New --root mechanism with datasette.root_enabled, closes #2521

This commit is contained in:
Simon Willison 2025-10-23 12:40:50 -07:00
commit c06e05b7db
7 changed files with 191 additions and 31 deletions

View file

@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ class Datasette:
self._register_renderers()
self._permission_checks = collections.deque(maxlen=200)
self._root_token = secrets.token_hex(32)
self.root_enabled = False
self.client = DatasetteClient(self)
async def apply_metadata_json(self):

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@ -648,6 +648,7 @@ def serve(
# Start the server
url = None
if root:
ds.root_enabled = True
url = "http://{}:{}{}?token={}".format(
host, port, ds.urls.path("-/auth-token"), ds._root_token
)

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@ -127,23 +127,26 @@ def register_permissions():
)
@hookimpl(tryfirst=True, specname="permission_allowed")
def permission_allowed_root(datasette, actor, action, resource):
"""
Grant all permissions to root user when Datasette started with --root flag.
The --root flag is a localhost development tool. When used, it sets
datasette.root_enabled = True and creates an actor with id="root".
This hook grants that actor all permissions.
Other plugins can use the same pattern: check datasette.root_enabled
to decide whether to honor root users.
"""
if datasette.root_enabled and actor and actor.get("id") == "root":
return True
return None
@hookimpl(tryfirst=True, specname="permission_allowed")
def permission_allowed_default(datasette, actor, action, resource):
async def inner():
# id=root gets some special permissions:
if action in (
"permissions-debug",
"debug-menu",
"insert-row",
"create-table",
"alter-table",
"drop-table",
"delete-row",
"update-row",
):
if actor and actor.get("id") == "root":
return True
# Resolve view permissions in allow blocks in configuration
if action in (
"view-instance",
@ -174,6 +177,22 @@ def permission_allowed_default(datasette, actor, action, resource):
@hookimpl
async def permission_resources_sql(datasette, actor, action):
# Root user with root_enabled gets all permissions
if datasette.root_enabled and actor and actor.get("id") == "root":
# Return SQL that grants access to ALL resources for this action
action_obj = datasette.actions.get(action)
if action_obj and action_obj.resource_class:
resources_sql = action_obj.resource_class.resources_sql()
sql = f"""
SELECT parent, child, 1 AS allow, 'root user' AS reason
FROM ({resources_sql})
"""
return PermissionSQL(
source="root_permissions",
sql=sql,
params={},
)
rules: list[PermissionSQL] = []
config_rules = await _config_permission_rules(datasette, actor, action)
@ -263,21 +282,23 @@ async def _config_permission_rules(datasette, actor, action) -> list[PermissionS
)
for query_name, query_config in (db_config.get("queries") or {}).items():
query_perm = (query_config.get("permissions") or {}).get(action)
add_row(
db_name,
query_name,
evaluate(query_perm),
f"permissions for {action} on {db_name}/{query_name}",
)
if action == "view-query":
query_allow = (query_config or {}).get("allow")
# query_config can be a string (just SQL) or a dict (with SQL and options)
if isinstance(query_config, dict):
query_perm = (query_config.get("permissions") or {}).get(action)
add_row(
db_name,
query_name,
evaluate(query_allow),
f"allow for {action} on {db_name}/{query_name}",
evaluate(query_perm),
f"permissions for {action} on {db_name}/{query_name}",
)
if action == "view-query":
query_allow = query_config.get("allow")
add_row(
db_name,
query_name,
evaluate(query_allow),
f"allow for {action} on {db_name}/{query_name}",
)
if action == "view-database":
db_allow = db_config.get("allow")

View file

@ -28,7 +28,17 @@ Using the "root" actor
Datasette currently leaves almost all forms of authentication to plugins - `datasette-auth-github <https://github.com/simonw/datasette-auth-github>`__ for example.
The one exception is the "root" account, which you can sign into while using Datasette on your local machine. This provides access to a small number of debugging features.
The one exception is the "root" account, which you can sign into while using Datasette on your local machine. The root user has **all permissions** - they can perform any action regardless of other permission rules.
The ``--root`` flag is designed for local development and testing. When you start Datasette with ``--root``, the root user automatically receives every permission, including:
* All view permissions (view-instance, view-database, view-table, etc.)
* All write permissions (insert-row, update-row, delete-row, create-table, alter-table, drop-table)
* Debug permissions (permissions-debug, debug-menu)
* Any custom permissions defined by plugins
.. warning::
The ``--root`` flag should only be used for local development. Never use it in production or on publicly accessible servers.
To sign in as root, start Datasette using the ``--root`` command-line option, like this::
@ -1091,7 +1101,7 @@ This endpoint provides an interactive HTML form interface. Add ``.json`` to the
Pass ``?action=`` as a query parameter to specify which action to check.
**Requires the permissions-debug permission** - this endpoint returns a 403 Forbidden error for users without this permission. The :ref:`root user <authentication_root>` has this permission by default.
**Requires the permissions-debug permission** - this endpoint returns a 403 Forbidden error for users without this permission.
.. _PermissionCheckView:

