# Authorize with GraphQL
AshGraphql uses three special keys in the `absinthe` context:
- `:actor` - the current actor, to be used for authorization/preparations/changes
- `:tenant` - a tenant when using [multitenancy](https://hexdocs.pm/ash/multitenancy.html).
- `:ash_context` - a map of arbitrary context to be passed into the changeset/query. Accessible via `changeset.context` and `query.context`
By default, `authorize?` in the domain is set to true. To disable authorization for a given domain in graphql, use:
```elixir
graphql do
authorize? false
end
```
If you are doing authorization, you'll need to provide an `actor`.
To set the `actor` for authorization, you'll need to add an `actor` key to the
absinthe context. Typically, you would have a plug that fetches the current user and uses `Ash.PlugHelpers.set_actor/2` to set the actor in the `conn` (likewise with `Ash.PlugHelpers.set_tenant/2`).
Just add `AshGraphql.Plug` somewhere _after_ that in the pipeline and the your
GraphQL APIs will have the correct authorization.
```elixir
defmodule MyAppWeb.Router do
pipeline :api do
# ...
plug :get_actor_from_token
plug AshGraphql.Plug
end
scope "/" do
forward "/gql", Absinthe.Plug, schema: YourSchema
forward "/playground",
Absinthe.Plug.GraphiQL,
schema: YourSchema,
interface: :playground
end
def get_actor_from_token(conn, _opts) do
with ["" <> token] <- get_req_header(conn, "authorization"),
{:ok, user, _claims} <- MyApp.Guardian.resource_from_token(token) do
conn
|> set_actor(user)
else
_ -> conn
end
end
end
```
## Policy Breakdowns
By default, unauthorized requests simply return `forbidden` in the message. If you prefer to show policy breakdowns in your GraphQL errors, you can set the config option:
```elixir
config :ash_graphql, :policies, show_policy_breakdowns?: true
```
```json
{
"data": {
"attendanceRecords": null
},
"errors": [
{
"code": "forbidden",
"fields": [],
"locations": [
{
"column": 3,
"line": 2
}
],
"message": "MyApp.Authentication.User.read\n\n\n\n\nPolicy Breakdown\n Policy | ⛔:\n forbid unless: actor is active | ✓ | ⬇ \n authorize if: actor is Executive | ✘ | ⬇",
"path": ["attendanceRecords"],
"short_message": "forbidden",
"vars": {}
}
]
}
```
Be careful, as this can be an attack vector in some systems (i.e "here is exactly what you need to make true to do what you want to do").
## Field Policies
Field policies in AshGraphql work by producing a `null` value for any forbidden field, as well as an error in the errors list.
> ### nullability {: .warning}
>
> Any fields with field policies on them should be nullable. If they are not nullable, the _parent_ object will also be `null` (and considered in an error state), because `null` is not a valid type for that field.
To make fields as nullable even if it is not nullable by its definition, use the `nullable_fields` option.
```elixir
graphql do
type :post
nullable_fields [:foo, :bar, :baz]
end
```