Adding permission validations from authz for Course Updates

[jacobo-dominguez-wgu]

Description

This pr add the permission validations for the Course Updates section on the Content menu from the header.
First this validates the enableAuthzCourseAuthoring waffle flag and if it is enabled it checks the permissions from authz over the course updates section.
These are the checks included:

• Checks for the courses.view_course_updates permission to display or hide the Course Updates option on the header menu.
• Checks for courses.manage_course_updates to display or hide the "+ New update" button and the edit and remove icon buttons for the available course updates and course handouts.

Resolves #2932

Supporting information

Depends on backend ticket openedx/openedx-authz#191

Testing instructions

Prerequisites

• Access to a course in Studio
• Ability to toggle the enableAuthzCourseAuthoring waffle flag
• Access to the authz service to configure user permissions

Test Scenarios

1. Authz Disabled (Legacy Behavior)

Setup: Ensure enableAuthzCourseAuthoring waffle flag is disabled

Step	Expected Result
Navigate to Course Updates page	Page loads normally
Verify "New update" button	Button is visible and enabled
Verify edit/delete buttons on existing updates	All edit and delete buttons are visible
Verify handouts edit button	Edit button is visible

2. Authz Enabled — User Has Full Permissions

Setup:

• Enable enableAuthzCourseAuthoring waffle flag
• Grant user both courses.view_course_updates and courses.manage_course_updates permissions

Step	Expected Result
Navigate to Course Updates page	Page loads normally
Verify "New update" button	Button is visible and enabled
Verify edit/delete buttons on existing updates	All edit and delete buttons are visible
Create a new update	Update is created successfully
Edit an existing update	Update is saved successfully
Delete an update	Update is deleted successfully
Edit handouts	Handouts are saved successfully

3. Authz Enabled — User Has View-Only Permissions

Setup:

• Enable enableAuthzCourseAuthoring waffle flag
• Grant user only courses.view_course_updates permission (no manage permission)

Step	Expected Result
Navigate to Course Updates page	Page loads normally, content is visible
Verify "New update" button	Button is NOT visible
Verify edit buttons on existing updates	Edit buttons are NOT visible
Verify delete buttons on existing updates	Delete buttons are NOT visible
Verify handouts edit button	Edit button is NOT visible
Verify updates content	All existing updates and handouts content is readable

4. Authz Enabled — User Has No Permissions

Setup:

• Enable enableAuthzCourseAuthoring waffle flag
• Remove both courses.view_course_updates and courses.manage_course_updates permissions

Step	Expected Result
Navigate to Course Updates page	"Permission Denied" alert is displayed
Verify page content	Course updates content is NOT visible
Verify "New update" button	Button is NOT visible

Best Practices Checklist

We're trying to move away from some deprecated patterns in this codebase. Please
check if your PR meets these recommendations before asking for a review:

• Any new files are using TypeScript (.ts, .tsx).
• Avoid propTypes and defaultProps in any new or modified code.
• Tests should use the helpers in src/testUtils.tsx (specifically initializeMocks)
• Do not add new fields to the Redux state/store. Use React Context to share state among multiple components.
• Use React Query to load data from REST APIs. See any apiHooks.ts in this repo for examples.
• All new i18n messages in messages.ts files have a description for translators to use.
• Avoid using ../ in import paths. To import from parent folders, use @src, e.g. import { initializeMocks } from '@src/testUtils'; instead of from '../../../../testUtils'

[openedx-webhooks]

Thanks for the pull request, @jacobo-dominguez-wgu!

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[codecov]

Codecov Report

✅ All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests.
✅ Project coverage is 95.57%. Comparing base (36d42b0) to head (40add9e).

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master    #2938      +/-   ##
==========================================
+ Coverage   95.55%   95.57%   +0.02%     
==========================================
  Files        1393     1393              
  Lines       32992    33023      +31     
  Branches     7644     7659      +15     
==========================================
+ Hits        31524    31561      +37     
+ Misses       1413     1408       -5     
+ Partials       55       54       -1     

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[MaferMazu]

@jacobo-dominguez-wgu Is this ready for review?
The backend PR is already merged.

[jacobo-dominguez-wgu]

@jacobo-dominguez-wgu Is this ready for review? The backend PR is already merged.

Yes, I will address the conflicts and mark it as ready.

[MaferMazu]

@jacobo-dominguez-wgu thanks for this PR.
It works ✨
But I had a comment: when the user hasn't managed_course_updates, it doesn't show the options, but before that, it loads all the views.
I think it is easier if you see it:

Screencast.from.2026-05-14.12-52-25.webm

Also, I asked Gemini about major issues, and it told me the following:

1. Hook Logic Error
   File: src/authz/hooks.ts

Lines: ~113-120 (within useUserPermissionsWithAuthzCourse)

Feedback:

"If isAuthzEnabled is false, isLoadingUserPermissions might remain true (or undefined), blocking the else if block. This will trigger a false PermissionDenied for all users when the waffle flag is disabled. Please move the true fallback logic outside of the loading check if authorization is disabled."

2. Missing Loading State (UX)
   File: src/course-updates/CourseUpdates.tsx

Line: ~66 (before the first if)

Feedback:

"The isLoading state returned by the hook is not being validated. Currently, while the permissions API is fetching, the variables will be undefined, causing the component to briefly render the PermissionDeniedAlert before the actual content appears (flicker). Please add a loading guard here."

Being honest, I don't know much about this, or if any of these issues may be causing the weird loading in the interface. So please, feel free to judge this feedback.

[bra-i-am]

When the permissions validation is loading, the UI flashes the buttons, I can click them, and just when the permissions request finishes, the buttons are hidden:

Screencast.from.15-05-26.16.49.04.webm

I'd say it would be better if, while the permissions validation is loading, those buttons are hidden... or what do you opine?

[bra-i-am]

Perfect! Thanks for addressing my comments ✨

[jacobo-dominguez-wgu]

flashes the buttons, I can click them, and just when the

Grabacion.de.pantalla.2026-05-15.a.la.s.4.27.58.p.m.mov

I have added a loading spinner to show while the permissions are loading so we do not display an incorrect UI.
Thanks for catching this!