A simple unopinionated Vue plugin for managing user roles and permissions, access-control list (ACL) and role-based access control (RBAC).
- Vue Simple ACL
- Table of Contents
- Features
- Installation
- Usage
- Semantic Alias directives and methods
- Vue Simple ACL Options
- TODO
- 🤝 Contributing
- ⭐️ Support
- 📄 License
- Vue 2 and Vue 3 support
- Simple but robust and power ACL plugin
- Manage roles and permissions with ease.
- Lightweight (<3 kB zipped)
- Component
v-can
directive - Global
$can
helper function - Sematic alias methods and directives of different verb for directive and helper function. E.g
v-role
,v-permission
,$acl.permission()
,$acl.anyRole()
, etc. - Middleware support for Vue Router through
meta
property. - Support user data from plain object, pinia/vuex store and asynchronous function.
- Reactive changes of abilities and permissions
- Define custom ACL rules
- Fully Typecript: The source code is written entirely in TypeScript.
- Fully configurable
npm install vue-simple-acl
yarn add vue-simple-acl
// src/main.js OR src/main.ts
import { createApp } from 'vue'
import App from './App.vue'
import router from './store';
import store from './store';
import acl from './acl'; // import the instance of the defined ACL
const app = createApp(App);
app.use(router);
app.use(store);
app.use(acl); // install vue-simple-acl
app.mount("#app");
In Vue 2, when using User data from reactive Store/Pinia/Vuex wrapped with computed()
function, which is available in Vue 3 as module by default but not in Vue 2, make sure to install @vue/composition-api first and change the imported module to: import { computed } from '@vue/composition-api'
// src/main.js OR src/main.ts
import Vue from 'vue'
import App from './App.vue'
import router from './router';
import store from './store';
import acl from './acl'; // import the instance of the defined ACL
Vue.config.productionTip = false;
Vue.use(acl); // install vue-simple-acl
new Vue({
router,
store,
render: h => h(App),
}).$mount('#app')
For readability, it is recommend to defined your ACL rules in a separate file.
// src/acl/index.js OR src/acl/index.ts
// Import router if you are using the middleware on Vue Router
import router from "../router";
// Import store if you are using reactive Store/Pinia/Vuex as User data source
import store from "../store";
// ----- VUE 3 Imports -----
import { computed } from 'vue'; // For VUE 3
import { createAcl, defineAclRules } from 'vue-simple-acl';
// ----- VUE 2 Imports -----
import Vue from 'vue';
import VueCompositionAPI from '@vue/composition-api'; // Ensure this is installed
Vue.use(VueCompositionAPI); // VueCompositionAPI must be used as plugin before any function, otherwise see your console if warning/errpr
import { computed } from '@vue/composition-api'; // import computed function
import { createAcl, defineAclRules } from 'vue-simple-acl';
// ---------------
// The Vue Simple ACL option 'user' can be a user OBJECT, FUNCTION returning a user object
// or an Asynchronous function returning a PROMISE of user object, suitable for performing fetch from API.
// USER EXAMPLE 1: User {OBJECT}
const user = {
id: 1,
name: 'Victory Osayi',
is_editor: true,
is_admin: false,
// you can have role based permission list or access control list possibly from database
permissions: ['admin', 'owner', 'moderator', 'create-post', 'edit-post', 'delete-post']
}
// USER EXAMPLE 2: User object from a {FUNCTION} or computed property like from Pinia/Vuex Store
// Suitable if you already has an existing logics authenticating and saving user data to Pinia/Vuex Store
const user2 = computed(() => store.state.auth.user);
// USER EXAMPLE 3; User object from an Asynchronous {FUNCTION} / {PROMISE}:
// Using Async/Promise requires instance of vue-router, the function will be auto hooked to beforeEach() peroperty of vue-router
const user3 = () => {
const authUserId = 1; // ID of authenticated user
return axios.get(`api/users/${authUserId}`)
.then((response) => response.data);
}
const rules = () => defineAclRules((setRule) => {
// setRule('unique-ability', callbackFunction(user, arg1, arg2, ...) { });
// setRule(['unique-ability-1', 'unique-ability-2'], callbackFunction(user, arg1, arg2, ...) { });
// Define a simple rule for ability with no argument
setRule('create-post', (user) => user.is_admin || user.is_editor);
setRule('is-admin', (user) => user.is_admin);
setRule('is-editor', (user) => user.is_editor);
// Define a simple rule for ability with an argument
setRule('edit-post', (user, post) => user.id === post.user_id);
setRule('delete-post', (user, post) => {
return user.id === post.user_id || user.is_admin;
});
// Define rule for array of multiple abilities that share same arguments and callback function
setRule(['publish-post', 'unpublish-post'], (user, post) => user.id === post.user_id);
// Define rule for ability with multiple arguments
setRule('hide-comment', (user, post, comment) => {
return user.is_admin || user.id === post.user_id || (user.id === comment.user_id && post.id === comment.post_id);
});
setRule('moderator', (user) => user.permissions && user.permissions.includes('moderator'));
});
const simpleAcl = createAcl({
user, // short for user: user
rules, // short for rules: rules
router, // OPTIONAL, short for router: router
// other optional vue-simple-acl options here... See Vue Simple ACL Options below
});
export default simpleAcl;
The v-can
directive can be used in different ways and you can apply one or more modifiers that alters the behaviour of the directive.
