Team Management | Knapsack Documentation

Overview

The Knapsack Design System Platform uses a role-based permissions system to control access to specific features and functionalities. This ensures that users can only access the parts of the platform that are relevant to their role, maintaining security and organization within your workspace. This section provides an overview of the different user roles, their permissions, and how to manage users within the platform.

User Roles


Admin	Has full control over the design system platform, including managing users, permissions, and system-wide settings. Can create, edit, and delete components, guidelines, and documentation.
Contributor	Can create, edit, and update design assets, components, and documentation within the platform. Typically responsible for maintaining and evolving the design system.
Consumer	Uses the design system’s components and guidelines to build products or interfaces. Can access and implement design assets but cannot modify them.
Viewer	Has read-only access to the design system. Can browse and reference components, guidelines, and documentation but cannot make any changes.

Permissions

Branching & Publishing

In Knapsack, branching is required to make any changes to ensure stability, prevent accidental errors, and allow multiple updates to be worked on simultaneously without conflicts. Think of it as a copy of your workspace where updates can be tested and refined before being finalized.

When a team member wants to make a change, they first create a branch. This allows them to work on updates safely without disrupting the published version. Once the changes are complete and reviewed, they can be published.

	Admin	Contributor	Consumer	Viewer
Can create a branch	✅	✅	✅	❌
Can request review	✅	✅	✅	❌
Can publish changes	✅	❌	❌	❌
Can delete their branches	✅	✅	✅	❌
Can delete any branch	✅	❌	❌	❌

Section Access

Knapsack is organized into different sections to help teams manage their design system efficiently. Each section plays a key role in maintaining a well-structured and scalable design system.

Design - Connect design sources and manage design tokens and variables.
Document - Create and share guidelines, best practices, and documentation for your system.
Patterns - Store reusable components and design patterns to ensure consistency across projects.
Prototype - Build and test interactive prototypes before finalizing designs.
Settings - Manage system configurations, permissions, and overall project settings.

	Admin	Contributor	Consumer	Viewer
Design: Can Access	✅	✅	❌	❌
Design: Can Edit	✅	✅	❌	❌
Document: Can Access	✅	✅	✅	✅
Document: Can Edit	✅	✅	❌	❌
Patterns: Can Access	✅	✅	❌	❌
Patterns: Can Edit	✅	✅	❌	❌
Prototype: Can Access	✅	✅	✅	❌
Prototype: Can Edit	✅	✅	✅	❌
Settings: Can Access	✅	✅	❌	❌
Settings: Can Edit	✅	✅	❌	❌

User Management

	Admin	Contributor	Consumer	Viewer
Can invite users At or below their level	✅	✅	✅	✅
Can change users role	✅	❌	❌	❌
Can remove users	✅	❌	❌	❌

Inviting Users

Control Workspace Access by Inviting and Managing Users with Ease.