feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator by dwong2708 · Pull Request #38156 · openedx/openedx-platform

dwong2708 · 2026-03-11T22:52:17Z

Description

This PR introduces a new decorator to enforce permissions using the new AuthZ system and applies it to the Course Quality and Course Validations endpoints.

The decorator centralizes the authorization logic for course authoring APIs by checking permissions through the AuthZ service, with an optional fallback to the legacy permission system during the migration period.

As part of implementing the new permissions for the Checklist section of the course, the decorator is now applied to the following endpoints:

Course Quality API
Course Validations API

This ensures that access to checklist-related functionality is properly controlled by the new permission model.

Changes

Added a new authz_permission_required decorator to enforce AuthZ permissions.
Implemented support for extracting the course key from different view argument patterns (function views, class-based views, and DRF routes).
Applied the decorator to:
- Course Quality endpoint
- Course Validations endpoint
Maintained optional fallback to the legacy permission check during the transition period.

Testing

Added tests for the decorator behavior.
Verified that:
- Authorized users can access the endpoints.
- Unauthorized users receive a 403 response.
- Legacy permission fallback works as expected.

Context

This change is part of the work to support RBAC/AuthZ permissions for the Checklist section in course authoring.

openedx-webhooks · 2026-03-11T22:52:23Z

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rodmgwgu

Looking good, just one logic change and some minor comments.

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/models.py

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/views.py

cms/djangoapps/contentstore/api/tests/test_validation.py

- Add decorator to enforce AuthZ course permissions - Apply it to the Course Quality view

rodmgwgu

Looks good, thanks! Tested in my local and works as expected.

bmtcril

Tested locally and works well for me 👍

mariajgrimaldi

A few comments for you to review and apply if they make sense! Thanks so much for this. Also, some time ago, there was this discussion about when to implement a new Django app. We settled on trying to justify their creation via an ADR. Do you think we can write something for this app? Here's an example: https://github.com/openedx/openedx-platform/blob/831af2be3774eb73d3d2a4affcb6f577ae26e61e/lms/djangoapps/mfe_config_api/docs/decisions/0001-mfe-config-api.rst. A good middle ground to avoid writing an ADR is to write a README for the app, so others understand our reasoning behind this. Thank you so much!

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T15:44:51Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/apps.py

+from django.apps import AppConfig
+
+
+class AuthzConfig(AppConfig):


A docstring here describing the app would be useful.

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T15:45:15Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/apps.py

+class AuthzConfig(AppConfig):
+    default_auto_field = 'django.db.models.BigAutoField'
+    name = 'openedx.core.djangoapps.authz'
+    verbose_name = "Authz"


What about:

Suggested change

verbose_name = "Authz"

verbose_name = "Open edX Authorization Framework"

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T15:55:48Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+
+
+legacy_permission_handler_map = {
+    "read": has_studio_read_access,
+    "write": has_studio_write_access,
+}


I think a middle ground between using "read" and "write" literals without much context could be this:

Suggested change

legacy_permission_handler_map = {

"read": has_studio_read_access,

"write": has_studio_write_access,

}

class LegacyAuthoringPermissions:

# Thorough docstring explaining what this is for reference

READ = "read"

WRITE = "write"

legacy_permission_handler_map = {

LegacyAuthoringPermissions.READ: has_studio_read_access,

LegacyAuthoringPermissions.WRITE: has_studio_write_access,

}

We can use the LegacyAuthoringPermissions:

@authz_permission_required(COURSES_VIEW_COURSE.identifier, legacy_permission=LegacyAuthoringPermissions.READ)

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T16:25:11Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+    Decorator enforcing course author permissions via AuthZ
+    with optional legacy fallback.


What about?

Suggested change

Decorator enforcing course author permissions via AuthZ

with optional legacy fallback.

Decorator enforcing course author permissions via AuthZ with optional legacy fallback.

This decorator checks if the requesting user has the specified AuthZ permission for the course.

If AuthZ is not enabled for the course, and a legacy_permission is provided, it falls back to checking

the legacy permission.

Raises:

PermissionDenied: If the user does not have the required permissions.

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T16:26:24Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+}
+
+
+def authz_permission_required(authz_permission, legacy_permission=None):


I think we should keep on using types for better control:

Suggested change

def authz_permission_required(authz_permission, legacy_permission=None):

def authz_permission_required(authz_permission: str, legacy_permission: Optional[str] = None) -> callable:

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T16:30:17Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+            ):
+                raise DeveloperErrorViewMixin.api_error(
+                    status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
+                    developer_message="The requesting user does not have course author permissions.",


Should we be this specific with this error? I've always seen "You do not have permission to perform this action" like in DRF, this way we avoid changing the error with every implementation in case we adopt this approach in other places of the code.

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T16:31:08Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+def user_has_course_permission(user, authz_permission, course_key, legacy_permission=None):
+    """
+    Core authorization logic.
+    """


Suggested change

def user_has_course_permission(user, authz_permission, course_key, legacy_permission=None):

"""

Core authorization logic.

