docs: add authorization schema reference

Author: mariajgrimaldi

docs/decisions/0017-static-authorization-schema.rst

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ Decision
 
 The authz schema is a versioned YAML format for static permissions, permission categories, roles, and changes to existing roles. Every file declares ``schema_version`` and ``priority``. Open edX publishes a YAML Schema for this format so that editors, CI, and the compiler all apply the same field and validation rules.
 
+The :ref:`Authorization Schema Reference` describes every field, the naming conventions, and complete configuration examples.
+
 #. Permissions and categories
 =============================
 

docs/decisions/0023-extend-static-roles.rst

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Decision
 #. Role extension fields
 ========================
 
-A ``role_extensions`` entry identifies an existing static role with ``role`` and changes only the fields included in the entry. It may use:
+A ``role_extensions`` entry identifies an existing static role with ``role`` and changes only the fields included in the entry. The :ref:`Authorization Schema Reference` describes these fields and includes complete examples for applications and Tutor configuration. An entry may use:
 
 * ``add_permissions`` to add complete permission IDs;
 * ``remove_permissions`` to remove complete permission IDs;
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ References
 * `ADR 0017`_
 * `ADR 0018`_
 * `ADR 0019`_
+* :ref:`Authorization Schema Reference`
 * `Tutor plugin development`_
 
