=head1 NAME
-Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial::Authorization - Catalyst Tutorial - Part 6: Authorization
+Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial::Authorization - Catalyst Tutorial - Chapter 6: Authorization
=head1 OVERVIEW
-This is B<Part 6 of 10> for the Catalyst tutorial.
+This is B<Chapter 6 of 10> for the Catalyst tutorial.
L<Tutorial Overview|Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial>
=head1 DESCRIPTION
-This part of the tutorial adds role-based authorization to the existing
-authentication implemented in Part 5. It provides simple examples of
-how to use roles in both TT templates and controller actions. The first
-half looks at manually configured authorization. The second half looks
-at how the ACL authorization plugin can simplify your code.
+This chapter of the tutorial adds role-based authorization to the
+existing authentication implemented in Chapter 5. It provides simple
+examples of how to use roles in both TT templates and controller
+actions. The first half looks at basic authorization concepts. The
+second half looks at how moving your authorization code to your model
+can simplify your code and make things easier to maintain.
You can checkout the source code for this example from the catalyst
subversion repository as per the instructions in
=head1 BASIC AUTHORIZATION
-In this section you learn how to manually configure authorization.
+In this section you learn the basics of how authorization works under
+Catalyst.
=head2 Update Plugins to Include Support for Authorization
Edit C<lib/MyApp.pm> and add C<Authorization::Roles> to the list:
- __PACKAGE__->setup(qw/
- -Debug
- ConfigLoader
- Static::Simple
-
- StackTrace
-
- Authentication
- Authorization::Roles
-
- Session
- Session::Store::FastMmap
- Session::State::Cookie
- /;
+ # Load plugins
+ use Catalyst qw/-Debug
+ ConfigLoader
+ Static::Simple
+
+ StackTrace
+
+ Authentication
+ Authorization::Roles
+
+ Session
+ Session::Store::FastMmap
+ Session::State::Cookie
+ /;
B<Note:> As discussed in MoreCatalystBasics, different versions of
C<Catalyst::Devel> have used a variety of methods to load the plugins.
-You can put the plugins in the C<use Catalyst> statement if you prefer.
+You can put the plugins in the C<use Catalyst> statement if you
+prefer.
=head2 Add Config Information for Authorization
# Use DBIC to retrieve username, password & role information
class DBIx::Class
# This is the model object created by Catalyst::Model::DBIC
- # from your schema (you created 'MyApp::Schema::User' but as
- # the Catalyst startup debug messages show, it was loaded as
- # 'MyApp::Model::DB::Users').
+ # from your schema (you created 'MyApp::Schema::Result::User'
+ # but as the Catalyst startup debug messages show, it was
+ # loaded as 'MyApp::Model::DB::Users').
# NOTE: Omit 'MyApp::Model' here just as you would when using
# '$c->model("DB::Users)'
user_class DB::Users
Open C<root/src/books/list.tt2> in your editor and add the following
lines to the bottom of the file:
+ ...
<p>Hello [% c.user.username %], you have the following roles:</p>
<ul>
[% # Can also use $c->user->check_roles() to check authz -%]
[% IF c.check_user_roles('admin') %]
[% # Give admin users a link for 'create' %]
- <a href="[% c.uri_for(c.controller('books').action_for('form_create')) %]">Admin Create</a>
+ <a href="[% c.uri_for(c.controller.action_for('form_create')) %]">Admin Create</a>
[% END %]
</p>
roles assigned to the user.
-=head2 Limit C<Books::add> to C<admin> Users
+=head2 Limit Books::add to 'admin' Users
C<IF> statements in TT templates simply control the output that is sent
to the user's browser; it provides no real enforcement (if users know or
body has already been set. In reality you would probably want to use a
technique that maintains the visual continuity of your template layout
(for example, using the "status" or "error" message feature added in
-Part 3 or C<detach> to an action that shows an "unauthorized" page).
+Chapter 3 or C<detach> to an action that shows an "unauthorized" page).