"""

def user_has_course_permission(user: User, authz_permission: str, course_key: CourseKey, legacy_permission: Optional[str] = None):

"""

Checks if the user has the specified AuthZ permission for the course, with optional fallback to legacy permissions.

"""

This could help us reduce descriptive inline comments and keep them for explaining why we are doing something.

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T16:32:15Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+
+    # If AuthZ is not enabled for this course, fall back to legacy course author
+    # access check if legacy_permission is provided.
+    has_legacy_permission = legacy_permission_handler_map.get(legacy_permission)


Suggested change

has_legacy_permission = legacy_permission_handler_map.get(legacy_permission)

has_legacy_permission: Optional[callable] = legacy_permission_handler_map.get(legacy_permission)

mariajgrimaldi · 2026-03-13T16:36:33Z

openedx/core/djangoapps/authz/decorators.py

+    return False
+
+
+def get_course_key(course_id):


Suggested change

def get_course_key(course_id):

def get_course_key(course_id: str) -> CourseKey:

wgu-taylor-payne · 2026-03-13T18:12:46Z

lms/envs/common.py

    'openedx.core.djangoapps.notifications',

+    # Authz
+    'openedx.core.djangoapps.authz.apps.AuthzConfig',


Shouldn't this be in cms/envs/common.py as well? Also, Django should automatically discover apps.AuthzConfig, so we can just add:

Suggested change

'openedx.core.djangoapps.authz.apps.AuthzConfig',

'openedx.core.djangoapps.authz',

openedx-webhooks added the open-source-contribution PR author is not from Axim or 2U label Mar 11, 2026

openedx-webhooks added this to Contributions Mar 11, 2026

github-project-automation bot moved this to Needs Triage in Contributions Mar 11, 2026

dwong2708 force-pushed the dwong2708/new-permissions-checklists branch from bce4a4a to 1c4fe82 Compare March 12, 2026 03:33

dwong2708 marked this pull request as ready for review March 12, 2026 16:47

dwong2708 requested review from bmtcril, mariajgrimaldi, rodmgwgu and wgu-taylor-payne March 12, 2026 16:49

rodmgwgu suggested changes Mar 12, 2026

View reviewed changes

dwong2708 added 6 commits March 12, 2026 12:49

feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

959d5d1

- Add decorator to enforce AuthZ course permissions - Apply it to the Course Quality view

fixup! feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

165a759

fixup! feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

86a6f97

fixup! feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

2113e37

fixup! feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

4fe15cf

fixup! feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

582c8bc

dwong2708 force-pushed the dwong2708/new-permissions-checklists branch from b4cdb3f to 582c8bc Compare March 12, 2026 18:50

dwong2708 requested a review from rodmgwgu March 12, 2026 18:54

rodmgwgu approved these changes Mar 12, 2026

View reviewed changes

mphilbrick211 added the mao-onboarding Reviewing this will help onboard devs from an Axim mission-aligned organization (MAO). label Mar 12, 2026

mphilbrick211 moved this from Needs Triage to In Eng Review in Contributions Mar 12, 2026

fixup! feat: introduce authz_permission_required decorator

b6a8ec7

bmtcril approved these changes Mar 13, 2026

View reviewed changes

mariajgrimaldi reviewed Mar 13, 2026

View reviewed changes

wgu-taylor-payne reviewed Mar 13, 2026

View reviewed changes

		from django.apps import AppConfig


		class AuthzConfig(AppConfig):

	verbose_name = "Authz"
	verbose_name = "Open edX Authorization Framework"

-legacy_permission_handler_map = {
-    "read": has_studio_read_access,
-    "write": has_studio_write_access,
-}
+class LegacyAuthoringPermissions:
+    # Thorough docstring explaining what this is for reference
+    READ = "read"
+    WRITE = "write"
+legacy_permission_handler_map = {
+    LegacyAuthoringPermissions.READ: has_studio_read_access,
+    LegacyAuthoringPermissions.WRITE: has_studio_write_access,
+}

		Decorator enforcing course author permissions via AuthZ
		with optional legacy fallback.

-    Decorator enforcing course author permissions via AuthZ
-    with optional legacy fallback.
+    Decorator enforcing course author permissions via AuthZ with optional legacy fallback.
+    This decorator checks if the requesting user has the specified AuthZ permission for the course.
+    If AuthZ is not enabled for the course, and a legacy_permission is provided, it falls back to checking
+    the legacy permission.
+    Raises:
+        PermissionDenied: If the user does not have the required permissions.

		}


		def authz_permission_required(authz_permission, legacy_permission=None):

	has_legacy_permission = legacy_permission_handler_map.get(legacy_permission)
	has_legacy_permission: Optional[callable] = legacy_permission_handler_map.get(legacy_permission)

	def get_course_key(course_id):
	def get_course_key(course_id: str) -> CourseKey:

	'openedx.core.djangoapps.authz.apps.AuthzConfig',
	'openedx.core.djangoapps.authz',

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dwong2708 commented Mar 11, 2026 •

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openedx-webhooks commented Mar 11, 2026 •

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