Roles and Permissions

To model roles and permissions in OpenFGA using authorization models and relationship tuples. For the purpose of this guide:

• Roles are assigned to users or groups of users, where any user can have more than one role, like editor or owner.
• Permissions allow users to access certain objects based on their specific roles, like device_renamer or channel_archiver.

For example, the role viewer of a trip can have permissions to view bookings, while the role owners has permissions to add or view bookings to a trip.

When to use

When creating a role and permissions model within OpenFGA, you should:

• Create roles by creating relations that can be directly assigned to users.
• Assign permissions by creating relations that users get through other relations.

For example:

• Grant someone an admin role that can edit and read a document
• Grant someone a security_guard role that can live_video_viewer on a device
• Grant someone a viewer role that can view_products on a shop

There are advantages to implementing roles and permissions within OpenFGA, such as:

• Breaking down existing roles to have more fine grained permission, which enables your application to check whether a user has access to a certain object without having to explicitly check that specific user's role.
• Introduce new roles/permissions or consolidate roles without affecting your application behavior. For example: if your app's checks are for the fine permissions check('bob', 'booking_adder', 'trip:Europe') instead of check('bob', 'owner', 'trip:Europe'), and you later decide owners can no longer add bookings to a trip, you can remove the relation within the trip type with no code changes in your application, and all the permissions will automatically honor the change.

Before you start

Familiarize yourself with the OpenFGA Concepts.

Assume you have the following authorization model
and that you have a type called trip that users can be related to as viewer and/or as an owner.

DSL

model
  schema 1.1

type user

type trip
  relations
    define owner: [user]
    define viewer: [user]

JSON

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

---

In addition, you need to know the following:

Direct Access

Learn how to create an authorization model and create a relationship tuple to grant a user access to an object. For more information, see Direct Access.

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 group consisting of a user, a relation, and an object stored in Auth OpenFGA
• A Relationship: OpenFGA will be called to check if there is a relationship between a user and an object, indicating that the access is allowed
• Direct Relationship Type Restrictions: can be used to indicate direct relationships between users and objects
• A Check API Request: used to check for relationships between users and objects

Step By Step

To illustrate modeling Roles and Permissions in OpenFGA, imagine a trip booking system that has owners and/or viewers. It can also have granular permissions like adding bookings or viewing bookings on a trip.

To represent this, you need to:

1. Understand how roles are related to direct relations for the trip booking system
2. Add implied relations to the existing authorization model to define permissions for bookings
3. Check user roles and their permissions based on relationship tuples for direct and implied relations

01. Understand How Roles Work Within Our Trip Booking System

In OpenFGA, roles are relations that can be directly assigned to users. In this authorization model, your roles are owner and viewer, so a specific user can be an owner and/or a viewer.

DSL

model
  schema 1.1

type user

type trip
  relations
    define owner: [user]
    define viewer: [user]

JSON

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

02. Add Permissions For Bookings

In OpenFGA, permissions are relations that users get only through other relations. To represent permissions, define the relation by other relations to indicate that it is a permission both granted to and implied from a different relation. Doing so avoids adding a direct relationship type restriction to the relation in the authorization model.

To add permissions related to bookings, add new relations to the trip object type denoting the various actions a user can take on trips, like view, edit, or delete.

To allow viewers of a trip to view bookings and owners to add/view bookings, modify the type as seen below:

DSL

model
  schema 1.1

type user

type trip
  relations
    define owner: [user]
    define viewer: [user]
    define booking_adder: owner
    define booking_viewer: viewer or owner

JSON

{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "type_definitions": [
    {
      "type": "user"
    },
    {
      "type": "trip",
      "relations": {
        "owner": {
          "this": {}
        },
        "viewer": {
          "this": {}
        },
        "booking_adder": {
          "computedUserset": {
            "relation": "owner"
          }
        },
        "booking_viewer": {
          "union": {
            "child": [
              {
                "computedUserset": {
                  "relation": "viewer"
                }
              },
              {
                "computedUserset": {
                  "relation": "owner"
                }
              }
            ]
          }
        }
      },
      "metadata": {
        "relations": {
          "owner": {
            "directly_related_user_types": [
              {
                "type": "user"
              }
            ]
          },
          "viewer": {
            "directly_related_user_types": [
              {
                "type": "user"
              }
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Note: Both booking_viewer and booking_adder don't have direct relationship type restrictions. This ensures that the relation can only be assigned through the role and not directly.

03. Checking User Roles And Their Permissions

Now that your type definitions reflect the roles and permissions governing how bookings can be viewed and added, create relationship tuples to assign roles to users, then check if users have the proper permissions.

Create two relationship tuples:

1. gives bob the role of viewer on trip:Europe.
2. gives alice the role of owner on trip:Europe.

