---
name: Frappe Permissions
slug: frappe-permissions
category: AI Engineering
description: Frappe Permissions explains how to implement Frappe and ERPNext access control using roles, user permissions, perm levels, masking, and permission hooks. Use it when checking who can see, edit, or restrict documents and fields.
github: "https://github.com/Impertio-Studio/Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package/tree/main/skills/source/core/frappe-core-permissions"
language: Python
stars: 176
forks: 53
install: "npx degit https://github.com/Impertio-Studio/Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package/tree/main/skills/source/core/frappe-core-permissions ~/.claude/skills/frappe-core-permissions"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/frappe-core-permissions
source_path: skills/source/core/frappe-core-permissions/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 3475
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/Impertio-Studio/Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package"
added: 2026-09-07T05:21:03.101Z
last_synced: 2026-09-07T05:21:03.101Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/frappe-permissions"
---

# Frappe Permissions

Frappe Permissions explains how to implement Frappe and ERPNext access control using roles, user permissions, perm levels, masking, and permission hooks. Use it when checking who can see, edit, or restrict documents and fields.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/Impertio-Studio/Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package/tree/main/skills/source/core/frappe-core-permissions ~/.claude/skills/frappe-core-permissions
```

## README

# Frappe Permissions

> Deterministic patterns for the five-layer Frappe permission system.

---

## Permission Layers

| Layer | Controls | Configured Via | Version |
|-------|----------|----------------|---------|
| **Role Permissions** | What users CAN do | DocType permissions table | All |
| **User Permissions** | WHICH records users see | User Permission DocType | All |
| **Perm Levels** | WHICH fields users see/edit | Field `permlevel` property | All |
| **Permission Hooks** | Custom deny logic | `hooks.py` | All |
| **Data Masking** | Masked field values | Field `mask` property | [v16+] |

---

## Decision Tree

```
Need to control access?
├── Who can Create/Read/Write/Delete a DocType? → Role Permissions
├── Which specific records can a user see? → User Permissions
├── Which fields should be hidden? → Perm Levels (permlevel 1+)
├── Which fields show masked values? → Data Masking [v16+]
├── Custom runtime deny logic? → has_permission hook
├── Filter list queries dynamically? → permission_query_conditions hook
└── Share one document with one user? → frappe.share

Checking permissions in code?
├── Before action → frappe.has_permission() or doc.has_permission()
├── Raise on denial → doc.check_permission() or throw=True
├── System bypass → doc.flags.ignore_permissions = True (ALWAYS document why)
└── List query → ALWAYS use frappe.get_list() for user-facing data
```

---

## Permission Types

| Type | API Check | Applies To |
|------|-----------|------------|
| `read` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "read")` | All DocTypes |
| `write` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "write")` | All DocTypes |
| `create` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "create")` | All DocTypes |
| `delete` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "delete")` | All DocTypes |
| `submit` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "submit")` | Submittable only |
| `cancel` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "cancel")` | Submittable only |
| `amend` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "amend")` | Submittable only |
| `select` | `frappe.has_permission(dt, "select")` | Link fields [v14+] |
| `report` | N/A | Report Builder access |
| `export` | N/A | Excel/CSV export |
| `import` | N/A | Data Import Tool |
| `share` | N/A | Share with other users |
| `print` | N/A | Print/PDF generation |
| `email` | N/A | Send email |
| `mask` | Role permission for unmasked view | Data Masking [v16+] |

---

## Automatic Roles

| Role | Assigned To | Notes |
|------|-------------|-------|
| `Guest` | Everyone (including anonymous) | Public pages |
| `All` | All registered users | Basic authenticated access |
| `Administrator` | Only the Administrator user | ALWAYS has all permissions |
| `Desk User` | System Users only | [v15+] |

---

## Essential API

### Check Permission

```python
# DocType-level
frappe.has_permission("Sales Order", "write")

# Document-level (by name or object)
frappe.has_permission("Sales Order", "write", "SO-00001")
frappe.has_permission("Sales Order", "write", doc=doc)