 .. _ADR 0017: 0017-static-authorization-schema.rst

docs/references/authorization-schema.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,347 @@
+.. _Authorization Schema Reference:
+
+Authorization Schema Reference
+##############################
+
+The Open edX Authorization schema, or authz schema, is a YAML configuration format for static permissions, permission categories, roles, and changes to existing roles. Applications ship schema files with their code, while site operators can contribute the same format through their deployment configuration. Deployment validates and compiles all contributions into the policy used by ``openedx-authz``.
+
+Use this reference when creating or reviewing an authz schema file. The examples omit fields only when the surrounding section does not need them.
+
+.. contents:: Contents
+   :depth: 2
+   :local:
+
+Complete example
+****************
+
+The following file defines one category, two permissions, one role, and an extension to a role defined elsewhere:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   schema_version: "1.0"
+   priority: 100
+
+   permission_categories:
+     - id: course_content
+       display_name: Course content
+       description: Permissions for viewing and editing course content.
+       icon: Article
+
+   permissions:
+     - namespace: courses
+       name: view_course
+       display_name: View course
+       description: View course configuration and content.
+       category: course_content
+       scopes:
+         - course-v1
+       icon: Visibility
+
+     - namespace: courses
+       name: view_course_updates
+       display_name: View course updates
+       description: View course update posts.
+       category: course_content
+       scopes:
+         - course-v1
+       icon: Visibility
+
+   roles:
+     - id: course_observer
+       display_name: Course observer
+       description: Reviews a course without changing it.
+       scopes:
+         - course-v1
+       permissions:
+         - courses.view_course
+         - courses.view_course_updates
+
+   role_extensions:
+     - role: course_editor
+       add_permissions:
+         - courses.export_course
+
+Top-level fields
+****************
+
+``schema_version``
+==================
+
+The version of the YAML format used by the file. Write it as a quoted ``major.minor`` value, such as ``"1.0"``. A deployment stops before changing the database when it encounters a version it cannot read.
+
+``priority``
+============
+
+An integer used when several files change the same definition or role field. A higher number takes precedence. Contributions with the same priority may be combined when they agree or affect different fields, but conflicting values at the same priority fail validation.
+
+Priority does not control the order shown in a user interface. Clients may sort roles, permissions, and categories for their own presentation.
+
+``permission_categories``
+=========================
+
+A list of category definitions used to group permissions for display and discovery. Categories do not grant access.
+
+``permissions``
+===============
+
+A list of permission definitions. Application checks use the stable permission ID formed from each permission's ``namespace`` and ``name``.
+
+``roles``
+=========
+
+A list of static role definitions. A role lists every permission assigned to it.
+
+``role_extensions``
+===================
+
+A list of changes to static roles defined in this file or another schema contribution. An extension changes only the fields it includes and does not copy or replace the complete role.
+
+Permission categories
+*********************
+
+A category contains these fields:
+
+``id``
+   The stable category identifier. It is required and uses lowercase snake case, such as ``course_content`` or ``library_management``. Category IDs are global and do not include a permission namespace. Applications that use the same ID contribute permissions to the same category.
+
+``display_name``
+   The source-language name shown to users. It uses sentence case and is translated through the authz schema translation process.
+
+``description``
+   A complete source-language sentence describing the group of permissions.
+
+``icon``
+   An optional icon name exported by ``@openedx/paragon/icons``. The value is case-sensitive, such as ``Article``.
+
+For example:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   permission_categories:
+     - id: library_management
+       display_name: Library management
+       description: Permissions for managing content libraries.
+       icon: Article
+
+Permissions
+***********
+
+A permission contains these fields:
+
+``namespace``
+   The stable product domain that owns the permission. It uses lowercase snake case, such as ``courses`` or ``content_libraries``. The namespace does not need to match the Python package, Django app, IDA, or Tutor plugin that contributes the file. Code may move between applications without changing the permission ID.
+
+``name``
+   The operation within the product domain. It uses lowercase snake case and normally begins with a verb, such as ``view_course``, ``export_course``, or ``manage_library_tags``.
+
+``display_name``
+   The source-language name shown to users. Changing it does not change the permission ID used by application checks.
+
+``description``
+   A complete source-language sentence describing the access controlled by the permission.
+
+``category``
+   The complete ID of a category defined in the combined schema.
+
+``scopes``
+   The scope namespaces where the permission can apply. These values come from registered ``ScopeData`` types, such as ``course-v1``, ``ccx-v1``, or ``lib``.
+
+``icon``
+   An optional, case-sensitive icon name exported by ``@openedx/paragon/icons``.
+
+The complete permission ID joins ``namespace`` and ``name`` with a period. For example:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   permissions:
+     - namespace: content_libraries
+       name: manage_library_tags
+       display_name: Manage library tags
+       description: Add, edit, and remove tags in a content library.
+       category: library_management
+       scopes:
+         - lib
+
+The complete ID is ``content_libraries.manage_library_tags``. Role definitions, role extensions, application checks, and API responses use this value.
+
+The Casbin form ``act^content_libraries.manage_library_tags`` is an internal value and is not valid in a schema file.
+
+Roles
+*****
+
+A role contains these fields:
+
+``id``
