GUEST_ACCOUNT.md

Guest Account Implementation

This document explains the implementation of the guest account feature in the Unixify application.

Overview

The application now automatically logs in users as a "guest" account when they access the system without authentication. This provides a unified experience where:

1. All users are technically "authenticated" but with different permission levels
2. Guest users are clearly identified in the UI
3. A consistent navigation experience is maintained for all users

How It Works

1. Automatic Guest Login

When a user accesses the application without a valid authentication token, the system:

1. Automatically creates a guest token in localStorage
2. Sets up a guest user profile with username "guest"
3. Displays the guest account in the navigation bar
4. Applies read-only permissions to all UI elements

2. Guest User Interface

The guest user experience includes:

• A yellow "Guest Account (Read-Only)" indicator in the navbar
• A special yellow dashed avatar with "G" (for Guest)
• A user dropdown menu showing the guest username and role
• Disabled edit buttons throughout the interface
• A "Register Now" banner encouraging account creation

3. Authentication Flow

The authentication system manages three states:

1. Not Authenticated: No token of any kind (redirects to login)
2. Guest User: Has a guest token (read-only access)
3. Authenticated User: Has a regular auth token (permissions based on role)

4. Technical Implementation

The guest account is implemented through:

• A guest_token in localStorage that identifies guest sessions
• A isGuestUser() function that differentiates between guest and regular users
• Special CSS styling for guest UI elements
• Modified permission checking to recognize and handle guest accounts
• Updated templates to display guest-specific UI elements

Testing the Guest Account

Using the Simplified Server

1. Run the simplified server:

cd /home/pfrederi/code/github.com/home/unixify/feature/UNO-861-acc-man
PORT=8083 go run cmd/simplified/main.go

2. Access the application at http://localhost:8083
3. You'll be automatically logged in as the guest user
4. To test regular authentication, use the login page with:
   • Username: admin
   • Password: admin

Using the Login API

The application provides a mock login API that accepts:

• Guest login: username "guest" with any password
• Admin login: username "admin" with password "admin"

Example:

// Guest login
fetch('/api/auth/login', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({ username: 'guest', password: 'anything' })
})

Benefits

The guest account approach provides several benefits:

1. Unified Code Path: The code can treat all users as authenticated, simplifying logic
2. Clear Visual Indicators: Users always know their current access level
3. Smoother UX: No jarring transitions between authenticated and non-authenticated states
4. Easy Registration Path: Clear path for users to upgrade from guest to registered user
5. Permission Management: Centralized permission system that works for all user types