var fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient(configuration);
    }
}

var options = new ClientCheckOptions {
    AuthorizationModelId = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA",
};
var body = new ClientCheckRequest {
    User = "user:bob",
    Relation = "editor",
    Object = "document:meeting_notes.doc",
    
};
var response = await fgaClient.Check(body, options);

// response.Allowed = true

Python

Initialize the SDK

# ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.

import asyncio
import os
import json
from openfga_sdk.client import ClientConfiguration, OpenFgaClient

async def main():
    configuration = ClientConfiguration(
        api_url = os.environ.get('FGA_API_URL'), # required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
        store_id = os.environ.get('FGA_STORE_ID'), # optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
        authorization_model_id = os.environ.get('FGA_MODEL_ID'), # Optional, can be overridden per request
    )

    # Enter a context with an instance of the OpenFgaClient
    async with OpenFgaClient(configuration) as fga_client:
        api_response = await fga_client.read_authorization_models()
        await fga_client.close()

asyncio.run(main())

options = {
    "authorization_model_id": "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
}
body = ClientCheckRequest(
    user="user:bob",
    relation="editor",
    object="document:meeting_notes.doc",
)

response = await fga_client.check(body, options)

# response.allowed = true

Java

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.

import dev.openfga.sdk.api.client.OpenFgaClient;
import dev.openfga.sdk.api.configuration.ClientConfiguration;

public class Example {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
      var config = new ClientConfiguration()
              .apiUrl(System.getenv("FGA_API_URL")) // If not specified, will default to "https://localhost:8080"
              .storeId(System.getenv("FGA_STORE_ID")) // Not required when calling createStore() or listStores()
              .authorizationModelId(System.getenv("FGA_AUTHORIZATION_MODEL_ID")); // Optional, can be overridden per request

      var fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient(config);
  }
}

var options = new ClientCheckOptions()
        .authorizationModelId("01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA");

var body = new ClientCheckRequest()
        .user("user:bob")
        .relation("editor")
        ._object("document:meeting_notes.doc");

var response = fgaClient.check(body, options).get();

// response.getAllowed() = true 

CLI

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

fga query check --store-id=$FGA_STORE_ID --model-id=01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA user:bob editor document:meeting_notes.doc

# Response: {"allowed":true}

curl

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

curl -X POST $FGA_API_URL/stores/$FGA_STORE_ID/check \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FGA_API_TOKEN" \ # Not needed if service does not require authorization
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"authorization_model_id": "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA", "tuple_key":{"user":"user:bob","relation":"editor","object":"document:meeting_notes.doc"}}'

# Response: {"allowed":true}

Pseudocode

check(
  user = "user:bob", // check if the user `user:bob`
  relation = "editor", // has an `editor` relation
  object = "document:meeting_notes.doc", // with the object `document:meeting_notes.doc`
   authorization_id = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
);

Reply: true

Checking whether bob is an viewer of document:meeting_notes.doc returns false because that relationship tuple does not exist in OpenFGA yet.

Node.js

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
// import the SDK
const { OpenFgaClient } = require('@openfga/sdk');

// Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
const fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient({
  apiUrl: process.env.FGA_API_URL, // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
  storeId: process.env.FGA_STORE_ID,
  authorizationModelId: process.env.FGA_MODEL_ID, // Optional, can be overridden per request
});

// Run a check
const { allowed } = await fgaClient.check({
    user: 'user:bob',
    relation: 'viewer',
    object: 'document:meeting_notes.doc',
  }, {
  authorization_model_id: '01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA',
});

// allowed = false

Go

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
import (
    "os"

    . "github.com/openfga/go-sdk"
    . "github.com/openfga/go-sdk/client"
)

func main() {
    // Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
    fgaClient, err := NewSdkClient(&ClientConfiguration{
        ApiUrl:               os.Getenv("FGA_API_URL"), // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
        StoreId:              os.Getenv("FGA_STORE_ID"), // optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
        AuthorizationModelId: os.Getenv("FGA_MODEL_ID"),  // Optional, can be overridden per request
    })

    if err != nil {
    // .. Handle error
    }
}

options := ClientCheckOptions{
    AuthorizationModelId: PtrString("01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"),
}

body := ClientCheckRequest{
    User:     "user:bob",
    Relation: "viewer",
    Object:   "document:meeting_notes.doc",
}

data, err := fgaClient.Check(context.Background()).
    Body(body).
    Options(options).
    Execute()