<button v-can:create-post>Create Post</button>
<button v-can:edit-post="{ id: 100, user_id: 1, title: 'First Post' }">Edit</button>
<button v-can:edit-post="postData">Edit</button>
Alternative you can use the sematic alias;
<button v-permission:create-post>Create Post</button>
<button v-role:admin>Create Post</button>
<button v-role-or-permission="['admin', 'create-post']">Edit</button>
This is the default behaviour of the v-can
directive, it remove the component or element from the DOM more like v-if
.
You're not required to apply it unless you want to explicitly state the behavior.
<button v-can:edit-post.hide="postData">Edit</button>
The disable
modifier applies the disabled attribute to the tag, e.g. to disable a button or input that you are not allowed to use or edit respectively.
<button v-can:edit-post.disable="postData">Edit</button>
<input v-can:edit-post.disable="post" v-model="postTitle" type="text">
The readonly
modifier applies the readonly attribute to the tag, e.g. to make an input read only if you don't have permission to edit.
<input v-can:edit-post.readonly="post" v-model="postTitle" type="text">
The not
modifier reverses the ACL query. In this example only if you cannot delete the post the div element is shown.
<div v-can:delete-post.not="postData">You can not delete post created by you, ask admin for help.</div>
By default v-can
directive with value that contains array of multiple abilities and ability arguments will be authorized if all specified abilities passes.
The any
modifier authorized if atleast one or any of specified abilities and ability arguments passes.
<!-- Authorized if both abilities passes -->
<button v-can="['create-post', ['edit-post', post]]">Create Post</button>
<!-- Authorized if any of the abilities passes -->
<button v-can.any="[['edit-post', post], ['delete-post', post]]">Manage Post</button>
You can also use the helper function $can directly in component and javascript:
<form v-if="$can('edit-post', post)">
<input type="text" :value="post.title">
...
</form>
or in Option API
if (this.$can('edit-post', post)) {
axios.put(`/api/posts/${post.id}`, postData)
}
Using helper function in setup
Vue's Composition API
The introduction of setup
and Vue's Composition API, open up new possibilities but to be able to get the full potential out of Vue Simple ACL, we will need to use composable functions to replace access to this.
import { useAcl } from 'vue-simple-acl';
export default {
setup() {
const acl = useAcl();
if (acl.can('edit-post', post)) {
axios.put(`/api/posts/${post.id}`, postData)
}
if (acl.can('hide-comment', [post, comment])) {
// Execute this block if user can hide comment of a post
}
if (acl.can.not('edit-post', post)) {
// Execute this block if user can not edit post
}
if (acl.can.any(['is-admin', 'is-editor'])) {
// Execute this block if user is admin OR is editor
}
if (acl.can.any([ 'is-admin', ['delete-post', post] ])) {
// Execute this block if user is admin OR can delete post
}
// Get data of the defined ACL User being validated
const user = acl.user;
const user = acl.getUser();
}
}
Middleware for Vue Router
To integrate Vue Router, hook up the instance of vue-router
's createRouter({..})
during setup of the Vue Simple ACL.
