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PostgreSQL provides native row-level security (RLS) support that integrates seamlessly with Camel. Using session variables, you can create dynamic, per-user data access policies.

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How Camel Sets the UID

For every query executed through Camel, the system automatically sets a session variable: 
SET LOCAL camel.uid = '<user_uid>';
This variable is available throughout the query execution and can be referenced in your RLS policies.

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Setting Up RLS

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Step 1: Enable RLS on Your Table

First, enable row-level security on the tables you want to protect: 
ALTER TABLE your_table ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
Once RLS is enabled, the table will deny all access by default unless you create policies to grant access.

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Step 2: Create an RLS Policy

Create a policy that uses the camel.uid session variable to filter rows: 
CREATE POLICY user_access_policy ON your_table
  FOR ALL
  USING (user_id::text = current_setting('camel.uid'));
This policy ensures users can only see rows where the user_id column matches their uid.

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Complete Example: User Orders

Let’s implement RLS for an e-commerce scenario where users should only see their own orders.

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1. Create the Orders Table

CREATE TABLE orders (
  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  user_id VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
  product_name VARCHAR(255),
  amount DECIMAL(10, 2),
  order_date TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

-- Insert sample data
INSERT INTO orders (user_id, product_name, amount) VALUES
  ('user_123', 'Laptop', 999.99),
  ('user_123', 'Mouse', 29.99),
  ('user_456', 'Keyboard', 79.99),
  ('user_789', 'Monitor', 399.99);

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2. Enable RLS

ALTER TABLE orders ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;

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3. Create the Policy

CREATE POLICY orders_user_policy ON orders
  FOR ALL
  USING (user_id = current_setting('camel.uid'));

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4. Grant Permissions

-- Create a role for Camel users
CREATE ROLE camel_users;

-- Grant necessary permissions
GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE ON orders TO camel_users;
GRANT USAGE ON SEQUENCE orders_id_seq TO camel_users;

-- Your Camel database user should be a member of this role
GRANT camel_users TO your_camel_db_user;

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Testing Your Policies

You can test your RLS policies directly in PostgreSQL: 
-- Set the session variable manually for testing
SET LOCAL camel.uid = 'user_123';

-- This should only return orders for user_123
SELECT * FROM orders;

-- Reset the session
RESET camel.uid;

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Troubleshooting

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Users See No Data

  • Verify the camel.uid is being set correctly
  • Check that your policy logic is correct
  • Ensure the user has the necessary table permissions

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Performance Issues

  • Check if filter columns are indexed
  • Analyze query plans for inefficient policy checks

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Learn More

For assistance with PostgreSQL RLS implementation, contact support@camelai.com.
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