permission_search
Search and explore Drupal permissions efficiently. Quickly find permissions by keyword or open module-specific permission pages instead of loading the entire permissions screen.
Features
Permission Search improves the default Drupal permissions interface by providing a fast, lightweight way to locate and manage permissions. Instead of loading the large /admin/people/permissions page with every module at once, it introduces a focused search and navigation tool for administrators.
- Search permissions by name or description using simple keywords or masks (
*and?wildcards supported). - Filter by module — open the permissions list for a specific module directly.
- Unified “Go” button — automatically decides whether to search or open a module page.
- Grouped module list — separates Core and Contrib/Custom modules for easier browsing.
- Performance-friendly — avoids rendering hundreds of permission checkboxes at once.
- Safe rendering of permission titles and markup as provided by Drupal core or modules.
Use cases:
- Large Drupal installations with many modules where the full permissions page is slow or unwieldy.
- Site builders or administrators searching for a specific permission (e.g., “menu” or “export”) without scrolling endlessly.
- Developers auditing which module defines a given permission.
Post-Installation
After installation, go to /admin/people/permissions/search (or People → Permission Search in the admin menu).
- Type part of a permission name or description (e.g.,
node,menu,administer *) and click Go to view matching permissions. - Or choose a module from the dropdown and click Go to open that module’s permissions page.
- If both fields are empty, the form displays a helpful message.
No configuration or extra permissions are needed — it works immediately for users with the core “administer permissions” right.
Additional Requirements
- No dependencies beyond Drupal core.
- Compatible with Drupal 10.3 and later, including Drupal 11.
- Requires PHP 8.1+ (as per Drupal core requirements).
Recommended modules/libraries
- Admin Toolbar – provides faster access to the Permission Search link under the People section.
- Coffee or Gin Toolbar Search – make it even quicker to open the permission search page.
Similar projects
- Permissions Filter – adds a client-side filter but doesn’t reduce the number of loaded modules.Built-in to Drupal since 10.3
Permission Search differs by performing server-side filtering and module selection before the page is rendered, providing much better performance on large sites.
Supporting this Module
Issues, feature requests, and merge requests are welcome in the project issue queue. If you find this tool useful in your workflow, please consider contributing feedback or patches through Drupal.org.
Community Documentation
No external documentation or demo videos are currently provided. All functionality is accessible directly from the admin UI and self-documenting via form labels.
Additional Information
- Developed and maintained for Drupal 10–11 administration environments with large numbers of installed modules.
- Focuses on usability, performance, and code clarity — no external dependencies or JavaScript libraries required.