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Backend, Security

RBAC + poll workflows with Node.js & Express

In the Poll Management System (Internal / POC), the goal was simple: ship secure and scalable APIs for poll lifecycles (create, publish, vote, close) while keeping authorization predictable and auditable.

  • Model roles and permissions explicitly (RBAC) and keep checks close to the route/controller layer.
  • Design idempotent vote endpoints and validate poll state transitions server-side.
  • Add observability early: structured logs and simple metrics around key workflows.
  • Keep the codebase modular so new question types and reports can be added safely.

"Security is not a feature — it’s a default: clear roles, clear rules, and consistent enforcement."

This approach helped keep the platform maintainable while supporting analytics and reporting features without breaking access guarantees.

Comments
  • img
    Lorenzo Peterson
    15th August, 2019 at 01:25 pm
    Reply

    "Great breakdown—especially enforcing poll state transitions server-side."

  • img
    Tammy Camacho
    15th August, 2019 at 05:44 pm
    Reply

    "Would love a follow-up on testing strategies for RBAC (unit + integration) in Express."

  • img
    Tammy Camacho
    16th August, 2019 at 03:44 pm
    Reply

    "Nice callout on observability—workflow metrics help catch issues early."

    • img
      Lorenzo Peterson
      17th August, 2019 at 01:25 pm
      Reply

      "Agreed—keeping permission checks close to controllers reduces surprises."

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