Building a Bubble.io App? Here’s How to Control User Access Like a Pro

Hey,

If you’re building an app that has different types of users, you need to set up role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure that users only see and do what they’re supposed to.

For example:

• Admins should have full control over managing users and content.

• Customers should only see their own data.

• Vendors might need access to only their listings.

Without proper role management, users might see things they shouldn’t—or worse, modify data they shouldn’t have access to. This week, I’ll show you exactly how to set up role-based access in Bubble.io the right way.

1. Plan Your User Roles

Before jumping into Bubble, you need to define your user roles. Ask yourself:

• What types of users will my app have? (e.g., Admin, Editor, Viewer, Customer)

• What data should each role have access to?

• What actions should each role be able to take? (e.g., edit, delete, view-only)

Example:

• Admin → Can edit all data, manage users, and view analytics.

• Manager → Can update orders but cannot delete them.

• Customer → Can only view their own orders and update their profile.

Once you have this mapped out, you’re ready to implement it in Bubble.io.

2. How to Assign User Roles in Bubble.io

Step 1: Add a "Role" Field to the User Database

• Go to Data → User

• Create a new field called Role (Type: Text or Option Set)

• Add possible roles like Admin, Customer, Vendor

Step 2: Assign Roles on Signup or Admin Panel

• When a new user signs up, set their role based on how they registered.

• If you want admins to control user roles, create an admin panel where they can manually update roles.

Example Workflow:

• When User Signs Up → Assign Role = "Customer" by default

• When Admin Updates a User Profile → Change Role to "Manager"

3. Restrict Page Access Using Conditions

Once roles are assigned, you need to restrict access to different parts of your app.

Method 1: Page-Level Restrictions

• In each page’s settings, set the Page Load Workflow to check the user’s role.

• Example:

  • If a user is not an Admin, redirect them away from the Admin Dashboard.

Method 2: Hide/Show Elements Based on User Role

• If you want different users to see different buttons or sections:

  • Select an element → Go to the Conditional tab → Add a condition like:

    • “Only When Current User’s Role is Admin” → Show the Admin Panel Button

    • “Only When Current User’s Role is Customer” → Hide the Admin Features

Pro Tip: Instead of creating multiple pages for different user types, create one page and dynamically show/hide elements based on roles.

4. Secure Data Using Privacy Rules

Even if you hide elements on the frontend, users can still access data through developer tools if you don’t set privacy rules correctly.

Step 1: Go to the Privacy Tab

• Navigate to Data → Privacy

• Create new rules for your data types

Step 2: Define Access for Each Role

• Customers → Can only view their own data

• Admins → Can view and edit all data

• Vendors → Can only view and edit their own listings

Example Rule:

• "Only When Current User’s Role is Customer → Allow view access to Orders where Order’s User = Current User"

Pro Tip: Privacy rules run on the server-side, meaning even if a user tries to bypass your frontend security, they cannot access restricted data through direct API calls.

5. Advanced Role-Based Features

Want to take it to the next level? Here are some advanced ideas:

• Create an Audit Log → Log every action taken by admins or managers to track changes.

• Multi-Level Admin Access → Use sub-roles like "Super Admin" vs. "Editor" for different permission levels.

• Dynamic Role-Based Pricing → Show different prices based on user roles (e.g., VIP customers see discounts).

That’s a Wrap

Role-based access control is essential for any serious Bubble.io app. If you don’t set it up correctly, you risk exposing sensitive data or allowing unauthorized actions.

What kind of user roles does your app have? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear how you’re structuring access control.

Until next time,
Stackless