+   The stable role identifier. It uses lowercase snake case, such as ``course_admin``, ``course_editor``, or ``library_author``. Role IDs do not include a product namespace because authorization uses the role within its supported scopes.
+
+``display_name``
+   The source-language name shown to users.
+
+``description``
+   A complete source-language sentence describing what the role can do.
+
+``scopes``
+   The scope namespaces where the role can be assigned. Every permission listed by the role must support those scopes.
+
+``permissions``
+   A list of complete permission IDs. The compiler does not infer one permission from another, so the role lists every permission it needs.
+
+``icon``
+   An optional, case-sensitive icon name exported by ``@openedx/paragon/icons``.
+
+``hidden``
+   An optional boolean that defaults to ``false``. A hidden role does not appear in normal role discovery and selection interfaces. Hiding does not delete the role, remove existing assignments, or change permission checks.
+
+For example:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   roles:
+     - id: library_reviewer
+       display_name: Library reviewer
+       description: Reviews library content without publishing it.
+       scopes:
+         - lib
+       permissions:
+         - content_libraries.view_library
+         - content_libraries.view_library_team
+       icon: Visibility
+
+The Casbin form ``role^library_reviewer`` is an internal value and is not valid as ``roles.id`` or in a ``role_extensions.role`` reference.
+
+Role extensions
+***************
+
+A role extension contains ``role`` and at least one field to change:
+
+``role``
+   The complete ID of an existing static role.
+
+``add_permissions``
+   Complete permission IDs to add to the role.
+
+``remove_permissions``
+   Complete permission IDs to remove from the role.
+
+``display_name``, ``description``, and ``icon``
+   Display metadata to replace. Metadata fields left out of the extension keep their current values.
+
+``hidden``
+   Whether the role appears in normal role discovery and selection interfaces.
+
+For example, a deployment can allow course editors to export courses, remove their access to tag management, change the displayed role name, and hide the course auditor role:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   schema_version: "1.0"
+   priority: 200
+
+   role_extensions:
+     - role: course_editor
+       add_permissions:
+         - courses.export_course
+       remove_permissions:
+         - courses.manage_tags
+       display_name: Course author
+       description: Creates and exports course content.
+
+     - role: course_auditor
+       hidden: true
+
+An extension fails validation when its target role or a referenced permission does not exist. Adding a permission already assigned to the role or removing one the role does not have produces a warning and leaves the result unchanged.
+
+Identifier rules
+****************
+
+Permission namespaces, permission names, category IDs, and role IDs use lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores, begin with a letter, and match ``[a-z][a-z0-9_]*``. The period in a complete permission ID separates its namespace from its name and does not appear inside either part.
+
+Valid identifiers include:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+   courses
+   view_course
+   courses.view_course
+   course_content
+   course_editor
+
+The following values are invalid:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+   Courses.view_course       # uppercase letter
+   courses:view_course       # wrong separator
+   act^courses.view_course   # internal Casbin namespace
+   course content            # space
+   role^course_editor        # internal Casbin namespace
+
+Scope namespaces follow the spelling registered by their ``ScopeData`` type and may contain a hyphen. Do not apply the snake-case identifier rule to values such as ``course-v1`` or ``ccx-v1``.
+
+Schema files in applications
+****************************
+
+Applications keep schema resources under an ``authz`` package directory and use the ``.authz.yaml`` suffix. The filename describes the definitions in the file using lowercase snake case:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+   course_authoring/
+   └── authz/
+       ├── course_permissions.authz.yaml
+       └── course_roles.authz.yaml
+
+The application exposes these package resources through the ``openedx-authz`` schema entry point. Resource paths are relative to the Python module, which keeps discovery independent of virtual-environment and container paths.
+
+Tutor configuration for site operators
+**************************************
+
+A site operator can provide an authz schema through the ``openedx-authz-schema`` patch. Run ``tutor plugins printroot`` to find the local plugin directory, then create ``openedx-authz-overrides.yml`` there:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   name: openedx-authz-overrides
+   version: 0.1.0
+
+   patches:
+     openedx-authz-schema: |
+       schema_version: "1.0"
+       priority: 200
+
+       role_extensions:
+         - role: course_editor
+           add_permissions:
+             - courses.export_course
+           remove_permissions:
+             - courses.manage_tags
+           display_name: Course author
+           description: Creates and exports course content.
+
+         - role: course_auditor
+           hidden: true
+
+Enable the plugin and save the rendered Tutor configuration:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+   tutor plugins enable openedx-authz-overrides
+   tutor config save
+
+The next deployment validates and compiles the patch with the schema files provided by applications.
+
+Checking the resulting permissions
+**********************************
+
+After deployment, use the existing ``enforcement`` management command to check the policy stored in the database:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+   tutor local run lms ./manage.py lms enforcement
+
+The command expects a subject, complete permission ID, and scope. Assuming ``alice`` has ``course_editor`` in ``course-v1:OpenedX+DemoX+DemoCourse``, the extension above produces these results:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+   alice courses.export_course course-v1:OpenedX+DemoX+DemoCourse
+   ✓ ALLOWED: alice courses.export_course course-v1:OpenedX+DemoX+DemoCourse
+
+   alice courses.manage_tags course-v1:OpenedX+DemoX+DemoCourse
+   ✗ DENIED: alice courses.manage_tags course-v1:OpenedX+DemoX+DemoCourse

docs/references/index.rst

@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ References
 
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
+
+   authorization-schema