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fix: support recursive attributes in lookup-entity #2763

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8022966
fix: support recursive attributes in lookup-entity
omer-topal Feb 5, 2026
c8a76b1
test: add recursive attribute lookup tests
omer-topal Feb 5, 2026
5ad4341
test: update linked schema test
omer-topal Feb 5, 2026
8fdb820
test: add covarage tests
omer-topal Feb 5, 2026
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147 changes: 147 additions & 0 deletions internal/engines/check_test.go
View file
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2372,4 +2372,151 @@ var _ = Describe("check-engine", func() {
}
})
})

Context("Recursive Attribute Permissions", func() {
It("should allow same-type recursive attribute permissions", func() {
schema := `
entity user {}

entity resource {
relation parent @resource
attribute is_public boolean
permission view = is_public or parent.view
}
`

db, err := factories.DatabaseFactory(config.Database{Engine: "memory"})
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

conf, err := newSchema(schema)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

schemaWriter := factories.SchemaWriterFactory(db)
err = schemaWriter.WriteSchema(context.Background(), conf)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

schemaReader := factories.SchemaReaderFactory(db)
dataReader := factories.DataReaderFactory(db)
dataWriter := factories.DataWriterFactory(db)

checkEngine := NewCheckEngine(schemaReader, dataReader)
lookupEngine := NewLookupEngine(checkEngine, schemaReader, dataReader)
invoker := invoke.NewDirectInvoker(schemaReader, dataReader, checkEngine, nil, lookupEngine, nil)
checkEngine.SetInvoker(invoker)

relationships := []string{
"resource:r1#parent@resource:default",
}

var tuples []*base.Tuple
for _, relationship := range relationships {
t, err := tuple.Tuple(relationship)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
tuples = append(tuples, t)
}

publicAttr, err := attribute.Attribute("resource:default$is_public|boolean:true")
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

_, err = dataWriter.Write(
context.Background(),
"t1",
database.NewTupleCollection(tuples...),
database.NewAttributeCollection(publicAttr),
)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

resp, err := invoker.Check(context.Background(), &base.PermissionCheckRequest{
TenantId: "t1",
Entity: &base.Entity{Type: "resource", Id: "r1"},
Permission: "view",
Subject: &base.Subject{Type: "user", Id: "u1"},
Metadata: &base.PermissionCheckRequestMetadata{
SnapToken: token.NewNoopToken().Encode().String(),
SchemaVersion: "",
Depth: 20,
},
})
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
Expect(resp.GetCan()).To(Equal(base.CheckResult_CHECK_RESULT_ALLOWED))
})

It("should allow cross-type recursive attribute permissions", func() {
schema := `
entity user {}

entity org {
attribute is_public boolean
permission view = is_public
}

entity folder {
relation parent @org
attribute is_public boolean
permission view = is_public or parent.view
}

entity resource {
relation parent @folder
permission view = parent.view
}
`

db, err := factories.DatabaseFactory(config.Database{Engine: "memory"})
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

conf, err := newSchema(schema)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

schemaWriter := factories.SchemaWriterFactory(db)
err = schemaWriter.WriteSchema(context.Background(), conf)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

schemaReader := factories.SchemaReaderFactory(db)
dataReader := factories.DataReaderFactory(db)
dataWriter := factories.DataWriterFactory(db)

checkEngine := NewCheckEngine(schemaReader, dataReader)
lookupEngine := NewLookupEngine(checkEngine, schemaReader, dataReader)
invoker := invoke.NewDirectInvoker(schemaReader, dataReader, checkEngine, nil, lookupEngine, nil)
checkEngine.SetInvoker(invoker)

relationships := []string{
"folder:f1#parent@org:o1",
"resource:r1#parent@folder:f1",
}

var tuples []*base.Tuple
for _, relationship := range relationships {
t, err := tuple.Tuple(relationship)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
tuples = append(tuples, t)
}

publicAttr, err := attribute.Attribute("org:o1$is_public|boolean:true")
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

