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User Roles

Superset uses a role-based system to control what users can see and do within the platform. When users are approved for access to your Guardian Connector Superset instance, they are automatically assigned a default role that determines their permissions.

There are four roles available to users:

  • Admin: Full control over the Superset instance
  • Alpha: Content creators with broad access
  • Gamma: Read-only access with selective permissions
  • Public: Access for users who are not logged in

Default User Role​

New users are assigned the Alpha role by default, which provides a good balance between functionality and security. This role allows users to:

  • View and interact with all dashboards and charts
  • Create their own dashboards and visualizations
  • Explore data without being able to access sensitive database credentials
  • Share their work with other users

Available Roles​

👑 Admin​

Full control over the Superset instance

Admins have complete access to manage the entire Superset environment:

  • Manage user accounts and assign roles
  • View and edit all dashboards, charts, and datasets
  • Access database credentials and connection settings
  • Configure data sources and security settings
  • Grant or revoke access to specific resources

Best for: System administrators and technical coordinators

🔧 Alpha​

Content creators with broad access

Alpha users can work with data and create content but cannot manage system settings:

  • Access all available data sources and dashboards
  • Create, edit, and share their own dashboards and charts
  • Explore data and build new visualizations
  • Cannot manage other users or view database credentials
  • Cannot edit dashboards and charts that are not their own
  • Cannot add new data sources to the system

Best for: Community coordinators, data analyists, and active dashboard creators

📖 Gamma​

Read-only access with selective permissions

Gamma users have limited, read-only access to specific content:

  • Can only view charts and dashboards they've been explicitly granted access to
  • Cannot create or edit any content
  • Cannot access data exploration tools
  • Ideal for users who only need to view specific reports

Best for: Community members or allies who need access to specific dashboards only

🌐 Public​

Access for users who are not logged in

The Public role allows anonymous (non-logged-in) users to access certain Superset features. This role inherits permissions from another role that administrators configure:

  • Access level depends on which role's permissions are assigned to the Public role
  • Enables sharing dashboards with external stakeholders without requiring user accounts
  • Useful for making specific data visualizations publicly accessible
  • Configured through the PUBLIC_ROLE_LIKE setting by administrators

Best for: Sharing specific dashboards with external partners, researchers, or the general public

Choosing the Right Role​

For most Guardian Connector deployments, the Alpha role works well as the default because it:

  • Gives users enough freedom to explore and create content
  • Protects sensitive system settings and credentials
  • Allows community members to build their own data stories
  • Maintains security while encouraging engagement

Administrators can always adjust individual user roles later based on specific needs and responsibilities within the community.

More Information​

for more information, please see this guide on Superset roles.

Additionally, for an exhaustive list of roles and permissions, see STANDARD_ROLES.md.