Permissions & Roles

Control access to your workspaces and repositories with Kernel's permission system.

Workspace Roles

Owner

Full control over the workspace:

  • Manage all workspace settings

  • Add and remove members

  • Delete the workspace

  • Access all repositories

Member

Standard workspace access:

  • View workspace dashboard

  • Access repositories based on repository permissions

  • Create new repositories

  • Invite others (if allowed by settings)

Repository Permissions

Repository permissions control who can access specific content:

Admin

Full repository control:

  • View all content

  • Create, edit, delete content

  • Manage repository settings

  • Share with others

  • Delete the repository

Editor

Modify repository content:

  • View all content

  • Create new constructs, parts, files

  • Edit existing content

  • Delete content

  • Cannot change settings or sharing

Viewer

Read-only access:

  • View all content

  • Cannot create or modify

  • Can copy content to their own repositories

Permission Hierarchy

Permissions flow from workspace to repository:

Workspace owners have admin access to all repositories by default.

Managing Permissions

Repository Level

  1. Open the repository

  2. Click Settings or Share

  3. View current permissions

  4. Add members:

    • Enter email or username

    • Select permission level

    • Click Add

  5. Modify existing permissions:

    • Find the user

    • Change their permission level

    • Or remove access

Workspace Level

  1. Go to Settings > Members

  2. View all workspace members

  3. Change roles as needed

  4. Remove members if necessary

Public Repositories

Some repositories can be public:

  • Accessible to all Kernel users

  • Read-only by default

  • Useful for sharing common resources

Public repositories include:

  • Asimov Public parts

  • Addgene plasmids

  • UniProt sequences

Sharing Options

Share with Individual Users

Enter email addresses to grant access.

Share with Workspaces

Share entire repositories with other workspaces for collaboration.

Create a link that grants view access (if enabled).

Best Practices

Least Privilege

  • Grant the minimum permissions needed

  • Start with Viewer, upgrade as needed

  • Review permissions periodically

Repository Organization

  • Group related content in repositories

  • Use consistent permission patterns

  • Document access policies

Onboarding

  • Create a shared parts repository for team resources

  • Grant new members appropriate access

  • Provide guidance on workspace organization

Troubleshooting

Can't Access Content

  • Verify you have the correct workspace selected

  • Check repository permissions with an admin

  • Ensure your invitation was accepted

Can't Edit

  • Confirm you have Editor or Admin permission

  • Check if the content is locked

  • Contact the repository admin

Missing Features

  • Some features require Admin permissions

  • Workspace owners can upgrade your access

Next Steps

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