MVP Row-Level Security
The query hit the database, but only the rows the user could see came back. Everything else was invisible, locked behind rules the system enforced without fail. This is the power of MVP Row-Level Security: minimal, functional, and impossible to ignore.
Row-Level Security (RLS) is a feature that filters data per user or per role at the database level. It ensures that queries automatically return only the rows authorized for that session. Application code no longer needs to add complex filters. The policy is embedded in the schema, applied before results leave the database engine.
An MVP approach to Row-Level Security focuses on shipping the smallest viable version that enforces correct rules from day one. This means creating targeted policies, avoiding over-engineered abstractions, and writing them directly in the database’s native RLS syntax. Postgres, SQL Server, and other modern databases support these policies natively.
Key steps for MVP RLS:
- Identify the exact data boundaries per user or per role.
- Write security policies that match those boundaries without relying on application logic.
- Test with real queries from different user contexts to confirm enforcement.
- Keep the policy set minimal for easy maintenance and scaling.
The advantage is clear: consistent enforcement, lower risk of data leaks, and cleaner application code. When properly tested, MVP Row-Level Security becomes a core part of the data access layer, reducing complexity across the stack.
Implement RLS where data sensitivity is high or multi-tenant isolation is required. Do it early. Retroactive security changes cost more and leave you exposed until deployed.
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