Question 1

How to integrate Casbin with a Node.js app?

Accepted Answer

Use the node-casbin library, which is production-ready. Initialize an enforcer with model and policy files, then leverage middleware like express-authz for frameworks. The README provides examples and links to middleware documentation for easy setup.

Question 2

Casbin vs OPA: which is better for authorization?

Accepted Answer

Casbin excels with traditional models like RBAC and ABAC using configuration files, while OPA uses Rego for policy-as-code with more expressive logic. Casbin is simpler for model-driven scenarios, but OPA offers greater flexibility for complex, dynamic policies.

Question 3

Can Casbin handle attribute-based access control?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Casbin supports ABAC through matchers syntax, allowing rules based on resource or user attributes. For example, you can use 'resource.Owner' in policies, as shown in the ABAC model examples, though it requires careful configuration to avoid issues.

Question 4

How to store Casbin policies in a database?

Accepted Answer

Casbin provides adapters for databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL. You need to initialize the enforcer with the appropriate adapter, as detailed in the policy persistence section, but this adds setup steps and potential latency compared to file-based storage.

Question 5

Is Casbin good for microservices?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Casbin can centralize authorization logic and supports watchers for policy consistency across nodes. However, you must manage policy distribution and synchronization, which may require additional tools or custom implementation for seamless scaling.

Question 6

What's the performance impact of using Casbin?

Accepted Answer

Casbin provides benchmarks showing efficient enforcement, but for high-throughput systems, the added latency from policy checks and matcher evaluations can be significant. Optimizing model complexity and using caching are recommended to mitigate this.

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