# Building Permissions

OBS: This gives only a brief introduction to the access system. Locks and permissions are fully detailed here.

## The super user

There are strictly speaking two types of users in Evennia, the super user and everyone else. The superuser is the first user you create, object `#1`. This is the all-powerful server-owner account. Technically the superuser not only has access to everything, it bypasses the permission checks entirely. This makes the superuser impossible to lock out, but makes it unsuitable to actually play- test the game’s locks and restrictions with (see `@quell` below). Usually there is no need to have but one superuser.

## Assigning permissions

Whereas permissions can be used for anything, those put in `settings.PERMISSION_HIERARCHY` will have a ranking relative each other as well. We refer to these types of permissions as hierarchical permissions. When building locks to check these permissions, the `perm()` lock function is used. By default Evennia creates the following hierarchy (spelled exactly like this):

1. Developers basically have the same access as superusers except that they do not sidestep the Permission system. Assign only to really trusted server-admin staff since this level gives access both to server reload/shutdown functionality as well as (and this may be more critical) gives access to the all-powerful `@py` command that allows the execution of arbitrary Python code on the command line.

2. Admins can do everything except affecting the server functions themselves. So an Admin couldn’t reload or shutdown the server for example. They also cannot execute arbitrary Python code on the console or import files from the hard drive.

3. Builders - have all the build commands, but cannot affect other accounts or mess with the server.

4. Helpers are almost like a normal Player, but they can also add help files to the database.

5. Players is the default group that new players end up in. A new player have permission to use tells and to use and create new channels.

A user having a certain level of permission automatically have access to locks specifying access of a lower level.

To assign a new permission from inside the game, you need to be able to use the `@perm` command. This is an Developer-level command, but it could in principle be made lower-access since it only allows assignments equal or lower to your current level (so you cannot use it to escalate your own permission level). So, assuming you yourself have Developer access (or is superuser), you assign a new account “Tommy” to your core staff with the command

    @perm/account Tommy = Developer

or

    @perm *Tommy = Developer

We use a switch or the `*name` format to make sure to put the permission on the Account and not on any eventual Character that may also be named “Tommy”. This is usually what you want since the Account will then remain an Developer regardless of which Character they are currently controlling. To limit permission to a per-Character level you should instead use quelling (see below). Normally permissions can be any string, but for these special hierarchical permissions you can also use plural (“Developer” and “Developers” both grant the same powers).

## Quelling your permissions

When developing it can be useful to check just how things would look had your permission-level been lower. For this you can use quelling. Normally, when you puppet a Character you are using your Account-level permission. So even if your Character only has Accounts level permissions, your Developer-level Account will take precedence. With the `@quell` command you can change so that the Character’s permission takes precedence instead:

     @quell

This will allow you to test out the game using the current Character’s permission level. A developer or builder can thus in principle maintain several test characters, all using different permission levels. Note that you cannot escalate your permissions this way; If the Character happens to have a higher permission level than the Account, the Account’s (lower) permission will still be used.