Reader, writer or owner? Workspace access controls, explained

Terra workspaces have three access levels: READER, WRITER, and OWNER. Each access level represents an expanded set of permissions.

READER Access

A READER can:

• Enter the workspace and view its contents
• Clone the workspace
• Copy data and tools (workflows and/or notebooks) from that workspace to one where they have WRITER or OWNER access.

A READER cannot:

• Make changes to the data model (add/delete entities, edit metadata)
• Add/delete tools or tool configurations
• Edit tools or tool configurations
• Launch an analysis (submit a tools or tool configurations for execution)
• Abort submissions

WRITER Access

A WRITER has all the permissions of a READER, and can also:

• Make changes to the data model (add/delete entities, edit metadata)
• Create new collections (sample sets, individual sets, pair sets) from existing non-set entities (samples, participants, pairs)
• Delete/edit entities
• Add/modify entities
• Copy entities from another workspace’s data model into the workspace, provided they have at least READER access to the source workspace
• Upload data entities and their data files directly to workspace
• Add/modify/delete tools or tool configurations, including pushing tools or tool configurations to the workspace from the dockstore (provided they have read access to the tools and tool configurations)
• Push tools or tool configurations from another workspace if they have at least READER access to the source workspace
• Edit tools and tool configurations within the workspace

OWNER Access

An OWNER access has all the permissions of a WRITER, and in addition can:

• Edit the workspace’s Access Control Levels
• Delete a workspace

When you create or clone a workspace, you are automatically the OWNER.