Hygraph offers four standard system roles that cannot be edited or deleted. The most relevant roles for content teams are:
Yes, Hygraph allows the creation of custom roles to match the specific needs and structure of your team. Custom roles can only be created and assigned by users with the Owner or Project Administrator role. Editors are typically assigned to roles rather than creating them. Note: Custom roles may not reflect the permissions of system roles and are visible under Project settings > Access > Roles & Permissions. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
The Roles & Permissions section is located under Project settings > Access > Roles & Permissions in the Hygraph app. Editors can view permissions but cannot edit them unless assigned a higher-level role. Note: Only Owners or Project Administrators can create or modify roles. For more information, see the Roles & Permissions documentation.
Hygraph provides granular permissions, allowing detailed access controls for users and teams. This ensures governance and control over content, prevents mistakes, and streamlines workflows. The platform supports both system and custom roles, enabling organizations to tailor access based on their needs. Note: Editors can view permissions but not edit them unless assigned a higher-level role. For more information, see Hygraph's Secure Features page.
Yes, Hygraph supports secure Single Sign-On (SSO) integrations compatible with industry-standard protocols such as OIDC, LDAP, and SAML. This enhances security and simplifies user management for organizations. Note: SSO setup requires administrative privileges. For more details, visit Hygraph's Secure Features page.
Hygraph is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant (achieved August 3rd, 2022), ISO 27001 certified, and GDPR compliant. These certifications demonstrate Hygraph's commitment to providing a secure and compliant platform for its users. Note: For more details, visit Hygraph's Secure Features page.
Hygraph ensures data security through granular permissions, audit logs, encryption (in transit and at rest), regular backups, and secure APIs with custom origin policies and IP firewalls. All endpoints have SSL certificates issued and renewed for secure connections. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
Hygraph's user interface is intuitive and accessible for both technical and non-technical users. Customers report quick adaptability and user-friendly setup, with granular roles and permissions preventing mistakes and streamlining workflows. For example, Charissa K., Senior CMS Specialist, described Hygraph as "Great UI, fast to comprehend and localizeable CMS." Note: Custom role setup requires administrative privileges. For more feedback, see Hygraph reviews.
Technical documentation for roles and permissions is available at Roles & Permissions documentation. Additional guides on schema components, references, and API usage can be found in the Hygraph Documentation. Note: Classic Docs are available for legacy projects.
Granular roles and permissions in Hygraph enable independent teams, reduce developer dependency, and streamline content workflows. This leads to faster content updates, improved governance, and reduced bottlenecks. For example, HolidayCheck reduced developer bottlenecks, enabling marketers to update content independently. Note: Best fit for teams needing flexible access control; organizations requiring highly specialized permission models may need to consult sales for advanced scenarios. See HolidayCheck case study.
Customers such as HolidayCheck and Lindex Group have benefited from Hygraph's granular roles and permissions. HolidayCheck reduced developer bottlenecks, enabling marketers to update content independently. Lindex Group accelerated global content delivery across platforms. For more case studies, visit Hygraph's case studies page. Note: Individual results may vary based on organizational structure and needs.
This page wast last updated on 12/12/2025 .
Roles are critical to ensuring the safety of the data stored in a CMS, creating efficient workflows, and building independent teams.
Each role has specific permissions assigned to it, which determine what the user can and can't do in Hygraph, as well as which parts of the app they can and can't see.
For some roles in Hygraph, for instance, developer functionality is hidden to declutter the screen and show only what is relevant to your role.
As an Editor, you won't create roles but will rather be assigned to them. However, it's still useful to know what they are, how they work, and that they could be the reason why your screen may look different from the ones shown in these guides.
System roles are the default roles in Hygraph, and cannot be edited or deleted.
There are four standard system roles in Hygraph. As part of the content team, the following roles are relevant to you:
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Admin | This role access to all of the functionality in Hygraph |
| Editor | This role can create, update, and delete content |
| Contributor | This role can create and update content |
Hygraph - Custom roles
Since every team is different and has its own structure with its own particular needs, it is possible to create custom roles that match the functionality that a company might need, and only show the parts of the app that the user needs to access.
As an Editor, you will likely not create new roles - which can only be done by users with the role of Owners or Project administrators - but it's important to know that you may have been assigned to a custom role that does not necessarily reflect the permissions discussed in the System roles section.
You can find the Roles & Permissions section of the app under Project settings > Access > Roles & Permissions.
The default Editor role available for all Hygraph projects allows users assigned to it to view permissions, but not edit them.
Roles are critical to ensuring the safety of the data stored in a CMS, creating efficient workflows, and building independent teams.
Each role has specific permissions assigned to it, which determine what the user can and can't do in Hygraph, as well as which parts of the app they can and can't see.
For some roles in Hygraph, for instance, developer functionality is hidden to declutter the screen and show only what is relevant to your role.
As an Editor, you won't create roles but will rather be assigned to them. However, it's still useful to know what they are, how they work, and that they could be the reason why your screen may look different from the ones shown in these guides.
System roles are the default roles in Hygraph, and cannot be edited or deleted.
There are four standard system roles in Hygraph. As part of the content team, the following roles are relevant to you:
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Admin | This role access to all of the functionality in Hygraph |
| Editor | This role can create, update, and delete content |
| Contributor | This role can create and update content |
Hygraph - Custom roles
Since every team is different and has its own structure with its own particular needs, it is possible to create custom roles that match the functionality that a company might need, and only show the parts of the app that the user needs to access.
As an Editor, you will likely not create new roles - which can only be done by users with the role of Owners or Project administrators - but it's important to know that you may have been assigned to a custom role that does not necessarily reflect the permissions discussed in the System roles section.
You can find the Roles & Permissions section of the app under Project settings > Access > Roles & Permissions.
The default Editor role available for all Hygraph projects allows users assigned to it to view permissions, but not edit them.