--- source_url: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/sdks/twisted/api-reference/access-manager title: Access Manager API for Python-Twisted SDK updated_at: 2026-06-25T11:28:54.364Z --- > Documentation Index > For a curated overview of PubNub documentation, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms.txt > For the full list of all documentation pages, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms-full.txt # Access Manager API for Python-Twisted SDK :::note Access Manager v2 This is the outdated Access Manager v2 API. For details about the latest version, see [Access Manager v3](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/general/security/access-control). ::: :::note Deprecated **NOTICE:** Based on current web trends and our own usage data, PubNub's Python Twisted SDK is **deprecated** as of May 1, 2019. Deprecation means we will no longer be updating the Python Twisted SDK but will continue to support users currently using it. Please feel free to use our other Python SDK offerings as they will continue to be supported and maintained. If you would like to use the Python Twisted SDK specifically, we would love to work with you on keeping this project alive! ::: Access Manager v2 allows you to enforce secure controls for client access to resources within the PubNub network. With Access Manager, your servers can grant their clients access to individual PubNub resources for a limited duration, with the ability to extend access or add permissions for additional resources. As soon as Access Manager is enabled, no publish/subscribe operations can be done without first explicitly providing an authorization token to the PubNub object. If an invalid token is provided, the requesting client will receive a Forbidden error. For more information about Access Manager, refer to [Managing Permissions with Access Manager](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/general/security/access-control-v2). ## Grant :::note Requires Access Manager add-on This method requires that the *Access Manager* add-on is enabled for your key in the [Admin Portal](https://admin.pubnub.com/). Read the [support page](https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051974791-How-do-I-enable-add-on-features-for-my-keys-) on enabling add-on features on your keys. ::: :::warning Requires Secret Key authentication Granting permissions to resources should be done by administrators whose SDK instance has been [initialized](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/sdks/twisted/api-reference/configuration) with a **Secret Key** (available on the [Admin Portal](https://admin.pubnub.com/) on your app's keyset). ::: The `grant` method allows you to grant permissions for one or more resources to one or more `authKeys`. You may need to make multiple grant calls with an `authKey` so that you can specify explicit permissions for each `channel`, `channelGroup` and `uuid` resources. For common permissions, you can normally use a single request. Privileges specifically granted to an application's `subscribe_key` always take precedence over privileges granted to `channel` or `auth_key`. Therefore an application that requires authentication at the user level should not grant access at either the Application or Channel levels. View the [Grant Levels](#grant) section for more details. #### Permissions The grant request allows your server to securely grant access for your clients on the following resources within the platform. Each resource allows a limited set of permissions that control the operations that can be performed by the clients. For permissions and API operations mapping information, refer to [Managing Permissions with Access Manager](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/general/security/access-control-v2#permissions). | Resource | Permissions | | --- | --- | | `channel` | `read`, `write`, `get`, `manage`, `update`, `join`, `delete` | | `uuid` | `get`, `update`, `delete` | | `channelGroup` | `read`, `manage` | #### Wildcard permissions Wildcard notation allows you to grant permissions to multiple channels at a time and later revoke these permissions in the same manner. You can only go one level deep using wildcards. In other words: * `a.*` grants access on all channels that begin with `a.`. * `*` or `a.b.*` won't work this way. If you grant on `*` or `a.b.*`, the grant treats `*` or `a.b.*` as a channel name, not a wildcard. :::warning Wildcard revokes You can revoke permissions with wildcards from one level deep, like `a.*`, only when you initially used wildcards to grant permissions to `a.*`. ::: ### Grant levels When a user attempts to access a PubNub resource, Access Manager will evaluate any existing rules using the following order of precedence before access to a channel is granted to the user: 1. **Application Level** - Access Manager privileges are always evaluated first at the `Application` level. If either `read` or `write` attribute is set to `True` for a `subscribe_key`, Access Manager will immediately grant access for that attribute without proceeding to check permissions at either `Channel` or `User` levels. If an attribute is set to `False` at the Application level, Access Manager proceeds to evaluate the attribute at the next most granular level. 