_, err = dataWriter.Write(
context.Background(),
"t1",
database.NewTupleCollection(tuples...),
database.NewAttributeCollection(publicAttr),
)
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())

resp, err := invoker.Check(context.Background(), &base.PermissionCheckRequest{
TenantId: "t1",
Entity: &base.Entity{Type: "resource", Id: "r1"},
Permission: "view",
Subject: &base.Subject{Type: "user", Id: "u1"},
Metadata: &base.PermissionCheckRequestMetadata{
SnapToken: token.NewNoopToken().Encode().String(),
SchemaVersion: "",
Depth: 20,
},
})
Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
Expect(resp.GetCan()).To(Equal(base.CheckResult_CHECK_RESULT_ALLOWED))
})
})
})
146 changes: 145 additions & 1 deletion internal/engines/entity_filter.go
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
"github.com/Permify/permify/internal/schema"
"github.com/Permify/permify/internal/storage"
storageContext "github.com/Permify/permify/internal/storage/context"
tokenutils "github.com/Permify/permify/internal/storage/context/utils"
"github.com/Permify/permify/pkg/database"
base "github.com/Permify/permify/pkg/pb/base/v1"
)
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -69,6 +70,12 @@
return nil
}

// Extract self-recursive relations used by the permission rewrite.
selfCycleRelations := engine.graph.SelfCycleRelationsForPermission(
request.GetEntrance().GetType(),
request.GetEntrance().GetValue(),
)

// Create a new context for executing goroutines and a cancel function.
cctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
defer cancel()
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -97,7 +104,7 @@
return err
}
case schema.AttributeLinkedEntrance: // If the linked entrance is a computed user set entrance.
err = engine.attributeEntrance(cont, request, entrance, visits, publisher) // Call the tuple to user set entrance method.
err = engine.attributeEntrance(cont, request, entrance, visits, publisher, selfCycleRelations) // Call the tuple to user set entrance method.
if err != nil {
return err
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -126,6 +133,7 @@
entrance *schema.LinkedEntrance, // A linked entrance.
visits *VisitsMap, // A map that keeps track of visited entities to avoid infinite loops.
publisher *BulkEntityPublisher, // A custom publisher that publishes results in bulk.
selfCycleRelations []string, // Self-recursive relations from the permission rewrite.
) error { // Returns an error if one occurs during execution.
// attributeEntrance only handles direct attribute access
if !visits.AddEA(entrance.TargetEntrance.GetType(), entrance.TargetEntrance.GetValue()) {
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -162,6 +170,8 @@

it := database.NewUniqueAttributeIterator(rit, cti)

var attributeEntityIDs []string

// Publish entities directly for regular case
for it.HasNext() {
current, ok := it.GetNext()
Expand All @@ -183,6 +193,140 @@
SchemaVersion: request.GetMetadata().GetSchemaVersion(),
Depth: request.GetMetadata().GetDepth(),
}, request.GetContext(), base.CheckResult_CHECK_RESULT_UNSPECIFIED)

attributeEntityIDs = append(attributeEntityIDs, entity.GetId())
}

// Expand recursive relations for same-type attribute permissions (e.g., parent.view).
if request.GetEntrance().GetType() == entrance.TargetEntrance.GetType() &&
len(selfCycleRelations) > 0 &&
len(attributeEntityIDs) > 0 {
for _, relation := range selfCycleRelations {
err := engine.expandRecursiveRelation(ctx, request, entrance.TargetEntrance.GetType(), relation, attributeEntityIDs, visits, publisher)
if err != nil {
return err

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}
}
}

return nil
}

// decodeCursorValue decodes a cursor token and returns its underlying value.
// It returns an empty string when the cursor is empty.
// If decoding fails, the error is returned.
// If the decoded token is not a ContinuousToken, it returns an empty string.
func decodeCursorValue(cursor string) (string, error) {
if cursor == "" {
return "", nil
}
t, err := tokenutils.EncodedContinuousToken{Value: cursor}.Decode()
if err != nil {
return "", err
}
decoded, ok := t.(tokenutils.ContinuousToken)
if !ok {
return "", nil

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}
return decoded.Value, nil
}