// data = { allowed: false }

.NET

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.
// import the SDK
using OpenFga.Sdk.Client;
using OpenFga.Sdk.Client.Model;
using OpenFga.Sdk.Model;
using Environment = System.Environment;

namespace Example;

class Example {
    public static async Task Main() {
        // Initialize the SDK with no auth - see "How to setup SDK client" for more options
        var configuration = new ClientConfiguration() {
          ApiUrl = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_API_URL"), ?? "http://localhost:8080", // required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
          StoreId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_STORE_ID"), // optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
          AuthorizationModelId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("FGA_MODEL_ID"), // Optional, can be overridden per request
        };
        var fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient(configuration);
    }
}

var options = new ClientCheckOptions {
    AuthorizationModelId = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA",
};
var body = new ClientCheckRequest {
    User = "user:bob",
    Relation = "viewer",
    Object = "document:meeting_notes.doc",
    
};
var response = await fgaClient.Check(body, options);

// response.Allowed = false

Python

Initialize the SDK

# ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.

import asyncio
import os
import json
from openfga_sdk.client import ClientConfiguration, OpenFgaClient

async def main():
    configuration = ClientConfiguration(
        api_url = os.environ.get('FGA_API_URL'), # required, e.g. https://api.fga.example
        store_id = os.environ.get('FGA_STORE_ID'), # optional, not needed for `CreateStore` and `ListStores`, required before calling for all other methods
        authorization_model_id = os.environ.get('FGA_MODEL_ID'), # Optional, can be overridden per request
    )

    # Enter a context with an instance of the OpenFgaClient
    async with OpenFgaClient(configuration) as fga_client:
        api_response = await fga_client.read_authorization_models()
        await fga_client.close()

asyncio.run(main())

options = {
    "authorization_model_id": "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
}
body = ClientCheckRequest(
    user="user:bob",
    relation="viewer",
    object="document:meeting_notes.doc",
)

response = await fga_client.check(body, options)

# response.allowed = false

Java

Initialize the SDK

// ApiTokenIssuer, ApiAudience, ClientId and ClientSecret are optional.

import dev.openfga.sdk.api.client.OpenFgaClient;
import dev.openfga.sdk.api.configuration.ClientConfiguration;

public class Example {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
      var config = new ClientConfiguration()
              .apiUrl(System.getenv("FGA_API_URL")) // If not specified, will default to "https://localhost:8080"
              .storeId(System.getenv("FGA_STORE_ID")) // Not required when calling createStore() or listStores()
              .authorizationModelId(System.getenv("FGA_AUTHORIZATION_MODEL_ID")); // Optional, can be overridden per request

      var fgaClient = new OpenFgaClient(config);
  }
}

var options = new ClientCheckOptions()
        .authorizationModelId("01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA");

var body = new ClientCheckRequest()
        .user("user:bob")
        .relation("viewer")
        ._object("document:meeting_notes.doc");

var response = fgaClient.check(body, options).get();

// response.getAllowed() = true 

CLI

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

fga query check --store-id=$FGA_STORE_ID --model-id=01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA user:bob viewer document:meeting_notes.doc

# Response: {"allowed":false}

curl

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

Set FGA_API_URL according to the service you are using (e.g. https://api.fga.example)

curl -X POST $FGA_API_URL/stores/$FGA_STORE_ID/check \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FGA_API_TOKEN" \ # Not needed if service does not require authorization
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"authorization_model_id": "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA", "tuple_key":{"user":"user:bob","relation":"viewer","object":"document:meeting_notes.doc"}}'

# Response: {"allowed":false}

Pseudocode

check(
  user = "user:bob", // check if the user `user:bob`
  relation = "viewer", // has an `viewer` relation
  object = "document:meeting_notes.doc", // with the object `document:meeting_notes.doc`
   authorization_id = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
);

Reply: false

caution

When creating relationship tuples for OpenFGA, use unique ids for each object and user within your application domain. We're using first names and simple ids to as an easy-to-follow example.

Related Sections

Check the following sections for more on how to model with OpenFGA.

OpenFGA Concepts

Learn about the OpenFGA Concepts.

• More

Modeling: Getting Started

Learn about how to get started with modeling.

• More

Configuration Language

Learn about OpenFGA Configuration Language.

• More