@auth and Beyond: Building Custom GraphQL Directives in Absinthe - Ivy Markwell | ElixirConf US

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@auth and Beyond: Building Custom GraphQL Directives in Absinthe - Ivy Markwell | ElixirConf US 2025

@auth and Beyond: Building Custom GraphQL Directives in Absinthe - Ivy Markwell | ElixirConf US 2025

This talk was recorded at ElixirConf US 2025. If you’re curious about our upcoming event, check https://elixirconf.com✨
I want to walk through the process of implementing a permission-based authorization system in Absinthe using custom GraphQL directives. Absinthe provides the flexibility for us to define granular permissions at the field, argument, and object level, but managing access control across a GraphQL API can be complex. I will show how to create and integrate a custom @auth directive in our Absinthe schemas, allowing for dynamic and precise control over user access as GraphQL queries and mutations are resolved.

Key Takeaways:

Know what directives are in GraphQL and how we can build custom directives in Absinthe
Know an alternative way to enforce your permissions in your system

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