---
title: "Testable authorization with Cerbos"
description: "Ensure the accuracy and reliability of your authorization policies. With Cerbos, get real-time feedback, continuous testing, and a collaborative IDE for a seamless and confident policy development experience."
canonical: "https://www.cerbos.dev/features-benefits-and-use-cases/testable-authorization"
source: "https://www.cerbos.dev/features-benefits-and-use-cases/testable-authorization"
---

# Testable authorization with Cerbos

Ensure the accuracy and reliability of your authorization policies. With Cerbos, get real-time feedback, continuous testing, and a collaborative IDE for a seamless and confident policy development experience.

## The importance of testable authorization

Authorization policies are critical to the security and functionality of applications. Errors can lead to unauthorized access or hinder legitimate users. Testable authorization ensures that policies work as intended, providing a safety net against potential oversights and vulnerabilities.

### Real-time feedback, continuous testing, and collaborative development

- **Instant feedback loop:** As you draft or modify policies, get immediate feedback, ensuring that errors are caught and rectified on the spot.
- **Continuous testing with Cerbos Hub:** Benefit from Cerbos Hub's automated testing capabilities, ensuring that your policies are always in their best shape.
- **Collaborative IDE:** Cerbos Hub's collaborative online IDE allows teams to develop, iterate, and test policies together, fostering a unified approach to authorization.
- **GitOps workflow integration:** Seamlessly integrate your authorization policy development with your git-based workflow, ensuring consistency and reliability.
- **Troubleshooting made easy:** With real-time feedback and testing, troubleshooting becomes a breeze, even during the development phase.
- **Policy Playground:** A dedicated environment to experiment, test, and understand the impact of policy changes, ensuring that you're always confident in your deployments.

### Sample test suite for a Cerbos policy

```yaml
expected:
  - resource: document#1
    principal: user#1
    actions:
      create: EFFECT_ALLOW
      read: EFFECT_ALLOW
      update: EFFECT_ALLOW
      delete: EFFECT_DENY
  - resource: document#1
    principal: admin#2
    actions:
      create: EFFECT_ALLOW
      read: EFFECT_ALLOW
      update: EFFECT_ALLOW
      delete: EFFECT_ALLOW
```

Create detailed test suites for each of your types of users and resources and define the expected decision for each action. These tests can run on every change to policy to ensure expected results.

## Master testable authorization with Cerbos

- [Testing documentation](https://docs.cerbos.dev/cerbos/latest/policies/compile.html) — A detailed guide on leveraging Cerbos' testing capabilities for robust authorization policies
- [GitOps guide](https://www.cerbos.dev/blog/why-using-gitops-for-authorization-and-access-control-is-a-good-idea) — Why using GitOps for authorization and access control is a good idea
- [Cerbos Hub Playground policy testing](https://www.cerbos.dev/news/new-tools-for-effortless-policy-creation-and-testing-in-cerbos-hub) — Dive into the new features that further simplify how developers write, test, and iterate on authorization policies. Updates include the RBAC policy generator, API request simulator, and connecting a local PDP.
- [How BarrierSystems took advantage of policy testing](https://www.cerbos.dev/customers/barriersystems) — Learn how our customer used policy testing to achieve faster time to market and improved customer experience
- [Community tips on testing policies](https://community.cerbos.dev/?_gl=1*5ozo82*_ga*MTk1NjcwNzQ1MC4xNjY2Mjc5NjI2*_ga_8G3G3MS838*MTY5NDE5MTE5Ny41MjcuMS4xNjk0MTkyNzgyLjIwLjAuMA) — Engage with the Cerbos community to learn best practices and innovative testing strategies