# For specific user
frappe.has_permission("Sales Order", "read", user="john@example.com")

# Throw on denial
frappe.has_permission("Sales Order", "delete", throw=True)

# Debug mode — prints evaluation steps
frappe.has_permission("Sales Order", "read", debug=True)
print(frappe.local.permission_debug_log)
```

### Document Instance Methods

```python
doc = frappe.get_doc("Sales Order", "SO-00001")

# Returns bool
if doc.has_permission("write"):
    doc.status = "Approved"
    doc.save()

# Raises frappe.PermissionError if denied
doc.check_permission("write")
```

### Get Effective Permissions

```python
from frappe.permissions import get_doc_permissions

perms = get_doc_permissions(doc)
# {'read': 1, 'write': 1, 'create': 0, 'delete': 0, ...}

perms = get_doc_permissions(doc, user="john@example.com")
```

---

## User Permissions (Record-Level)

Restrict users to specific Link field values (e.g., specific Company, Territory).

```python
from frappe.permissions import add_user_permission, remove_user_permission

# Restrict user to one company
add_user_permission(
    doctype="Company",
    name="My Company",
    user="john@example.com",
    is_default=1,            # auto-fill in new documents
    applicable_for="Sales Order"  # only for this DocType (optional)
)

# Remove restriction
remove_user_permission("Company", "My Company", "john@example.com")

# Query current restrictions
from frappe.permissions import get_user_permissions
perms = get_user_permissions("john@example.com")
# {"Company": [{"doc": "My Company", "is_default": 1}], ...}
```

---

## Sharing (Document-Level)

Grant access to a single document for a specific user.

```python
from frappe.share import add as add_share, remove as remove_share

add_share("Sales Order", "SO-00001", "jane@example.com",
          read=1, write=1, share=0, notify=1)

remove_share("Sales Order", "SO-00001", "jane@example.com")

# Share with everyone
add_share("Sales Order", "SO-00001", everyone=1, read=1)
```

---

## Field-Level Permissions (Perm Levels)

Group fields by `permlevel` (0-9). Level 0 MUST be granted before higher levels.

```json
{
  "fields": [
    {"fieldname": "employee_name", "permlevel": 0},
    {"fieldname": "salary",        "permlevel": 1}
  ],
  "permissions": [
    {"role": "Employee",   "permlevel": 0, "read": 1},
    {"role": "HR Manager", "permlevel": 0, "read": 1, "write": 1},
    {"role": "HR Manager", "permlevel": 1, "read": 1, "write": 1}
  ]
}
```

**Rule**: Levels do NOT imply hierarchy. Level 2 is not "higher" than level 1. They are independent field groups.

---

## Data Masking [v16+]

Fields with `mask=1` show masked values (e.g., `****`, `+91-811XXXXXXX`) to users without `mask` permission.

```json
{
  "fieldname": "phone_number", "fieldtype": "Data", "mask": 1
}
```

Grant `mask` permission to roles that MUST see unmasked values:

```json
{"role": "HR Manager", "permlevel": 0, "read": 1, "mask": 1}
```

**CRITICAL**: Data masking does NOT apply to `frappe.db.sql()` or Query Reports with raw SQL. You MUST mask manually in custom SQL queries.

---

## Permission Hooks

### has_permission: Custom Deny Logic

Can only **deny** access. NEVER returns `True` to grant. ALWAYS returns `None` to continue standard checks.

```python
# hooks.py
has_permission = {
    "Sales Order": "myapp.permissions.check_order_permission"
}
```

```python
# myapp/permissions.py
def check_order_permission(doc, ptype, user):
    if ptype == "write" and doc.docstatus == 2:
        if "Sales Manager" not in frappe.get_roles(user):
            return False
    return None  # ALWAYS return None by default
```

### permission_query_conditions: Filter List Queries

Returns SQL WHERE clause fragment. Only affects `get_list()`, NOT `get_all()`.

