Row Level Security
Row Level Security (RLS) is a database security feature that restricts access to specific rows in a database table based on user attributes or roles. It enables fine-grained data access control by applying security policies directly at the database level, ensuring users only see data they are authorized to view. This is commonly implemented in relational databases like PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Oracle to enforce data privacy and compliance requirements.
Developers should learn and use RLS when building applications that require strict data segregation, such as multi-tenant SaaS platforms, healthcare systems with HIPAA compliance, or financial applications with role-based data access. It centralizes security logic in the database, reducing the risk of application-level bugs exposing sensitive data and simplifying audit trails for regulatory compliance.