How do I structure user roles and permissions in Bubble?

[Komal_Yadav]

I’m building an app where users will have different access levels (e.g., Admin, Manager, Viewer). What’s the best way to structure roles and set permissions for pages, data, and workflows in Bubble? Should I use custom fields, option sets, or something else?

[Amarjeet_kumar]

User Role Field: Add a field like Role (e.g., Admin, Vendor, Customer) in the User data type.
Option Sets(optional): Define roles cleanly using an Option Set (e.g., Role: Admin, User, Moderator).
Conditional Logic: Use Only when conditions in workflows, elements, and pages to restrict access or show/hide content based on a user’s role.
Privacy Rules: Set data privacy rules in the Data tab to control who can view or edit each field or type based on the user’s role.
Reusable Elements: Build role-specific UI sections as reusable components to load dynamically.

[Sikandra_Pal]

Hi Komal ,

Great question! Structuring user roles and permissions in Bubble is super important for maintaining control and security in your app. Here’s a detailed and scalable way to set it up:

1. Create an Option Set for Roles

Go to Data → Option sets and create one called User Role.
Add options like: Admin, Manager, Viewer.
Using option sets ensures consistency and prevents typos.

2. Add a Role Field to the User**

In the User data type, add a new field:
→ Field name : role
→ Field type : User Role (your option set)
Assign a role to each user when they sign up or via workflows/admin panel.

3. Set Up Privacy Rules

Go to Data → Privacy .
Add rules like:
• When Current User's role is Admin → Full access
• When This User is Current User → Limited access
This protects your data at the database level.

4. Use Conditions in UI and Workflows

Use Only when Current User's role is Admin in workflows to control actions.
Show/hide elements with visibility conditions like:
• “This element is visible only when Current User's role is Manager”
Helps you create a tailored experience per user type.

**5. (Optional) Add Boolean Flags for More Flexibility

If needed, add fields like isSuperAdmin for one-off access exceptions.
You can also build an admin dashboard to change user roles dynamically.

Best,
Sikandra Pal

[Gautam]

Use a combination of Option Sets and custom fields on the User data type.

1. Create an Option Set for Roles Name:(UserRole), Options:(Admin , Manager , Viewer)
   This is better than using text because: Option Sets are faster and less error-prone. They’re easier to use in conditionals
2. Add a Field to the User Type. Field name: role, Type: UserRole (the Option Set)
   This links each user to a specific role.
   Set up permissions in Bubble by giving each user a role using an Option Set. Show or hide pages, elements, and workflows based on the user’s role with simple conditions. Use privacy rules in the Data tab to protect data. This keeps your app secure and easy to manage.

Reply if you have any doubt regarding this.

[Sagar_Patwal]

Hey its a great question.
In Bubble structure user roles by adding a “Role” field type must be text ot u can use option set to the User data type. Assign roles like “admin”, “editor”, or “viewer”. you can use privacy rules and conditionals in workflows and UI elements to control what each role can see or do.

Thanks
Sagar Patwal
bubble developer

[Manish_Jamwal]

To Implement Scalable Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) in Bubble.io I recommend to use these set of approach:-

1. Use Option Sets for Roles

Go to Data > Option Sets and create an option set called UserRole

Add roles like: Admin, Manager, Viewer, etc.

In your User data type, add a field named role (type: UserRole)

Using Option Sets ensures consistency, better performance, and cleaner logic in conditionals.

2. Show/Hide Groups Based on Role

To control what elements a user can see (e.g., admin-only dashboard):

Click the group or element

Set a condition like:

This element is visible when Current User’s role is UserRole’s Admin

Repeat for other roles as needed. This keeps the UI clean and role-specific.

3. Control Data Access with Privacy Rules

Go to Data > Privacy

For each data type (like Projects, Tasks, etc.), set up rules like:

When Current User’s role is Admin → grant full access

When role is Manager → allow access to items created by the user

When role is Viewer → allow read-only access

Privacy rules are crucial. They run server-side and prevent unauthorized access even if someone inspects your API or browser tools.

4. Use Conditional Logic in Workflows

In workflows that perform sensitive actions (like deleting records or changing roles):

Add a condition to each action:

Only when Current User’s role is Admin

This prevents accidental or unauthorized operations from other roles.

[Dalip_Kashyap]

Hey You can use Option Sets to define static roles like Admin, Manager, and Viewer. Then, add a custom field role (type: UserRole) to the User data type to assign roles. Control access with conditionals on pages, elements, and workflows using Current User's role. Use Privacy Rules to protect data by checking user roles. For simple role-based access, this is efficient and scalable. For complex or dynamic permissions, create a Permission data type to manage fine-grained access per user or feature. This hybrid approach offers both performance and flexibility in managing user access throughout your Bubble app

[Aman_Pathak]

In Bubble, managing user roles and permissions effectively is key to building a secure and maintainable app. Here’s a recommended approach, balancing scalability, clarity, and performance:

Why Option Sets?
1.Fast and performant (loaded on page load, not from the database).
2.Easy to manage (centralized role definitions).
3.Immutable values (prevents accidental deletion or tampering).
4.Can be used directly in conditionals, workflows, and privacy rules.

Steps:-

1. Create an Option Set for Roles
2. Modify the User Data Type
3. Set Up Privacy Rules
4. Secure Workflows with Role Checks
5. Page Access Control (Frontend)

The best way to structure user roles and permissions in Bubble is by using an Option Set for roles. Option Sets are ideal because they are fast (loaded on page load rather than from the database), easy to manage, and can be used directly in conditions, workflows, and privacy rules. To implement this, create an Option Set called something like UserRole with entries such as Admin, Manager, and Viewer. Then, add a field to the User data type called role, with the type set to UserRole. This approach allows you to set up clear and centralized logic for determining what each user can see or do. You can use these roles in privacy rules to control access to data and in workflow conditions to limit actions (e.g., only allow Admins to delete users). On the page level, you can redirect users if they try to access a page they shouldn’t by checking their role when the page loads. Avoid using plain text fields or separate boolean flags for roles, as these are error-prone and don’t scale well. For more advanced needs, you can add attributes to the UserRole Option Set (like canEdit, canViewReports) and reference those in workflows for more granular permission control.