const simpleAcl = createAcl({
user, // short for user: user
rules, // short for rules: rules
router, // short for router: router
onDeniedRoute: '/unauthorized' // OR { path: '/unauthorized' } OR { name: 'unauthorized', replace: true} or '$from'
});
app.use(simpleAcl);
You configure routes by adding can
meta property to the route. E.g. if a router requires create post permission:
{
path: 'posts/create',
name: 'createPost',
component: CreatePost,
meta: {
can: 'create-post',
onDeniedRoute: '/unauthorized' // value of onDeniedRoute option will be used if not set
}
}
If you have a rule that requires multiple abilities, you can do the following:
{
path: 'posts/create',
name: 'createPost',
component: CreatePost,
meta: {
can: ['is-admin', 'create-post'],
onDeniedRoute: { name: 'unauthorizedPage', replace: true }
}
}
or using not
modifier
{
path: 'posts/create',
name: 'createPost',
component: CreatePost,
meta: {
notCan: 'moderator',
onDeniedRoute: { name: 'unauthorizedPage', replace: true }
}
}
or using any
modifier
{
path: 'posts/create',
name: 'createPost',
component: CreatePost,
meta: {
anyCan: ['is-admin', 'create-post'],
onDeniedRoute: { name: 'unauthorizedPage', replace: true }
}
}
You can also have an async evaluation by providing a callback that returns a promise the following:
{
path: 'posts/:postId',
component: PostEditor,
meta: {
can: (to, from, can) => {
return axios.get(`/api/posts/${to.params.id}`)
.then((response) => can('edit-post', response.data));
},
onDeniedRoute: '/unauthorized'
}
}
or using any
modifier
{
path: 'posts/:postId/publish',
component: ManagePost,
meta: {
anyCan: (to, from, anyCan) => {
return axios.get(`/api/posts/${to.params.id}/publish`)
.then((response) => anyCan(['is-admin', ['edit-post', response.data]]));
},
onDeniedRoute: '/unauthorized'
}
}
or get the data of the defined ACL user in the evaluations by passing user
as the optional fourth argument to the defined ACL meta function
{
path: 'posts/:postId/publish',
component: ManagePost,
meta: {
anyCan: (to, from, anyCan, user) => {
return axios.get(`/api/users/${user.id}/posts/${to.params.id}/publish`)
.then((response) => anyCan(['is-admin', ['edit-post', response.data]]));
},
onDeniedRoute: '/unauthorized'
}
}
By default if you omit the 'onDeniedRoute' property from the a routes meta a denied check will redirect to a value of Vue Simple Acl's createAcl
option onDeniedRoute
which is /
by default. You can change this behaviour by setting the createAcl
option onDeniedRoute
. This is useful if you use the package in an authentication or authorization flow by redirecting to unauthorized page if access is denied.
You can also use an object for more options (see guards section in docs):
onDeniedRoute: { path: '/login': replace: true }
This will use replace rather than push when redirecting to the login page.
onDeniedRoute: '$from'
You can set the onDeniedRoute to the special value '$from'
which will return the user to wherever they came from
Property Name | Type | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|
can or allCan | string OR array of abilities OR function of asynchronous evaluation: (to, from, can, user?) => {} |
None | Equivalent of $can() and v-can="" |
notCan or canNot | string OR array of abilities OR function of asynchronous evaluation: (to, from, notCan, user?) |
None | Equivalent of $can.not() and v-can.not="" |
anyCan or canAny | string OR array of abilities OR function of asynchronous evaluation: (to, from, anyCan, user?) |
None | Equivalent of $can.any() and v-can.any="" |
onDeniedRoute | string OR object of route() option |
Value of the default option onDeniedRoute |
A route to redirect to when `can |
Vue Simple ACL also provides some directives and methods in different verb as alias for default directive and helper function. You can use these aliases in place of v-can
directive, $can
helper function and vue router can:
meta property for better semantic. See below table.