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@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ Once started you can access it at ``http://localhost:8001``
--secret TEXT Secret used for signing secure values, such as
signed cookies
--root Output URL that sets a cookie authenticating
the root user
the root user with all permissions
--get TEXT Run an HTTP GET request against this path,
print results and exit
--token TEXT API token to send with --get requests

View file

@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ from .utils import cookie_was_deleted, last_event
from click.testing import CliRunner
from datasette.utils import baseconv
from datasette.cli import cli
from datasette.resources import (
InstanceResource,
DatabaseResource,
TableResource,
)
import pytest
import time
@ -337,3 +342,123 @@ def test_cli_create_token(app_client, expires):
else:
expected_actor = None
assert response.json == {"actor": expected_actor}
@pytest.mark.asyncio
async def test_root_with_root_enabled_gets_all_permissions(ds_client):
"""Root user with root_enabled=True gets all permissions"""
# Ensure catalog tables are populated
await ds_client.ds.invoke_startup()
await ds_client.ds._refresh_schemas()
# Set root_enabled to simulate --root flag
ds_client.ds.root_enabled = True
root_actor = {"id": "root"}
# Test instance-level permissions (no resource)
assert await ds_client.ds.permission_allowed(root_actor, "permissions-debug", None) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.permission_allowed(root_actor, "debug-menu", None) is True
# Test view permissions using the new ds.allowed() method
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="view-instance",
resource=InstanceResource(),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="view-database",
resource=DatabaseResource("fixtures"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="view-table",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
# Test write permissions using ds.allowed()
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="insert-row",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="delete-row",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="update-row",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="create-table",
resource=DatabaseResource("fixtures"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="alter-table",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="drop-table",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is True
@pytest.mark.asyncio
async def test_root_without_root_enabled_no_special_permissions(ds_client):
"""Root user without root_enabled doesn't get automatic permissions"""
# Ensure catalog tables are populated
await ds_client.ds.invoke_startup()
await ds_client.ds._refresh_schemas()
# Ensure root_enabled is NOT set (or is False)
ds_client.ds.root_enabled = False
root_actor = {"id": "root"}
# Test permissions that normally require special access
# Without root_enabled, root should follow normal permission rules
# View permissions should still work (default=True)
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="view-instance",
resource=InstanceResource(),
actor=root_actor
) is True # Default permission
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="view-database",
resource=DatabaseResource("fixtures"),
actor=root_actor
) is True # Default permission
# But restricted permissions should NOT automatically be granted
# Test with instance-level permission (no resource class)
result = await ds_client.ds.permission_allowed(root_actor, "permissions-debug", None)
assert result is not True, "Root without root_enabled should not automatically get permissions-debug"
# Test with resource-based permissions using ds.allowed()
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="create-table",
resource=DatabaseResource("fixtures"),
actor=root_actor
) is not True, "Root without root_enabled should not automatically get create-table"
assert await ds_client.ds.allowed(
action="drop-table",
resource=TableResource("fixtures", "facetable"),
actor=root_actor
) is not True, "Root without root_enabled should not automatically get drop-table"

View file

@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ def test_permissions_checked(app_client, path, permissions):
async def test_permissions_debug(ds_client, filter_):
ds_client.ds._permission_checks.clear()
assert (await ds_client.get("/-/permissions")).status_code == 403
# With the cookie it should work
# With the cookie it should work (need to set root_enabled for root user)
ds_client.ds.root_enabled = True
cookie = ds_client.actor_cookie({"id": "root"})
response = await ds_client.get(
f"/-/permissions?filter={filter_}", cookies={"ds_actor": cookie}
@ -418,8 +419,8 @@ async def test_permissions_debug(ds_client, filter_):
},
{
"action": "view-instance",
"result": None,
"used_default": True,
"result": True,
"used_default": False,
"actor": {"id": "root"},
},
{"action": "debug-menu", "result": False, "used_default": True, "actor": None},
@ -691,6 +692,7 @@ async def test_actor_restricted_permissions(
perms_ds, actor, permission, resource_1, resource_2, expected_result
):
perms_ds.pdb = True
perms_ds.root_enabled = True # Allow root actor to access /-/permissions
cookies = {"ds_actor": perms_ds.sign({"a": {"id": "root"}}, "actor")}
csrftoken = (await perms_ds.client.get("/-/permissions", cookies=cookies)).cookies[
"ds_csrftoken"