# rpk security role

> 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
latest-operator-version: v26.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.9.0
latest-connect-version: 4.104.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.2.1
docname: rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-role
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.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-role.adoc
page-git-created-date: "2024-07-25"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

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

Manage Redpanda roles.

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk security role [flags]
```

## [](#aliases)Aliases

```bash
rpk security access
rpk security roles
```

## [](#subcommands)Subcommands

| Command | Description |
| --- | --- |
| rpk security role assign | Assign a Redpanda role to a principal. The --principal flag accepts principals with the format '<PrincipalPrefix>:<Principal>'. |
| rpk security role create | Create a role in Redpanda. After creating a role you may bind ACLs to the role using the --allow-role flag in the rpk security acl create command. |
| rpk security role delete | Delete a role in Redpanda. This action will remove all associated ACLs from the role and unassign members. |
| rpk security role describe | Describe a Redpanda role. This command describes a role, including the ACLs associated to the role, and lists members who are assigned the role. |
| rpk security role list | List roles created in Redpanda. |
| rpk security role unassign | Unassign a Redpanda role from a principal. The --principal flag accepts principals with the format '<PrincipalPrefix>:<Principal>'. |

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --format | string | Output format (json,yaml,text,wide,help). |

## [](#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. |