RBAC Implementation Summary

Overview

This document summarizes the authentication architecture enhancement and RBAC implementation work completed on January 26, 2025.

Documentation Created

1. AUTHENTICATION_ARCHITECTURE.md

• Purpose: Comprehensive design document for the Clerk.dev satellite domain architecture
• Key Additions:
  • Added do.dev as a main dashboard subdomain (not just satellite domains)
  • Designed organization and team management structures
  • Created RBAC system with default "waitlist" role for all new users
  • Defined role hierarchies and permission models
  • Planned migration strategy for existing users to organizations

2. RBAC_DASHBOARD_DESIGN.md

• Purpose: Detailed UI/UX design for the RBAC management dashboard
• Key Components:
  • Waitlist Management Interface
  • Role Management System
  • Permission Matrix
  • Organization Management
  • Team Management
  • Audit Logs Interface
• API Endpoints: Defined all necessary endpoints for RBAC operations
• Security Considerations: Access control, data protection, and compliance

3. AUTHENTICATION_MIGRATION_ROADMAP.md

• Purpose: Phased migration plan from Convex to Clerk authentication
• Status: Updated to reflect current progress
• Timeline: 12-week migration plan with detailed phases
• Risk Mitigation: Identified risks and rollback strategies

4. CLERK_SATELLITE_IMPLEMENTATION.md

• Purpose: Implementation guide for Clerk satellite domain setup
• Technical Details: Configuration, middleware, and integration patterns

5. CLERK_CONVEX_SYNC_DESIGN.md

• Purpose: Design for synchronizing Clerk authentication with Convex data
• Architecture: Hybrid approach maintaining real-time capabilities

6. CLERK_IMPLEMENTATION_STATUS.md

• Purpose: Current status of Clerk authentication implementation
• Progress Tracking: What's completed, in progress, and pending

Key Design Decisions

1. Default Waitlist Role

• All new users automatically receive "waitlist" role
• Requires admin approval to access platform features
• Implemented through Clerk webhooks

2. Multi-Tenant Architecture

• Organizations as top-level entities
• Teams within organizations
• Role scoping at global, organization, and team levels

3. Role Hierarchy

Super Admin → Platform Admin → Platform Staff
     ↓              ↓              ↓
Org Owner → Org Admin → Team Admin → Member → Guest

4. Dashboard Integration

• do.dev serves as the main dashboard for RBAC management
• Comprehensive UI for managing users, roles, and permissions
• Real-time updates and audit logging

Implementation Status

Completed

• ✅ Authentication architecture documentation
• ✅ RBAC system design with waitlist workflow
• ✅ Dashboard UI component designs
• ✅ API endpoint specifications
• ✅ Waitlist management implementation
• ✅ Webhook for automatic role assignment
• ✅ Admin dashboard integration

Pending

• 📋 Organization management implementation
• 📋 Team management features
• 📋 Permission matrix UI
• 📋 Audit logging system
• 📋 Migration of existing users

Files Modified

Documentation (7 new files)

1. AUTHENTICATION_ARCHITECTURE.md - Enhanced with RBAC and organizations
2. RBAC_DASHBOARD_DESIGN.md - Complete UI/UX specification
3. AUTHENTICATION_MIGRATION_ROADMAP.md - Migration timeline
4. CLERK_SATELLITE_IMPLEMENTATION.md - Technical implementation
5. CLERK_CONVEX_SYNC_DESIGN.md - Data synchronization design
6. CLERK_IMPLEMENTATION_STATUS.md - Progress tracking
7. RBAC_IMPLEMENTATION_SUMMARY.md - This summary document

Code Implementation

• Created RBAC dashboard components
• Implemented waitlist management system
• Added API routes for waitlist operations
• Integrated Clerk webhooks for automatic role assignment
• Updated dashboard navigation with RBAC menu

Next Steps

1. Implement Organization Management

   • Create organization CRUD operations
   • Implement member invitation system
   • Add organization switching UI

2. Implement Team Management

   • Create team structures within organizations
   • Implement team-level permissions
   • Add team collaboration features

3. Complete Permission System

   • Implement permission matrix UI
   • Create role inheritance system
   • Add custom permission creation

4. Migrate Existing Users

   • Create migration scripts
   • Assign users to personal organizations
   • Preserve existing roles and permissions

Impact

This implementation establishes a comprehensive RBAC system that:

• Enhances security through waitlist approval workflow
• Enables multi-tenant SaaS capabilities
• Provides granular permission control
• Supports enterprise-scale user management
• Maintains backward compatibility during migration