Role-based access control (RBAC) is a fundamental security mechanism in modern web applications. It allows developers to restrict access to resources and actions based on the roles assigned to users. In this article, we’ll walk through how to implement role-based permission authentication in a Spring Boot application using Gradle as the build tool and PostgreSQL as the database.

What is Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)?

RBAC is a security model that manages user access by assigning roles to users and defining permissions for each role. Users can only access resources or perform actions that their roles permit, simplifying user management and enhancing security18. For example, an admin might have full access, while a regular user can only view or edit specific data.

Step 1: Project Setup

Add the following dependencies to your build.gradle:

Configure your PostgreSQL connection in application.properties:

Step 2: Database Schema

Create the necessary tables for users, roles, and their relationships:

sql

Insert initial roles:

You can then register users and assign roles via your application.