Everything You Need to Know about AWS’ Cedar Policy Language
Tags: cloudnative, security, cedar, programming
Published: 2023-07-02 10:08:25

If you're working with AWS, or in general with application level permissions, you'll want to get familiar with Cedar, a new policy-as-code language developed by AWS. It's a game-changer for policy management and access control, introducing a structured and scalable way to manage permissions. Here's a compilation of key articles that delve into Cedar's capabilities and potential:

1.  [AWS Cedar: A Game Changer for IAM](https://www.permit.io/blog/oss-aws-cedar-is-a-gamechanger-for-iam)

    This article provides a comprehensive overview of Cedar and why it's a significant advancement for IAM management. It discusses how Cedar simplifies policy creation, enhances scalability, and improves security, all while remaining open-source and easy to adopt. This is a must-read for anyone wanting to grasp the basics of Cedar.

2.  [Cedar and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)](https://www.permit.io/blog/cedar-rbac)

    Learn about the intersection of Cedar and RBAC in this article. It covers how Cedar takes RBAC a step further, allowing for fine-grained, context-aware permission control. The piece also explores Cedar's role in a range of situations, from simple access control to complex use cases.

3.  [Authorization and Cedar: A New Way to Manage Permissions Part I](https://dev.to/aws-builders/authorization-and-cedar-a-new-way-to-manage-permissions-part-i-1nid)

    This deep dive into Cedar's role in managing permissions is the first of a two-part series. It discusses how Cedar offers a more efficient and secure way to manage permissions, with a focus on the basics of writing Cedar policies and using Cedar to enhance authorization.

4.  [Scaling Authorization with Cedar and Opal](https://www.permit.io/blog/scaling-authorization-with-cedar-and-opal)

    This post details how Cedar and Opal can work together to create scalable, robust authorization systems. It covers the benefits of using these tools together, including the increased flexibility, improved security, and better scalability that result from their synergy.

5.  [Cedar: Questions and Answers](https://www.permit.io/blog/cedar-qna)

    If you have questions about Cedar, this article has answers. From the basics of what Cedar is and how it works, to more complex inquiries about specific use cases and compatibility, this comprehensive Q&A is a helpful resource for understanding Cedar.

6.  [OPA vs Cedar: A Comparative Analysis](https://www.permit.io/blog/opa-vs-cedar)

    This article provides a comparative analysis between Cedar and Open Policy Agent (OPA), another popular open-source policy-as-code framework. It outlines their respective strengths and weaknesses, and offers insights into why you might choose one over the other.

7.  [Cedar Awesome: A Community Project](https://github.com/cedar-policy/cedar-awesome)

    This GitHub repository is a curated list of resources, articles, tools, and other materials related to Cedar. It's a community project designed to promote the understanding and usage of Cedar. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced user, you'll find something helpful here.

Cedar is an innovative tool that significantly simplifies and enhances IAM management on AWS. Its policy-as-code language provides unprecedented control, flexibility, and scalability. Take the time to explore these resources and understand how you can leverage Cedar's capabilities in your AWS environment.