Alias Name | Usage |
---|---|
Permission | As Directives:v-permission:create-post v-permission="'create-post'" v-permission.not="'create-post'" v-permission.any="['create-post', ['edit-post', post]]" In Component: $acl.permission('create-post') $acl.notPermission('create-post') $acl.anyPermission(['create-post', ['edit-post', post]]) In Option API: this.$acl.permission('create-post') this.$acl.notPermission('create-post') this.$acl.anyPermission(['create-post', ['edit-post', post]]) In Composition API/ setup() :const acl = useAcl(); acl.permission('create-post') acl.notPermission('create-post') acl.anyPermission(['create-post', ['edit-post', post]]) In Vue Router meta Property:permission: 'create-post' notPermission: ['create-post', 'create-category'] anyPermission: (to, from, anyPermission) => { return axios.get( `/api/posts/${to.params.id} `) .then((response) => anyPermission(['create-post', ['edit-post', response.data]])); } |
Role | As Directives:v-role:admin v-role="'admin'" v-role.not="'editor'" v-role.any="['admin', 'editor']" In Component: $acl.role('admin') $acl.notRole('editor') $acl.anyRole(['admin', 'editor']) In Option API: this.$acl.role('admin') this.$acl.notRole('editor') this.$acl.anyRole(['admin', 'editor']) In Composition API/ setup() :const acl = useAcl(); acl.role('admin') acl.notRole('editor') acl.anyRole(['admin', 'editor']) In Vue Router meta Property:role: 'admin' notRole: 'editor' anyRole: ['admin', 'editor'] |
Role Or Permission | As Directives:v-role-or-permission="['admin', 'create-post']" v-role-or-permission.not="['editor', 'create-post']" v-role-or-permission.any="['admin', 'create-post', ['edit-post', post]]" In Component: $acl.roleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post']) $acl.notRoleOrPermission(['editor', 'create-post']) $acl.anyRoleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post', ['edit-post', post]]) In Option API: this.$acl.roleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post']) this.$acl.notRoleOrPermission(['editor', 'create-post']) this.$acl.anyRoleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post', ['edit-post', post]]) In Composition API/ setup() :const acl = useAcl(); acl.roleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post']) acl.notRoleOrPermission(['editor', 'create-post']) acl.anyRoleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post', ['edit-post', post]]) In Vue Router meta Property:roleOrPermission: ['admin', 'create-post'] notRoleOrPermission: ['editor', 'create-post', 'create-category'] anyRoleOrPermission: (to, from, anyRoleOrPermission) => { return axios.get( `/api/posts/${to.params.id} `) .then((response) => anyRoleOrPermission(['admin', 'create-post', ['edit-post', response.data]])); } |
User | Get the data of the defined ACL user. In Component: $acl.user; // returns user object $acl.getUser(); // returns user object In Option API: this.$acl.user; // returns user object this.$acl.getUser(); // returns user object In Composition API/ setup() :const acl = useAcl(); acl.user; // returns user object acl.getUser(); // returns user object In Vue Router meta Property:Pass user as the fourth argument to the defined ACL meta function roleOrPermission: (to, from, roleOrPermission, user) => { return axios.get( `/api/users/${user.id}/posts/${to.params.id} `) .then((response) => roleOrPermission(['admin', ['edit-post', response.data]])); } |
can be a user OBJECT, FUNCTION returning a user object // or an Asynchronous function returning a PROMISE of user object, suitable for performing fetch from API.
Option Name | Type | Required | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
user | object or a `function |
async function/Promisereturning user object. <br> *Using Async/Promise requires instance of vue-router, the function will be auto hooked to beforeEach()` peroperty of vue-router.* |
Yes | None |
rules | function |
Yes | None | function returning instance of defineAclRules() e.g () => defineAclRules((setRule) => {...} |
directiveName | object or a function returning user object |
No | 'can' |
You can set a custom directive name if the default name conflicts with other installed plugins. e.g 'custom-can' then in component like v-custom-can="" |
helperName | object or a function returning user object |
No | '$can' |
You can set a custom helper name if the default name conflicts with other installed plugins. e.g '$customCan' , then use in component like '$customCan()' or '$customCan.not()' |
enableSematicAlias | boolean |
No | true |
You can enable or disable the sematic alias directives and methods e.g v-role , v-permission , $acl.* , etc. See Semantic Alias |
router | vue-router |
No | None | Inte |
onDeniedRoute | string or object |
No | / |
A route to redirect to when can evaluation is denied. e.g string path '/unauthorized' OR router option { path: '/unauthorized' } OR { name: 'unauthorizedPage', replace: true } OR special value '$from' which returns back to the request URI |
- Chore: Write basic tests
- A documentation page with vitepress
- Fork this repository.
- Create new branch with feature name.
- Go to example folder and run
npm install
andnpm run serve
. - The plugin sources files is located in
/src/*
. - Commit and set commit message with feature name.
- Push your code to your fork repository.
- Create pull request. 🙂
If you like this project, You can support me with starring ⭐ this repository, buy me a coffee or become a patron.
Developed by Victory Osayi with ❤️ and ☕️ from Benin City, Edo, Nigeria.