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: [
      // Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe
      {"_description":"Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe","user":"user:bob","relation":"viewer","object":"trip:Europe"},
      // Add alice as owner on trip:Europe
      {"_description":"Add alice as owner on trip:Europe","user":"user:alice","relation":"owner","object":"trip:Europe"}
  ],
}, {
  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{
        {
             // Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe
             User: "user:bob",
             Relation: "viewer",
             Object: "trip:Europe",
        },         {
             // Add alice as owner on trip:Europe
             User: "user:alice",
             Relation: "owner",
             Object: "trip:Europe",
        }, 
    }, 
}

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>() {
    // Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe
       new() {
                  User = "user:bob",
                  Relation = "viewer",
                  Object = "trip:Europe"
              },
    // Add alice as owner on trip:Europe
       new() {
                  User = "user:alice",
                  Relation = "owner",
                  Object = "trip:Europe"
              }
  },
};
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(
                    # Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe
                    user="user:bob",
                    relation="viewer",
                    object="trip:Europe",
                ),
                ClientTuple(
                    # Add alice as owner on trip:Europe
                    user="user:alice",
                    relation="owner",
                    object="trip:Europe",
                ),
        ],
)

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(
                // Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe
                new ClientTupleKey()
                        .user("user:bob")
                        .relation("viewer")
                        ._object("trip:Europe"),
                // Add alice as owner on trip:Europe
                new ClientTupleKey()
                        .user("user:alice")
                        .relation("owner")
                        ._object("trip:Europe")
        ));

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" : [{"_description":"Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe","user":"user:bob","relation":"viewer","object":"trip:Europe"},{"_description":"Add alice as owner on trip:Europe","user":"user:alice","relation":"owner","object":"trip:Europe"}] }, "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=${FGA_STORE_ID} --model-id=01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA user:bob viewer trip:Europe 
fga tuple write --store-id=${FGA_STORE_ID} --model-id=01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA user:alice owner trip:Europe 

Pseudocode

write([
    // Add bob as viewer on trip:Europe
    {
      "user":"user:bob",
      "relation":"viewer",
      "object":"trip:Europe"
    },
    // Add alice as owner on trip:Europe
    {
      "user":"user:alice",
      "relation":"owner",
      "object":"trip:Europe"
    }
], authorization_model_id="01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA")

Now check: is bob allowed to view bookings on trip Europe?

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: 'booking_viewer',
    object: 'trip:Europe',
  }, {
  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: "booking_viewer",
    Object:   "trip:Europe",
}

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 = "booking_viewer",
    Object = "trip:Europe",
    
};
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="booking_viewer",
    object="trip:Europe",
)

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("booking_viewer")
        ._object("trip:Europe");

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 booking_viewer trip:Europe

# 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":"booking_viewer","object":"trip:Europe"}}'

# Response: {"allowed":true}

Pseudocode

check(
  user = "user:bob", // check if the user `user:bob`
  relation = "booking_viewer", // has an `booking_viewer` relation
  object = "trip:Europe", // with the object `trip:Europe`
   authorization_id = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
);

Reply: true

bob is a booking_viewer because of the following chain of resolution:

1. bob is a viewer on trip:Europe
2. Any user related to the object trip:Europe as viewer is also related as a booking_viewer (i.e usersRelatedToObjectAs: viewer)
3. Therefore, all viewers on a given trip are booking_viewers

To confirm that bob is not allowed to add bookings on trip Europe, perform the following check:

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: 'booking_adder',
    object: 'trip:Europe',
  }, {
  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: "booking_adder",
    Object:   "trip:Europe",
}

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 = "booking_adder",
    Object = "trip:Europe",
    
};
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="booking_adder",
    object="trip:Europe",
)

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("booking_adder")
        ._object("trip:Europe");

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 booking_adder trip:Europe

# 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":"booking_adder","object":"trip:Europe"}}'

# Response: {"allowed":false}

Pseudocode

check(
  user = "user:bob", // check if the user `user:bob`
  relation = "booking_adder", // has an `booking_adder` relation
  object = "trip:Europe", // with the object `trip:Europe`
   authorization_id = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
);

Reply: false

You can also check: is alice allowed to view and add bookings on trip Europe?

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:alice',
    relation: 'booking_viewer',
    object: 'trip:Europe',
  }, {
  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:alice",
    Relation: "booking_viewer",
    Object:   "trip:Europe",
}

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:alice",
    Relation = "booking_viewer",
    Object = "trip:Europe",
    
};
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:alice",
    relation="booking_viewer",
    object="trip:Europe",
)

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:alice")
        .relation("booking_viewer")
        ._object("trip:Europe");

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:alice booking_viewer trip:Europe

# 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:alice","relation":"booking_viewer","object":"trip:Europe"}}'

# Response: {"allowed":true}

Pseudocode

check(
  user = "user:alice", // check if the user `user:alice`
  relation = "booking_viewer", // has an `booking_viewer` relation
  object = "trip:Europe", // with the object `trip:Europe`
   authorization_id = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
);

Reply: true

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:alice',
    relation: 'booking_adder',
    object: 'trip:Europe',
  }, {
  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:alice",
    Relation: "booking_adder",
    Object:   "trip:Europe",
}

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:alice",
    Relation = "booking_adder",
    Object = "trip:Europe",
    
};
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:alice",
    relation="booking_adder",
    object="trip:Europe",
)

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:alice")
        .relation("booking_adder")
        ._object("trip:Europe");

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:alice booking_adder trip:Europe

# 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:alice","relation":"booking_adder","object":"trip:Europe"}}'

# Response: {"allowed":true}

Pseudocode

check(
  user = "user:alice", // check if the user `user:alice`
  relation = "booking_adder", // has an `booking_adder` relation
  object = "trip:Europe", // with the object `trip:Europe`
   authorization_id = "01HVMMBCMGZNT3SED4Z17ECXCA"
);

Reply: true

alice is a booking_viewer and booking_adder because of the following chain of resolution:

1. alice is a owner on trip:Europe
2. Any user related to the object trip: Europe as owner is also related as a booking_viewer
3. Any user related to the object trip: Europe as owner is also related as a booking_adder
4. Therefore, all owners on a given trip are booking_viewers and booking_adders on that trip

caution

Note: Use unique IDs for each object and user within your application domain when creating relationship tuples for OpenFGA. This guide uses first names and simple IDs as an easy-to-follow example.

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