B<TIP>: If you want to keep your existing C<url_create> method, you can
create a new copy and comment out the original by making it look like a
Now trying going to L<http://localhost:3000/books/list> and you should
be taken to the login page (you might have to C<Shift+Reload> or
-C<Ctrl+Reload> your browser and/or click the "Logout" link on the book
+C<Ctrl+Reload> your browser and/or click the "User Logout" link on the book
list page). Try logging in with both C<test01> and C<test02> (both
use a password of C<mypass>) and notice how the roles information
-updates at the bottom of the "Book List" page. Also try the C<Logout>
+updates at the bottom of the "Book List" page. Also try the "User Logout"
link on the book list page.
Now the "url_create" URL will work if you are already logged in as user
http://localhost:3000/books/url_create/test/1/6
-while logged in as each user. Use one of the 'Logout' links (or go to
+while logged in as each user. Use one of the "logout" links (or go to
L<http://localhost:3000/logout> in your browser directly) when you are
done.
-=head1 ENABLE ACL-BASED AUTHORIZATION
-
-This section takes a brief look at how the
-L<Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL|Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL>
-plugin can automate much of the work required to perform role-based
-authorization in a Catalyst application.
-
-
-=head2 Add the C<Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL> Plugin
-
-Open C<lib/MyApp.pm> in your editor and add the following plugin to the
-C<__PACKAGE__-E<gt>setup> statement:
-
- Authorization::ACL
-
-Note that the remaining C<use Catalyst> plugins from earlier sections
-are not shown here, but they should still be included.
-
-
-=head2 Add ACL Rules to the Application Class
-
-Open C<lib/MyApp.pm> in your editor and add the following B<BELOW> the
-C<__PACKAGE__-E<gt>setup> statement:
-
- # Authorization::ACL Rules
- __PACKAGE__->deny_access_unless(
- "/books/form_create",
- [qw/admin/],
- );
- __PACKAGE__->deny_access_unless(
- "/books/form_create_do",
- [qw/admin/],
- );
- __PACKAGE__->allow_access_if(
- "/books/delete",
- [qw/user admin/],
- );
-
-Each of the three statements above comprises an ACL plugin "rule". The
-first two rules only allow admin-level users to create new books using
-the form (both the form itself and the data submission logic are
-protected). The third statement allows both users and admins to delete
-books; letting users delete but not create book entries may sound odd in
-the "real world", but this is just an example. The C</books/url_create>
-action will continue to be protected by the "manually configured"
-authorization created earlier in this part of the tutorial.
-
-The ACL plugin permits you to apply allow/deny logic in a variety of
-ways. The following provides a basic overview of the capabilities:
-
-=over 4
-
-=item *
-
-The ACL plugin only operates on the Catalyst "private namespace". You
-are using the private namespace when you use C<Local> actions. C<Path>,
-C<Regex>, and C<Global> allow you to specify actions where the path and
-the namespace differ -- the ACL plugin will not work in these cases.
-
-=item *
-
-Each rule is expressed in a separate
-C<__PACKAGE__-E<gt>deny_access_unless()> or
-C<__PACKAGE__-E<gt>allow_access_if()> line (there are several other
-methods that can be used for more complex policies, see the C<METHODS>
-portion of the
-L<Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL|Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL>
-documentation for more details).
-
-=item *
-
-Each rule can contain multiple roles but only a single path.
-
-=item *
-
-The rules are tried in order (with the "most specific" rules tested
-first), and processing stops at the first "match" where an allow or deny
-is specified. Rules "fall through" if there is not a "match" (where a
-"match" means the user has the specified role). If a "match" is found,
-then processing stops there and the appropriate allow/deny action is
-taken.
-
-=item *
+=head1 ENABLE MODEL-BASED AUTHORIZATION
-If none of the rules match, then access is allowed.
+Hopefully it's fairly obvious that adding detailed permission checking
+logic to our controllers and view templates isn't a very clean or
+scalable way to build role-based permissions into out application. As
+with many other aspects of MVC web development, the goal is to have
+your controllers and views be an "thin" as possible, with all of the
+"fancy business logic" built into your model.
-=item *
+For example, let's add a method to our C<Books.pm> Result Class to
+check if a user is allowed to delete a book. Open
+C<lib/MyApp/Schema/Result/Books.pm> and add the following method
+(be sure to add it below the "C<DO NOT MODIFY ...>" line):
-The rules currently need to be specified in the application class
-C<lib\MyApp.pm> B<after> the C<__PACKAGE__-E<gt>setup;> line.
