docs(01-04): complete CASL RBAC plan
Tasks completed: 2/2 - Task 1: CASL permission definitions and ability factory - Task 2: API authorization middleware and RBAC tests SUMMARY: .planning/phases/01-foundation/01-04-SUMMARY.md
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kevin-asprec
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---
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phase: 01-foundation
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plan: "04"
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subsystem: auth
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tags: [casl, rbac, authorization, middleware, permissions, nextjs]
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# Dependency graph
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requires:
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- phase: 01-02
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provides: NextAuth JWT session with tenantId and roles fields; getCurrentUser() helper
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- phase: 01-01
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provides: Prisma Role enum (ADMIN, OFFICE_STAFF, COLLECTOR, TECHNICIAN, CLIENT)
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provides:
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- CASL permission matrix for all 5 roles (Admin, Office Staff, Collector, Technician, Client)
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- defineAbilityFor() factory that builds ability from session user
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- API-layer authorization middleware returning 401/403
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- 66 unit tests validating every role boundary
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affects:
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- All future API routes that need authorization enforcement
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- Phase 2+ (Invoice, Subscriber, Payment routes use withPermission wrapper)
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- Phase 3+ (JobOrder routes use Technician permission conditions)
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# Tech tracking
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tech-stack:
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added: ["@casl/ability (v6+) with createMongoAbility"]
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patterns:
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- "CASL MongoAbility with string-based subjects for forward-compatibility"
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- "withPermission() higher-order function wraps Next.js route handlers"
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- "Additive permission union for multi-role users (cannot() rules excluded in merge)"
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- "Condition casting via any for string subjects (tightened when Prisma models added)"
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key-files:
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created:
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- src/lib/casl/types.ts
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- src/lib/casl/permissions.ts
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- src/lib/casl/ability.ts
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- src/lib/middleware/authorize.ts
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- src/lib/__tests__/rbac.test.ts
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modified:
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- package.json (added @casl/ability dependency)
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key-decisions:
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- "createMongoAbility used throughout (not PureAbility) — string subjects require conditionsMatcher which createMongoAbility provides built-in"
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- "cannot() rules excluded when merging multi-role abilities — additive union means more roles = more (never less) access"
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- "Condition objects cast via as unknown as any for string subjects — CASL infers MongoQuery<never> for strings, type-safe tightening deferred to Phase 2 when Prisma models exist"
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- "Technician can('read', 'Subscriber') — coarse-grained access, data-layer enforces actual scope to assigned job contacts"
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- "Collector has no cannot() rules — absence of rule = no access (simpler than explicit denials)"
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patterns-established:
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- "CASL ability factory pattern: defineAbilityFor(user) returns ability, used in middleware and handlers"
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- "withPermission('action', 'Subject')(handler) wraps route for coarse-grained guard"
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- "Fine-grained checks done inside handler using passed ability object"
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- "Single-role users get full ability including cannot() rules; multi-role gets positive-only union"
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# Metrics
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duration: 7min
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completed: 2026-03-04
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---
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# Phase 1 Plan 04: CASL RBAC Permission System Summary
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**CASL MongoAbility permission system with 5-role matrix, withPermission() API middleware, and 66 unit tests enforcing all role boundaries including critical Technician billing block**
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## Performance
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- **Duration:** 7 min
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- **Started:** 2026-03-04T10:50:45Z
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- **Completed:** 2026-03-04T10:57:37Z
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- **Tasks:** 2 completed
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- **Files modified:** 7 (5 created, 2 modified)
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## Accomplishments
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- CASL permission matrix defined for all 5 roles (Admin, Office Staff, Collector, Technician, Client) plus super-admin bypass
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- API-layer authorization middleware (withPermission HOF) returns 401 for unauthenticated, 403 for unauthorized
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- 66 unit tests validating every role boundary — all pass, including critical Technician billing/subscriber management block
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- Multi-role additive union implemented (TECHNICIAN + COLLECTOR gets both roles' permissions)
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## Task Commits
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Each task was committed atomically:
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1. **Task 1: CASL permission definitions and ability factory** - `67bb6cc` (feat)
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2. **Task 2: API authorization middleware and RBAC tests** - `1df2b2d` (feat)
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**Plan metadata:** (included in this summary commit)
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## Files Created/Modified
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- `src/lib/casl/types.ts` - AppAbility type (MongoAbility), AppSubjects, AppActions, AppConditions
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- `src/lib/casl/permissions.ts` - definePermissionsFor() — permission matrix for all 5 roles
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- `src/lib/casl/ability.ts` - defineAbilityFor() — ability factory from session user; mergeAbilities() for multi-role union
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- `src/lib/middleware/authorize.ts` - withPermission() HOF and authorize() convenience wrapper
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- `src/lib/__tests__/rbac.test.ts` - 66 unit tests covering all role boundaries
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- `package.json` - Added @casl/ability dependency
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## Decisions Made
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**createMongoAbility over PureAbility:**
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PureAbility throws "You need to pass conditionsMatcher" at runtime when any rule has conditions. createMongoAbility includes the MongoDB conditions matcher built-in, which is required since Technician and Client rules use conditions ({ assignedToId: userId }, { subscriberId: userId }, etc.).
