Glossary · Security

Row-Level Security

A database feature that restricts which rows a user can access based on policies tied to their identity.

Row-Level Security (RLS) is a database security feature that controls which rows in a table a particular user can access. Unlike table-level permissions that grant or deny access to entire tables, RLS applies fine-grained filters that limit visibility to specific rows based on user attributes. For example, a sales rep might only see orders from their assigned territory, while a regional manager sees all orders in their region. RLS policies are defined at the database level and are transparently applied to all queries–the user doesn't need to add WHERE clauses, and the system ensures they cannot bypass the restrictions. PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Oracle all support RLS natively.

Fig — every answer ships with the tables, rows and SQL behind it.