> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.budecosystem.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# User Types & Permissions

> Understanding access control and user types in Bud Stack

# User Types & Permissions

Bud Stack uses a straightforward permission system based on **user types** and **resource-level access**. The platform has two main user types, each with access to different dashboards and capabilities.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Admin Users" icon="user-shield">
    Administrative users who access the **Admin Dashboard** for platform management, infrastructure control, user management, and cluster operations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Client Users" icon="user">
    Standard users who access the **Customer Dashboard** for deploying AI/ML models, managing projects, creating endpoints, and monitoring their deployments.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Permission System Overview

Bud Stack implements a simple, effective permission model:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="User Type Permissions" icon="shield-halved">
    Your user type (ADMIN or CLIENT) determines which dashboard you access and your base capabilities.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Resource-Level Permissions" icon="lock">
    Specific resources (like projects) can be shared with you with either **view** or **manage** access.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## User Type Comparison

The table below shows the differences between the two types of users:

| Feature                   | Admin Users                         | Client Users                                     |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| **Dashboard Access**      | **Admin Dashboard**                 | **Customer Dashboard**                           |
| **Primary Focus**         | Foundry usage and management        | Model usage and tracking                         |
| **User Management**       | ✅ Can invite & manage users         | ❌ Cannot manage users                            |
| **Cluster Management**    | ✅ Can register & manage clusters    | ❌ Cannot view clusters                           |
| **Model Repository**      | ✅ Full access to add/edit models    | ✅ View published models                          |
| **Project Management**    | ✅ Create & manage multiple projects | ✅ Create & manage own projects                   |
| **Deployment Management** | ✅ Create & manage deployment        | ✅ View published models                          |
| **Playground Access**     | ✅ Test models interactively         | ✅ Test models interactively                      |
| **Observability**         | ✅ View all org metrics              | ✅ View own project metrics                       |
| **API Keys**              | ✅ Create & manage API keys          | ✅ Create & manage API keys                       |
| **Billing Access**        | ✅ View & manage org billing         | ✅ View own usage only                            |
| **Default Setup**         | No default project or billing       | Auto-created default project + free billing plan |

## Resource-Level Permissions

Resource-level permissions allow you to share specific resources with other users, granting them either **view** (read-only) or **manage** (full access) permissions.

| Resource Type | Permission Types | What Gets Shared                           |
| ------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Models        | `view`, `manage` | Access to model registry                   |
| Clusters      | `view`, `manage` | Access to clusters                         |
| Projects      | `view`, `manage` | Project + all deployments, and data within |
| Deployments   | `view`, `manage` | Access within a project                    |
| User          | `view`, `manage` | Access to user management                  |

<Note>
  **Deployments** belong to projects, so access is automatically inherited from project permissions. If you share a project with someone, they get access to all deployments within that project.
</Note>

### Permission Types

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="View Permission" icon="eye">
    **Read-only access** to a project. Users can see the project, deployments, and metrics but cannot make changes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manage Permission" icon="pen-to-square">
    **Full access** to a project. Users can view, edit, delete, deploy models, and configure everything within the project.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### How Resource Permissions Work

Resource permissions allow you to share specific **projects** with other users:

1. **Project Owner**: Automatically gets `manage` permission on projects they create
2. **Collaborators**: Can be granted `view` or `manage` permission on shared projects
3. **Inheritance**: Project permissions automatically apply to all sub-resources (deployments within the project)

## Related Pages

* [Inviting Users](/user-management/inviting-users) - How to add team members
* [User Activity](/user-management/user-activity) - Monitor user actions
* [API Keys](/api-keys/creating-first-api-key) - Create API keys with user permissions