+ =head2 delete_allowed_by
+
+ Can the specified user delete the current book?
+
+ =cut
+
+ sub delete_allowed_by {
+ my ($self, $user) = @_;
+
+ # Only allow delete if user has 'admin' role
+ return $user->has_role('admin');
+ }
-=back
+Here we call a C<has_role> method on our user object, so we should add
+this method to our Result Class. Open
+C<lib/MyApp/Schema/Result/Users.pm> and add this near the top:
+ use Perl6::Junction qw/any/;
-=head2 Add a Method to Handle Access Violations
+And then add the following method below the "C<DO NOT MODIFY ...>"
+line:
-By default,
-L<Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL|Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL>
-throws an exception when authorization fails. This will take the user
-to the Catalyst debug screen, or a "Please come back later" message if
-you are not using the C<-Debug> flag. This step uses the
-C<access_denied> method in order to provide more appropriate feedback to
-the user.
+ =head 2 has_role
+
+ Check if a user has the specified role
+
+ =cut
+
+ sub has_role {
+ my ($self, $role) = @_;
+
+ # Does this user posses the required role?
+ return any(map { $_->role } $self->roles) eq $role;
+ }
-Open C<lib/MyApp/Controller/Books.pm> in your editor and add the
-following method:
+Now we need to add some enforcement inside our controller. Open
+C<lib/MyApp/Controller/Books.pm> and update the C<delete> method to
+match the following code:
- =head2 access_denied
+ =head2 delete
- Handle Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL access denied exceptions
+ Delete a book
=cut
- sub access_denied : Private {
+ sub delete :Chained('object') :PathPart('delete') :Args(0) {
my ($self, $c) = @_;
- # Set the error message
- $c->stash->{error_msg} = 'Unauthorized!';
+ # Check permissions
+ $c->detach('/error_noperms')
+ unless $c->stash->{object}->delete_allowed_by($c->user->get_object);
+
+ # Use the book object saved by 'object' and delete it along
+ # with related 'book_authors' entries
+ $c->stash->{object}->delete;
- # Display the list
- $c->forward('list');
+ # Use 'flash' to save information across requests until it's read
+ $c->flash->{status_msg} = "Book deleted";
+
+ # Redirect the user back to the list page
+ $c->response->redirect($c->uri_for($self->action_for('list')));
+ }
+
+Here, we C<detach> to an error page if the user is lacking the
+appropriate permissions. For this to work, we need to make
+arrangements for the '/error_noperms' action to work. Open
+C<lib/MyApp/Controller/Root.pm> and add this method:
+
+ =head2 error_noperms
+
+ Permissions error screen
+
+ =cut
+
+ sub error_noperms :Chained('/') :PathPath('error_noperms') :Args(0) {
+ my ($self, $c) = @_;
+
+ $c->stash->{template} = 'error_noperms.tt2';
}
+And also add the template file by putting the following text into
+C<root/src/error_noperms.tt2>:
+
+ <span class="error">Permission Denied</span>
+
Then run the Catalyst development server script:
$ script/myapp_server.pl
-Log in as C<test02>. Once at the book list, click the "Create" link
-to try the C<form_create> action. You should receive a red
-"Unauthorized!" error message at the top of the list. (Note that in
-the example code the "Admin Create" link code in C<root/src/books/list.tt2>
-is inside an C<IF> statement that only displays the list to
-admin-level users.) If you log in as C<test01> you should be able to
-view the C<form_create> form and add a new book.
+Log in as C<test01> and create several new books using the C<url_create>
+feature:
+
+ http://localhost:3000/books/url_create/Test/1/4
+
+Then, while still logged in as C<test01>, click the "Delete" link next
+to one of these books. The book should be removed and you should see
+the usual green "Book deleted" message. Next, click the "User Logout"
+link and log back in as C<test02>. Now try deleting one of the books.
+You should be taken to the red "Permission Denied" message on our
+error page.
Use one of the 'Logout' links (or go to the
L<http://localhost:3000/logout> URL directly) when you are done.