Company
Date Published
Author
Taofiq Aiyelabegan
Word count
4903
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

n8n is a versatile workflow automation platform enabling users to connect various APIs, databases, and services for automating operations, ranging from simple data synchronization to complex AI-driven processes. As workflows grow in complexity and handle sensitive tasks, the need for runtime authorization becomes crucial to prevent unauthorized access and ensure consistent security. While n8n offers built-in role-based access control at the platform level, it lacks native support for fine-grained runtime authorization within workflows, often leading developers to create custom solutions. The introduction of the Permit.io community node addresses this gap by providing a centralized, fine-grained authorization system that integrates with n8n workflows. With the Permit node, users can define policies once and apply them consistently across workflows, supporting various policy models like RBAC, ABAC, and ReBAC. This integration enables the creation of a secure, scalable expense approval system that routes requests based on user attributes and policy decisions, with changes in authorization policies automatically reflected across all workflows without requiring redeployment. The system maintains centralized authorization logic, enhancing security and compliance while reducing the need for custom code and manual configurations.