app-permission-system.md

App Permission System

Each feature available in the Apps-Engine is mapped to a permission. Adding the permission in the app's manifest (app.json file) will unlock said feature to be used by the app. For example, if you add the send messages permission to your app's manifest, your app can send messages in the Rocket.Chat server. If your app tries to send a message without having the send messages permission listed in the manifest, Apps-Engine will block the feature and the app will not be able to perform the desired action.

When installing an app, be it via the Marketplace or installing it manually via zip file, a window asks the user to review the permissions that the app requires to work properly. The user installing the app can either accept and install the app or deny the permissions and not install it.

Add permissions to your app

In your app's manifest file (app.json), add the field permissions. It receives a list containing all the permissions that you are asking for. For example:

{
...
"permissions": [
    {
        "name": "user.read"
    },
    {
        "name": "user.write"
    },
    {
        "name": "upload.read"
    },
  ],
...
}

Notice about rule enforcement

Currently, the Apps-Engine does not enforce the use of the permissions to make your apps work, meaning your current apps (including those published on the Marketplace) will still work as expected. All the apps that do not have the permissions listed in their manifest will still have access to all the features they need through default permissions. They are applied to your app automatically when no permissions property is found in the app's manifest.

Until the sunsetting period for the "permissionless engine" is not defined, setting permissions in your app's manifest will be optional.

List of permissions

Here is a list of the available permissions:

Permission Name	Description
user.read	Access user information
user.write	Modify user information
upload.read	Access files uploaded to the server
upload.write	Upload files to the server
server-setting.read	Access settings in the server
server-setting.write	Modify settings in the server
room.read	Access room information
room.write	Create and modify rooms
message.read	Access messages
message.write	Send and modify messages
livechat-status.read	Access Livechat status information
livechat-custom-fields.write	Modify Livechat custom field configuration
livechat-visitor.read	Access Livechat visitor information
livechat-visitor.write	Modify Livechat visitor information
livechat-message.read	Access Livechat message information
livechat-message.write	Modify Livechat message information
livechat-room.read	Access Livechat room information
livechat-room.write	Modify Livechat room information
livechat-department.read	Access Livechat department information
livechat-department.write	Modify Livechat department information
slashcommand	Register new slash commands
apis	Register new HTTP endpoints
env.read	Access minimal information about the server environment
networking	Access to the server network
persistence	Store internal data in the database
scheduler	Register and maintain scheduled jobs
ui.interact	Interact with the UI (UIKit)

Once an app is on the Rocket.Chat workspace, it goes through several lifecycle phases unique to Rocket.Chat. The phases depend on the capabilities that your app has. To learn about the app lifecycle, head over to the next page.