```python
# hooks.py
permission_query_conditions = {
    "Customer": "myapp.permissions.customer_query"
}
```

```python
def customer_query(user):
    if not user:
        user = frappe.session.user
    if "Sales Manager" in frappe.get_roles(user):
        return ""
    return f"`tabCustomer`.owner = {frappe.db.escape(user)}"
```

**ALWAYS** use `frappe.db.escape()` — NEVER use string concatenation with raw user input.

---

## get_list vs get_all

| Method | User Permissions | Query Hook | Use For |
|--------|------------------|------------|---------|
| `frappe.get_list()` | Applied | Applied | User-facing queries |
| `frappe.get_all()` | Ignored | Ignored | System/background queries |

**ALWAYS** use `get_list()` when returning data to users. `get_all()` bypasses ALL permission filtering.

---

## Common Patterns

### Owner-Only Edit

```json
{"role": "Sales User", "read": 1, "write": 1, "create": 1, "if_owner": 1}
```

### Role-Restricted Endpoint

```python
@frappe.whitelist()
def sensitive_action():
    frappe.only_for(["Manager", "Administrator"])
    # Only reaches here if user has one of these roles
```

### Bypass Permissions (Document Why!)

```python
# On document — ALWAYS add a comment explaining the reason
doc.flags.ignore_permissions = True
doc.save()

# On method call
doc.save(ignore_permissions=True)
doc.insert(ignore_permissions=True)
```

---

## Critical Rules

1. **ALWAYS** use `frappe.has_permission()` — NEVER check roles directly for access control
2. **ALWAYS** use `frappe.get_list()` for user-facing queries — NEVER `get_all()`
3. **ALWAYS** escape SQL in query hooks — `frappe.db.escape(user)`
4. **ALWAYS** prefix table names in query hooks — `` `tabDocType`.fieldname ``
5. **ALWAYS** return `None` in `has_permission` hooks by default — NEVER `True`
6. **ALWAYS** clear cache after permission changes — `frappe.clear_cache()`
7. **ALWAYS** document `ignore_permissions` usage with a comment
8. **NEVER** throw errors in `has_permission` hooks — return `False` to deny
9. **NEVER** grant permlevel 1+ without granting permlevel 0 first
10. **NEVER** assume data masking applies to custom SQL queries [v16+]

---

## Anti-Patterns

| Do NOT | Do Instead |
|--------|------------|
| `if "Role" in frappe.get_roles()` for access | `frappe.has_permission(dt, ptype)` |
| `frappe.get_all()` for user queries | `frappe.get_list()` |
| `return True` in has_permission hook | `return None` |
| `f"owner = '{user}'"` in SQL | `f"owner = {frappe.db.escape(user)}"` |
| `frappe.throw()` in permission hooks | `return False` |
| `frappe.db.set_value()` for user-facing updates | `doc.save()` with permission check |
| Sensitive data in error messages | Generic `frappe.PermissionError` |

---

## Version Differences

| Feature | v14 | v15 | v16 |
|---------|-----|-----|-----|
| `select` permission | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| `Desk User` role | No | Yes | Yes |
| Data Masking (`mask` field) | No | No | Yes |
| `mask` permission type | No | No | Yes |
| Custom Permission Types | No | No | Experimental |

---

## Permission Precedence

1. **Administrator** — ALWAYS has all permissions (cannot be restricted)
2. **Role Permissions** — Based on assigned roles
3. **User Permissions** — Restricts to specific document values
4. **has_permission hook** — Can only deny (any `False` = denied)
5. **Sharing** — Grants access to shared documents
6. **if_owner** — Further restricts to owned documents

---

## Reference Files

| File | Contents |
|------|----------|
| [permission-types-reference.md](references/permission-types-reference.md) | All permission types with options |
| [permission-api-reference.md](references/permission-api-reference.md) | Complete API with all signatures |
| [permission-hooks-reference.md](references/permission-hooks-reference.md) | Hook patterns and examples |
| [examples.md](references/examples.md) | Working implementation examples |
| [anti-patterns.md](references/anti-patterns.md) | Common mistakes and fixes |

## Related Skills

- `frappe-core-database` — Database operations that respect permissions
- `frappe-core-api` — API endpoints with permission checks
- `frappe-syntax-controllers` — Controller permission validation
- `frappe-syntax-hooks` — Hook configuration patterns

---

*Verified against Frappe docs 2026-03-20 | Frappe v14/v15/v16*