// expandRecursiveRelation publishes all entities reachable from seed subjects via a relation,
// walking the relation transitively (self-recursive permissions).
func (engine *EntityFilter) expandRecursiveRelation(
ctx context.Context,
request *base.PermissionEntityFilterRequest,
entityType string,
relation string,
seedSubjectIDs []string,
visits *VisitsMap,
publisher *BulkEntityPublisher,
) error {
if len(seedSubjectIDs) == 0 {
return nil

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}

cursorValue := ""
if request.GetEntrance().GetType() == entityType && request.GetCursor() != "" {
var err error
cursorValue, err = decodeCursorValue(request.GetCursor())
if err != nil {
return err

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}
}

scope, exists := request.GetScope()[entityType]
var data []string
if exists {
data = scope.GetData()

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}

seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(seedSubjectIDs))
queue := make([]string, 0, len(seedSubjectIDs))
for _, id := range seedSubjectIDs {
if _, ok := seen[id]; ok {
continue

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}
seen[id] = struct{}{}
queue = append(queue, id)
}

for len(queue) > 0 {
currentIDs := queue
queue = nil

filter := &base.TupleFilter{
Entity: &base.EntityFilter{
Type: entityType,
Ids: data,
},
Relation: relation,
Subject: &base.SubjectFilter{
Type: entityType,
Ids: currentIDs,
Relation: "",
},
}
Comment on lines +274 to +289
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@coderabbitai coderabbitai bot Feb 5, 2026

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⚠️ Potential issue | 🟠 Major

Recursive traversal ignores subject relation.

For relations that point back to the same entity type with a subject relation (e.g., @group#member), leaving Subject.Relation empty can miss edges or over-include. Use the schema helper to derive the correct subject relation.

✅ Suggested fix (respect subject relation) 
- filter := &base.TupleFilter{
+ subjectRelation := engine.graph.GetSubjectRelationForPathWalk(entityType, relation, entityType)
+ filter := &base.TupleFilter{
 	Entity: &base.EntityFilter{
 		Type: entityType,
 		Ids:  data,
 	},
 	Relation: relation,
 	Subject: &base.SubjectFilter{
 		Type:     entityType,
 		Ids:      currentIDs,
-		Relation: "",
+		Relation: subjectRelation,
 	},
 }
🤖 Prompt for AI Agents 
In `@internal/engines/entity_filter.go` around lines 270 - 285, The loop builds a
TupleFilter but leaves Subject.Relation empty, which breaks recursive traversal
for self-referential relations; update the code that constructs the
&base.TupleFilter so Subject.Relation is set by calling the schema helper to
derive the correct subject relation for the given relation and entityType (e.g.,
obtain subjectRel := schemaHelper.DeriveSubjectRelation(relation, entityType) or
the equivalent helper method in your schema package) and assign Subject.Relation
= subjectRel (keep using EntityFilter.Type, Ids=data and Subject.Ids=currentIDs
as before).


pagination := database.NewCursorPagination()
cti, err := storageContext.NewContextualTuples(request.GetContext().GetTuples()...).QueryRelationships(filter, pagination)
if err != nil {
return err

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}

rit, err := engine.dataReader.QueryRelationships(ctx, request.GetTenantId(), filter, request.GetMetadata().GetSnapToken(), pagination)
if err != nil {
return err

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}

it := database.NewUniqueTupleIterator(rit, cti)
for it.HasNext() {
current, ok := it.GetNext()
if !ok {
break

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}

entity := &base.Entity{
Type: current.GetEntity().GetType(),
Id: current.GetEntity().GetId(),
}

if cursorValue == "" || entity.GetId() >= cursorValue {
if visits.AddPublished(entity) {
publisher.Publish(entity, &base.PermissionCheckRequestMetadata{
SnapToken: request.GetMetadata().GetSnapToken(),
SchemaVersion: request.GetMetadata().GetSchemaVersion(),
Depth: request.GetMetadata().GetDepth(),
}, request.GetContext(), base.CheckResult_CHECK_RESULT_UNSPECIFIED)
}
}

if _, ok := seen[entity.GetId()]; ok {
continue

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}
seen[entity.GetId()] = struct{}{}
queue = append(queue, entity.GetId())
}
}

return nil
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