OpenFGA Best Practices

Use this skill to design and review OpenFGA models end to end: define types and relations, write tuples, derive can_* permissions, choose usersets and inheritance patterns, and validate behavior with .fga.yaml tests and CLI checks.

Quick Start Example

Minimal model:

model
  schema 1.1

type user

type organization
  relations
    define admin: [user]
    define member: [user] or admin

type document
  relations
    define organization: [organization]
    define owner: [user]
    define can_edit: owner or admin from organization
    define can_view: can_edit or member from organization

Example tuples:

organization:acme#admin@user:alice
document:roadmap#organization@organization:acme
document:roadmap#owner@user:bob

Example test targets:

check that user:alice can view and edit document:roadmap
check that user:bob can edit their own document
list_users for document:roadmap#can_view
list_objects for documents user:alice can edit

How to Use

When a workflow step points to a rule ID, open the matching file in references/ for detailed guidance and examples.

Note: SDK references (sdk-*.md) are only needed for integration tasks — skip them during pure model authoring and testing.

Rule Index

Core

File	Description
`references/core-types.md`	Define types for entity classes
`references/core-relations.md`	Relations belong on object types
`references/core-tuples.md`	Relationship tuples as facts
`references/core-separation.md`	Model vs data separation
`references/core-schema-version.md`	Schema version

Relations

File	Description
`references/relation-direct.md`	Direct relationships
`references/relation-indirect.md`	Indirect relationships with X from Y
`references/relation-concentric.md`	Concentric relationships
`references/relation-usersets.md`	Usersets for group-based access
`references/relation-conditions.md`	Conditional relationships
`references/relation-wildcards.md`	Wildcards for public access
`references/relation-wildcards-as-booleans.md`	Wildcards for boolean attributes

Design

File	Description
`references/design-permissions.md`	Define permissions with can_ relations
`references/design-hierarchy.md`	Hierarchical structures
`references/design-organization.md`	Organization-level access
`references/design-create-on-parent.md`	Check create permissions on parent objects
`references/design-naming.md`	Naming conventions
`references/design-modules.md`	Modularize models (only when asked)

Roles

File	Description
`references/roles-simple.md`	Simple static roles
`references/roles-static-combo.md`	Combining static and custom roles
`references/roles-assignments.md`	Role assignments for resource-specific roles
`references/roles-when-to-use.md`	When to use each role pattern

Optimization

File	Description
`references/optimize-simplify.md`	Simplify models
`references/optimize-tuples.md`	Minimize tuple count
`references/optimize-type-restrictions.md`	Type restrictions

Testing

File	Description
`references/test-fga-yaml.md`	Structure tests in .fga.yaml
`references/test-check-assertions.md`	Check assertions
`references/test-list-objects.md`	List objects tests
`references/test-list-users.md`	List users tests
`references/test-conditions.md`	Testing conditions
`references/test-cli.md`	OpenFGA CLI usage
`references/workflow-validate.md`	Always validate models

SDKs (for integration tasks only)

File	Description
`references/sdk-javascript.md`	JavaScript/TypeScript SDK
`references/sdk-go.md`	Go SDK
`references/sdk-python.md`	Python SDK
`references/sdk-java.md`	Java SDK
`references/sdk-dotnet.md`	.NET SDK

Recommended Workflow

Model the resource graph. Define types, direct relations, inheritance edges, and can_* permissions. Rules to check first: core-*, relation-*, design-permissions, design-hierarchy.
Add tuples and test intent. Add representative tuples and cover expected behavior with check, list_objects, and list_users tests. Rules to check next: core-tuples, test-fga-yaml, test-check-assertions, test-list-objects, test-list-users.
Review parent-child creation and deletion paths. Verify each parent -> child edge has create permissions on the parent and that no child permission is directly grantable unless intended. Rules to check: design-create-on-parent, relation-direct, design-permissions.
Simplify before removing schema. Before deleting any type or relation, confirm it is not referenced by permissions, tuples, or tests. If a simplification breaks a reference: restore the relation or update the model/tests, then re-run this step. Rules to check: optimize-simplify, optimize-tuples, optimize-type-restrictions.
Validate the model. Run:

fga model validate --file stores/<store>/model.fga

If validation fails: read the reported relation or type errors, fix the model, and re-run validation before continuing.

Run the store tests. Run:

fga model test --tests stores/<store>/store.fga.yaml

If tests fail: update tuples, assertions, or permission definitions, then re-run tests until all checks and list queries pass.

Only then finalize delivery. For touched stores, finish only after validation and tests are green. Final rule to check: workflow-validate.

Full Compiled Document

For the complete guide with all rules expanded: AGENTS.md

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