Use Case - Sharing & Link Access | AuthZed
Base Layer EP 03: Spencer Kimball on Governance Is the Real Blocker
Use Case
Sharing & Link Access
Users share with individuals, teams, or via links. Permissions just work.
Your users expect sharing to feel like Google Docs or Dropbox. Share with specific people, share with a team, share via link with view-only or edit access. AuthZed handles the complexity of overlapping permissions, inherited access, and real-time updates.
Why sharing is harder than it looks
Simple sharing ("Alice can view Document X") is easy. Real-world sharing is not:
- Alice shares a folder with Bob. Bob should access everything in the folder.
- Carol shares via link with "anyone with the link can view."
- Dave gets editor access directly, but the folder is view-only for his team.
- Eve's link expires next Tuesday.
- Frank gets removed from the team but keeps his direct access.
Most authorization systems can't handle these overlapping rules efficiently. You end up writing brittle code that breaks whenever a new sharing pattern shows up.
How AuthZed handles sharing
Direct and inherited access
Users get access directly ("Alice shared with Bob") or through groups ("Bob is on the Marketing team, which has access"). AuthZed combines both, so the most permissive access wins.
Folder hierarchies
Share a folder, and everything inside inherits that access. Share a subfolder with different permissions, and AuthZed computes the correct access for each resource. No denormalization required.
Link-based sharing
"Anyone with the link" becomes a relationship in AuthZed. Links can have different permission levels (view, comment, edit) and expiration times. Revoking a link instantly removes access.
Real-time updates
When sharing changes, the next permission check reflects it. No propagation delay, no stale access. Revocations take effect instantly.
What you can build
Document and file sharing
Share files with individuals, teams, or via link. Folder permissions inherit to contents. Viewers see who else has access.
Workspace collaboration
Invite teammates or external collaborators to workspaces. Different permission levels for different roles. Guest access with limited capabilities.
Content publishing workflows
Draft content visible only to authors. Shared with reviewers for feedback. Published to broader audiences. Each stage has appropriate access.
Agent sharing
Share specific resources and tools with AI agents explicitly. Agents only access what they are granted, making permissions the security boundary for autonomous AI workflows.
Common questions
How do I handle "anyone with the link" access?
What if someone has view access via a group but edit access directly?
How do I show users who else has access to a resource?
Can sharing be time-limited?
Ship sharing without the headaches
See how AuthZed handles overlapping permissions, inherited access, and real-time revocation for you.
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