2. **Channel Level** - After first verifying an attribute at the Application level, Access Manager evaluates the attribute at the Channel level. If an attribute is set to `True` for a combination of `subscribe_key`, and `channel`, Access Manager grants access for that attribute at the `Channel` level without proceeding to check whether there may be `user` level permissions. 3. **User Level (Recommended)** - As a final step Access Manager evaluates the attributes at the `User` level. If an attribute is set to `True` for `subscribe_key`, `channel` and `auth_key`, access is granted for that attribute. Similarly, user level grants also allow you granting an `auth_key` access to `channelGroups` and `uuids`. User level grants require `auth_key` and are the recommended approach if you need to manage permissions for individual users within your application. Each user should be assigned a unique `auth_key` and securely passed back to the user to perform operations on the platform. ### Method(s) To `Grant Permissions on a Channel` you can use the following method(s) in the Python-Twisted SDK: ```python pubnub.grant().auth_keys(String|List|Tuple).channels(String|List|Tuple).channel_groups(String|List|Tuple).read(Boolean).write(Boolean).manage(Boolean).delete(Boolean).ttl(Int) ``` | Parameter | Description | | --- | --- | | `auth_keys`Type: String | List | TupleDefault: n/a | Specifies `auth` Key to grant permissions. It is possible to specify multiple `auth` keys as comma separated list in combination with a single `channel` name. You can also grant access to a single `auth` key for multiple `channels` at the same time. Zero or more `channels` with zero or more `auth` tokens are allowed. | | `channels`Type: String | List | TupleDefault: n/a | Specifies the `channels` on which to `grant` permissions. If no `channels/channelGroups` are specified, then the `grant` applies to any and all `channels/channelGroups` that have been or will be created for that `publish/subscribe` key set. Furthermore, any existing or future grants on specific `channels` are ignored, until the `all channels` grant is revoked. It is possible to `grant` permissions to multiple `channels` simultaneously by specifying the `channels` as a comma separated list. Wildcard notation like `a.*` can be used to `grant` access on channels. You can `grant` one level deep. a.* - you can grant on this., * and a.b.* - grant will not work on these levels. If you grant on * or a.b.*, the grant will treat * or a.b.* as a single channel named either * or a.b.*. | | `channel_groups`Type: String | List | TupleDefault: n/a | Specifies the `channelGroups` to `grant` permissions. If no `channels/channelGroups` are specified, then the `grant` applies to any and all `channels/channelGroups` that have been or will be created for that `publish/subscribe` key set. Furthermore, any existing or future grants on specific `channelGroups` are ignored, until the `all channelGroups` grant is revoked. It is possible to `grant` permissions to multiple `channelGroups` simultaneously by specifying the `channelGroups` as a comma separated list. | | `read`Type: BooleanDefault: `False` | `Read` permissions. | | `write`Type: BooleanDefault: `False` | `Write` permissions. | | `manage`Type: BooleanDefault: `False` | `Manage` permissions. | | `delete`Type: BooleanDefault: `False` | `Delete` permissions. | | `ttl`Type: IntDefault: `None` | `Time to live` for permission to be valid. | ### Sample code #### Grant Access Manager permissions for channel and auth_key ```python d = pubnub.grant().channels(["ch1", "ch2", "ch3"]).\ channel_groups(["cg1", "cg2"]).\ auth_keys(["key1", "key2"]).\ read(True).write(True).manage(True).\ deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` ### Returns #### The grant() operation returns a PNAccessManagerGrantResult which contains the following fields | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `level` | String | Permissions level, one of `subkey`, `subkey`+`auth`, `channel`, `channel-group`, `channel-group`+`auth` level. | | `ttl` | Int | `ttl` of grant | | `subscribe_key` | String | The `subscribe key`. | | `channels` | Dict | Access rights per channel. See [PNAccessManagerChannelData](#pnaccessmanagerchanneldata-and-pnaccessmanagergroupdata-has-the-same-fields-structure) for more details. | | `groups` | Dict | Access rights per group. See [PNAccessManagerGroupData](#pnaccessmanagerchanneldata-and-pnaccessmanagergroupdata-has-the-same-fields-structure) for more details. | | `read_enabled` | Boolean | subkey level `read` permissions. | | `write_enabled` | Boolean | subkey level `write` permissions. | | `manage_enabled` | Boolean | subkey level `manage` permissions. | | `delete_enabled` | Boolean | subkey level `delete` permissions. | | `ttl` | Int | Time to live value. | #### PNAccessManagerChannelData and PNAccessManagerGroupData has the same fields structure | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `auth_keys` | List | Access rights per `auth-key`. See [PNAccessManagerKeyData](#pnaccessmanagerkeydata) for more details. | | `name` | String | Channel or group `name`. | | `read_enabled` | Boolean | Channel or group level `read` permissions. | | `write_enabled` | Boolean | Channel or group level `write` permissions. | | `manage_enabled` | Boolean | Channel or group level `manage` permissions. | | `delete_enabled` | Boolean | Channel or group level `delete` permissions. | | `ttl` | Int | Time to live value. | #### PNAccessManagerKeyData | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `read_enabled` | Boolean | `read` permissions | | `write_enabled` | Boolean | `write` permissions | | `manage_enabled` | Boolean | `manage` permissions | | `delete_enabled` | Boolean | `delete` permissions | | `ttl` | Int | Time to live value | `read`, `write`, `manage`, and `delete` permissions have 3 states: * `True` if enabled. * `False` if disabled. * `None` if not explicitly set. :::warning Caution Access Manager grant or revoke requests must be less than ~32 KiB at a time, or the client will return an error. For requests greater than 32 KiB, break them into smaller batched requests. When the message size exceeds 32 KiB the server returns the HTTP Error code 500, instead of the correct error code 414. ::: :::warning For NTP synchronization, please ensure that you have configured NTP on your server to keep the clock in sync. This is to prevent system clock drift leading to 400 `Invalid Timestamp` error response. [https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051973331-Why-do-I-get-Invalid-Timestamp-when-I-try-to-grant-permission-using-Access-Manager-](https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051973331-Why-do-I-get-Invalid-Timestamp-when-I-try-to-grant-permission-using-Access-Manager-) ::: ### Other examples #### Grant subscribe privileges to all users on all channel(s) with default ttl (1440 minutes) ```python d = pubnub.grant().read(True).write(True).deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` #### Allow subscribe and publish to a specific grant subscribe and publish to a specific channel for all users (no auth_key required) with default ttl (1440 minutes) ```python d = pubnub.grant().channels("my_channel").read(True).write(True).deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` #### Grant subscribe access to a channel only for clients with a specific auth_key with a 5 minute ttl ```python d = pubnub.grant().channels("my_channel").read(True).write(False).\ auth_keys("my_ro_authkey").ttl(5).deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` The above code would return the following response to the client: ```json { "status" : 200, "message" : "Success", "payload" : { "ttl" : 5, "auths" : { "my_ro_authkey" : { "r" : 1, "w" : 0, "d" : 0 } }, "subscribe_key" : "my_subkey", "level" : "user", "channel" : "my_channel" }, "service" : "Access Manager" } ``` #### Allow access to a specific channel for Presence ```python d = pubnub.grant().\ channels("my_channel-pnpres").read(True).write(True).deferred() ``` #### Grant Access Manager permissions for channel group ```python d = pubnub.grant().\ channel_groups(["cg1", "cg2", "cg3"]).\ auth_keys(["auth1", "auth2", "auth3"]).\ read(True).write(True).manage(True).\ ttl(12237).\ .deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` The above code would return the following response to the client: ```json { "status":200, "message":"Success", "payload":{ "ttl":5, "auths":{ "my_rw_authkey":{ "r":1, "w":1, "d":1 } }, "subscribe_key":"my_subkey", "level":"user", "channel":"my_channel" }, "service":"Access Manager" } ``` #### Grant permissions on multiple channels ```python envelope = pubnub.grant().\ auth_keys("my_rw_authkey").\ channels(["girish", "girish2"]).\ read(True).\ write(True).\ ttl(5).\ sync() ``` :::note The limit on the total amount of `channels` that you can pass at once when using `grant()` is `200`. ::: #### Application level grant :::warning Use application level grants with caution When access is granted on an application level, `all channels and users` will have access. Application level grants can also happen due to a bug in your code. *For example, Null parameters for channels and auth-keys can cause accidental application level grants.* ::: ```python d = pubnub.grant().\ read(True).write(True).\ .deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` #### Channel level grant ```python d = pubnub.grant().channels("my_channel").\ read(True).write(True).\ .deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` #### User level grant ```python d = pubnub.grant().channels("my_channel").\ auth_keys("my_authkey").\ read(True).write(True).\ ttl(5).\ .deferred() d.addCallback(my_callback) ``` ## Terms in this document * **Access Manager** - A cryptographic, token-based permission administrator that allows you to regulate clients' access to PubNub resources, such as channels, channel groups, and user IDs. * **Action** - The type of activity (procedure) to execute when a condition is satisfied (for example, sending a message). * **Billing alert notification** - A means of informing a user that a billing alert has been triggered. Before notifications can happen, a billing alert must be triggered first. * **Business Object** - A container for data fields and metrics that defines aggregations and data sources. * **Channel** - A pathway for sending and receiving messages between devices, created automatically when you first use it, that can handle any number of users and messages for different