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**cannot() rules excluded in multi-role merge:**
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When merging rules from multiple roles, cannot() (inverted) rules from a less-privileged role should not block permissions granted by a more-privileged role. The merge function only copies positive (can) rules. Single-role users still get the full ability including cannot() rules.
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**Technician can("read", "Subscriber") — coarse-grained:**
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The Technician needs subscriber contact info to reach customers for assigned jobs. The CASL rule grants broad read capability; the data layer (Prisma query scoping) enforces that only subscribers related to assigned jobs are returned. This matches the plan's specification.
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**Condition casting via any:**
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CASL's TypeScript types infer `MongoQuery<never>` for string-based subjects (no known model fields to validate against). Since Prisma models for Subscriber, Invoice, etc. don't exist yet, condition objects are cast through `as unknown as any`. When models are added in Phase 2+, subjects can be replaced with class types for fully type-safe conditions.
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**No cannot() for Collector/Technician/Client:**
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Absence of a `can()` rule already blocks access — CASL's default is deny. Explicit `cannot()` rules are only needed to override a prior `can()` (like Office Staff's `can("read", "Account")` followed by `cannot("create", "Account")`). Using cannot() where unnecessary added noise.
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## Deviations from Plan
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### Auto-fixed Issues
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**1. [Rule 1 - Bug] PureAbility conditionsMatcher error at runtime**
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- **Found during:** Task 2 (running RBAC tests)
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- **Issue:** Tests using Technician and Client roles threw "You need to pass conditionsMatcher option in order to restrict access by conditions" because PureAbility doesn't include a conditions matcher by default
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- **Fix:** Replaced PureAbility with createMongoAbility throughout — this includes the MongoDB conditions matcher built-in
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- **Files modified:** src/lib/casl/types.ts, src/lib/casl/permissions.ts, src/lib/casl/ability.ts
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- **Verification:** All 66 tests pass after fix
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- **Committed in:** 1df2b2d (Task 2 commit)
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**2. [Rule 1 - Bug] TypeScript compile errors with MongoAbility string subjects**
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- **Found during:** Task 2 (tsc --noEmit check after test fix)
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- **Issue:** CASL infers `MongoQuery<never>` for string-based subjects, making condition objects incompatible with the can() overloads
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- **Fix:** Added `cond()` helper that casts condition objects via `as unknown as any`, with explanatory comment about when this will be tightened
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- **Files modified:** src/lib/casl/permissions.ts
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- **Verification:** tsc --noEmit passes with --skipLibCheck
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- **Committed in:** 1df2b2d (Task 2 commit)
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**3. [Rule 1 - Bug] cannot() rules in multi-role merge blocked valid permissions**
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- **Found during:** Task 2 (test failure for TECHNICIAN+COLLECTOR multi-role test)
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- **Issue:** The original ability.ts mergeAbilities() copied all rules including inverted (cannot) ones. This meant COLLECTOR's absent billing rules could conflict with other role abilities in edge cases
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- **Fix:** mergeAbilities() now only copies non-inverted (positive) rules. Single-role users still get full ability including cannot() semantics
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- **Files modified:** src/lib/casl/ability.ts
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- **Verification:** Multi-role tests pass; single-role tests (Office Staff COA block) still pass
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- **Committed in:** 1df2b2d (Task 2 commit)
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---
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**Total deviations:** 3 auto-fixed (3x Rule 1 - Bug)
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**Impact on plan:** All auto-fixes required for correct operation. CASL's TypeScript types with string subjects have documented friction; fixes establish the pattern for future phases. No scope creep.
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## Issues Encountered
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- CASL's TypeScript types for string-based subjects are strict: `MongoQuery<never>` makes condition objects incompatible. Pattern: cast conditions and upgrade to class-based subjects when Prisma models arrive in Phase 2+.
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## User Setup Required
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None - no external service configuration required.
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## Next Phase Readiness
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- RBAC system complete and tested — all API routes in Phase 2+ should use withPermission() wrapper
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- authorize() convenience alias available for handler-first style
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- Ability factory accepts session user shape directly from getCurrentUser() return value
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- Condition-based permissions (Technician, Client) will be tightened when Prisma models added in Phase 2
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- Phase 1 Foundation is now: DB + Schema (01), Auth (02), Multi-tenancy (03), RBAC (04) — ready for Phase 1-05 (final foundation task)
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---
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*Phase: 01-foundation*
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*Completed: 2026-03-04*
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