# How to specify role when using search API
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [July 27, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969 "2018-07-27T15:47:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@nadirHafs](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nadirHafs)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969/1 "2018-07-27T15:47:14Z")
Hello,
I'm using elasticSearch with a nodejs/mongodb application. I want to set up permission and role on documents. I saw that X-pack was doing what i want.
I have a problem, i try the following permission :
POST /\_xpack/security/role/dept\_role
{
"indices" : [
{
"names" : ["\*"],
"privileges" : ["read"],
"query" : {
"term" : { "department\_id" : 12 }
}
}
]
}
But when i'm using the search api on elasticsearch i don't know how to specify my role? Maybe i don't understand how it's working. Can someone help me? Thanks.
EDIT : More details : in my nodejs app , when i want to search document i use the search API (GET /myIndex/\_search/ {myQuery}) When i search i want to specify my role that i defined in x-pack) . Sorry if my english is bad 😃
---
### Author:  [@Albert\_Zaharovits](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Albert_Zaharovits)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969/2 "2018-07-29T21:16:59Z")
Hello @nadirHafs ,
> But when i'm using the search api on elasticsearch i don't know how to specify my role?
Roles pertain to users by a process called _Role mapping_ and there is an [API](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/security-api-role-mapping.html) to configure it. In a request you identify as a user in a realm which will then have roles assigned to it which subsequently grant the user privileges over indices, docs and fields.
---
### Author:  [@nadirHafs](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nadirHafs)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2018, 9:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969/3 "2018-07-30T09:58:07Z")
Thanks for you reply, i didn't have the knowledege about realm 🙂 . But i still want to specify my user in that kind of query :
Passing a full request definition in the Elasticsearch’s Query DSL as a Hash.
const response = await client.search({
index: 'myindex',
body: {
query: {
match: {
title: 'test'
}
},
facets: {
tags: {
terms: {
field: 'tags'
}
}
}
}
});
When you say "you identify as a user in a realm" , how can i do that in my javascript query? Thanks
PS : Here in SOAP UI i can add authentication (left bottom corner)
I want to do the same with the javascript client.
---
### Author:  [@Albert\_Zaharovits](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Albert_Zaharovits)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2018, 11:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969/4 "2018-07-30T11:48:58Z")
> When you say "you identify as a user in a realm" , how can i do that in my javascript query?
The short answer is that the HTTPS request needs to have attached the BASIC AUTH HTTP Header. In `curl` that will be the `-u` option.
But you really need to cover the docs on these topics:
> **[User authentication | Elastic Stack Overview \[7.4\] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elastic-stack-overview/current/setting-up-authentication.html)**
---
### Author:  [@nadirHafs](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nadirHafs)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2018, 12:03pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969/5 "2018-07-30T12:03:22Z")
Ok thanks you very much i think its all clear : )
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2018, 12:03pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-specify-role-when-using-search-api/141969/6 "2018-08-27T12:03:23Z")
This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.