Apache Casbin
Apache-2.0 authorization library: ACL, RBAC, ABAC
Libraries / Libraries · Apache-2.0 · 20.5k
Reviewed 2026-10-18 · last push 2026-10-09 · repo checked 2026-10-19
What's Good
Apache-2.0 (apache/casbin), release v3.11.0 (2026-08-20). The Go library is the reference; jCasbin, node-Casbin, PHP-Casbin, PyCasbin, Casbin.NET, Casbin-CPP and Casbin-RS are listed as production-ready. Policies persist through adapters for most databases, watchers keep instances in sync, and an online editor helps you test models. Now part of the Apache Software Foundation. ★~20.5k.
The Catch
The model file syntax (request, policy, matchers) takes time to learn, and mistakes are security bugs. Large policy sets need care for performance. It decides access; it does not handle authentication or user management.
Verdict
A proven authorization engine for when roles in a column are not enough.
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