# rpk security role describe

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: rpk security role describe
latest-operator-version: v26.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.10.0
latest-connect-version: 4.105.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.2.1
docname: rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-role-describe
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-role-describe.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-role-describe.adoc
description: Describe a Redpanda role. This command describes a role, including the ACLs associated to the role, and lists members who are assigned the role.
page-git-created-date: "2024-07-25"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-08-11"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-role-describe.md -->

Describe a Redpanda role.

This command describes a role, including the ACLs associated to the role, and lists members who are assigned the role.

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk security role describe <role> [flags]
```

## [](#aliases)Aliases

```bash
rpk security role info
```

## [](#examples)Examples

This section provides examples of how to use `rpk security role describe`.

Describe the role `red` (print members and ACLs).

```bash
rpk security role describe red
```

Print only the members of role `red`.

```bash
rpk security role describe red --print-members
```

Print only the ACL associated to the role `red`.

```bash
rpk security role describe red --print-permissions
```

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| -a, --print-all | bool | Print all sections. |
| -m, --print-members | bool | Print the members section. |
| -p, --print-permissions | bool | Print the role permissions section. |

## [](#global-flags)Global flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --config | string | Redpanda or rpk config file; default search paths are ~/.config/rpk/rpk.yaml, $PWD/redpanda.yaml, and /etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml. |
| -X, --config-opt | stringArray | Override rpk configuration settings; -X help for detail or -X list for terser detail. |
| --ignore-profile | bool | Ignore rpk.yaml and redpanda.yaml; use default settings. |
| --profile | string | rpk profile to use. |
| -v, --verbose | bool | Enable verbose logging. |