communication needs, like 1-1 text chats, group conversations, and other data streaming. * **Channel pattern** - A way to group and analyze channel data to track performance metrics like message counts and user engagement over time with PubNub Insights. * **Condition** - A requirement that must be satisfied or evaluated to true for an action to be executed. Input in a decision table. * **Cryptor** - An implementation of a specific cryptographic algorithm used for data encryption/decryption that adheres to a standard interface. * **Dashboard** - A collection of widgets (charts) that give an overview of the metrics one is evaluating. * **Data fields** - Data you want Illuminate to track. These can be quantitative (measures), like "Number" or "Timestamp" or qualitative (dimensions) values, like "String" that can be used to categorize and segment data. Data fields can be aggregated and calculated. * **Decision** - A collection (or decision table) of conditions and actions. When conditions are satisfied, the corresponding actions are triggered as per defined rules. * **End Customer** - A customer of a PubNub partner. End customers do not have direct access to the Admin Portal. Instead, they interact with PubNub products—such as Illuminate—through the partner’s portal, where PubNub services are embedded. They can create PubNub objects only within this partner-provided environment. * **Entity** - A subscribable object within a PubNub SDK that allows you to perform context-specific operations. * **Listener** - A function or objectthat reacts to events or messages, like new chat messages or connection updates, letting your app respond in real-time. * **Mapped/Unmapped** - Whether the data source for a data field has been defined or the action has been configured. * **MCP Server** - A Model Context Protocol server that coordinates communication and synchronization between AI agents, clients, or services, such as Cursor IDE and Windsurf. * **Message** - A unit of data transmitted between clients or between a client and a server in PubNub, containing information such as text, binary data, or structured data formats like JSON. Messages are sent over channels and can be tracked for delivery and read status. * **Metric** - What exactly is evaluated using measures and dimensions (collectively called data fields), as well as aggregation functions. * **Module** - A Functions v1 container that groups related functions for configuration and deployment on an app’s keysets. * **Origin** - The subdomain used to establish a connection to the PubNub network that allows your application's traffic to appear like it's coming from your own domain. * **Package** - A Functions v2 container that groups Functions, tracks Revisions, and is deployed to keysets. * **Partner** - A PubNub customer who resells PubNub products, such as Illuminate, to their own customers. Partners have access to the Admin Portal, enabling them to create and manage PubNub objects for themselves or on behalf of their end customers. * **Publish Key** - A unique identifier that allows your application to send messages to PubNub channels. It's part of your app's credentials and should be kept secure. * **PubNub** - PubNub is a real-time messaging platform that provides APIs and SDKs for building scalable applications. It handles the complex infrastructure of real-time communication, including: Message delivery and persistence, Presence detection, Access control, Push notifications, File sharing, Serverless processing with Functions and Events & Actions, Analytics and monitoring with BizOps Workspace, AI-powered insights with Illuminate. * **Push token** - A device identifier issued by a push provider (APNs or FCM) used to register a device for receiving mobile push notifications. * **Rule** - A definition (row in a decision table) stating which action should be triggered for which condition. * **Service Integration** - A machine identity that represents a program or service consuming the Admin API, scoped to your account and authenticated using expirable API keys with configurable permissions. * **Signal** - A non-persistent message limited to 64 bytes designed for high-volume usecases where the the most recent data is relevant, like GPS location updates. * **Subscribe Key** - A unique identifier that allows your application to receive messages from PubNub channels. It's part of your app's credentials and should be kept secure. * **Timetoken** - A unique identifier for each message that represents the number of 100-nanosecond intervals since January 1, 1970, for example, 16200000000000000. * **Trigger details** - A set of predefined criteria for a given billing alert. When met, billing alert notifications are generated. * **User** - An individual or entity that interacts with a system, application, or service. In PubNub, a user typically refers to someone who sends or receives messages through the platform, identified by a unique user ID or username. * **User ID** - UTF-8 encoded, unique string of up to 92 characters used to identify a single client (end user, device, or server) that connects to PubNub. * **Vibe Coding** - A way to build applications in an intuitive, relaxed, and improvisational manner, using AI tools and natural language descriptions.