---
type: api
title: Create or update roles
description: Create or update multiple Kibana roles in a single request.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/kibana/v9/operation/operation-post-security-roles
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/kibana/v9/operation/operation-post-security-roles
products:
  - Kibana
---

# Create or update roles

- Server: `https://{kibana_url}`

## Paths

- `POST` `/api/security/roles`

## Description

Create or update multiple Kibana roles in a single request.

## Authentication

- Api key: `Authorization: <value>`
  These APIs use key-based authentication. You must create an API key and use the encoded value in the request header. For example: `Authorization: ApiKey base64AccessApiKey`
- Basic: `Authorization: Basic <credentials>`

## Header parameters

- `kbn-xsrf` (string) — required
  A required header to protect against CSRF attacks

## Request body

`application/json`

- `roles` (map string to object) — required
  Map values (object)
  - `description` (string · max length: 2048) — optional
    A description for the role.
  - `elasticsearch` (object) — required
    The Elasticsearch cluster, index, and remote cluster security privileges for the role.
    - `cluster` (string[] · max items: 100) — optional
    - `indices` (object[] · max items: 1000) — optional
      - `allow_restricted_indices` (boolean) — optional
        Restricted indices are a special category of indices that are used internally to store configuration data and should not be directly accessed. Only internal system roles should normally grant privileges over the restricted indices. Toggling this flag is very strongly discouraged because it could effectively grant unrestricted operations on critical data, making the entire system unstable or leaking sensitive information. If for administrative purposes you need to create a role with privileges covering restricted indices, however, you can set this property to true. In that case, the names field covers the restricted indices too.
      - `field_security` (map string to string) — optional
        Map values (string[] · max items: 1000)
      - `names` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
      - `privileges` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
      - `query` (string) — optional
        A search query that defines the documents the role members have read access to. A document within the specified data streams and indices must match this query in order for it to be accessible by the role members.
    - `remote_cluster` (object[] · max items: 100) — optional
      - `clusters` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
      - `privileges` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
    - `remote_indices` (object[] · max items: 1000) — optional
      - `allow_restricted_indices` (boolean) — optional
        Restricted indices are a special category of indices that are used internally to store configuration data and should not be directly accessed. Only internal system roles should normally grant privileges over the restricted indices. Toggling this flag is very strongly discouraged because it could effectively grant unrestricted operations on critical data, making the entire system unstable or leaking sensitive information. If for administrative purposes you need to create a role with privileges covering restricted indices, however, you can set this property to true. In that case, the names field will cover the restricted indices too.
      - `clusters` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
      - `field_security` (map string to string) — optional
        Map values (string[] · max items: 1000)
      - `names` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
      - `privileges` (string[] · min items: 1 · max items: 100) — required
      - `query` (string) — optional
        A search query that defines the documents the role members have read access to. A document within the specified data streams and indices must match this query in order for it to be accessible by the role members.
    - `run_as` (string[] · max items: 100) — optional
  - `kibana` (object[] · max items: 1000) — optional
    - `base` (union string[]) — required
      One of: `string[]`
    - `feature` (map string to string) — optional
      Map values (string[] · max items: 100)
    - `spaces` (union enum[] | string[] · default: [
  "*"
]) — optional
      Values: `*`
  - `metadata` (map string to object) — optional

## Response

Indicates a successful call.

`application/json`

- `created` (string[])
- `errors` (map string to object)
  Map values (object)
  - `reason` (string)
    A human readable error reason.
  - `type` (string)
    The error type.
- `noop` (string[])
- `updated` (string[])
## Code examples

#### Console

```console
POST kbn:/api/security/roles
{
  "roles": {
    "my_kibana_role": {
      "elasticsearch": {
        "cluster": [
          "monitor"
        ],
        "indices": [
          {
            "names": [
              "logs-*"
            ],
            "privileges": [
              "read"
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      "kibana": [
        {
          "base": [
            "read"
          ],
          "feature": {},
          "spaces": [
            "default"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X POST "${KIBANA_URL}/api/security/roles" \
  -H "kbn-xsrf: true" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey ${API_KEY}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "roles": {
      "my_kibana_role": {
        "elasticsearch": {
          "cluster": [
            "monitor"
          ],
          "indices": [
            {
              "names": [
                "logs-*"
              ],
              "privileges": [
                "read"
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        "kibana": [
          {
            "base": [
              "read"
            ],
            "feature": {},
            "spaces": [
              "default"
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }'
```

## Response examples

#### Bulk create or update roles

```json
{
  "created": [
    "my_kibana_role"
  ],
  "noop": [],
  "updated": []
}
```