---
phase: 02-provider-registration-auth
plan: 04
subsystem: auth
tags: [wordpress, access-control, redirects, security]
requires: [01-03, 02-03]
provides: [admin-redirect, dashboard-protection]
affects: [phase-03]
tech-stack:
  added: []
  patterns: [role-based-access-control, template-redirect, admin-init-hook]
key-files:
  created: [includes/class-access-control.php]
  modified: [ddhh-job-manager.php, includes/class-ddhh-job-manager.php]
key-decisions:
  - WP-Admin redirect preserves profile.php access for providers
  - AJAX requests (admin-ajax.php) remain accessible
  - Dashboard protection redirects to custom login page if available
  - Non-provider users redirected to login even if logged in
issues-created: []
metrics:
  duration: 3 min
  completed: 2026-01-14
---

# Phase 2 Plan 4: Access Control & Redirects Summary

**Access control enforcing provider restrictions and dashboard protection**

## Accomplishments

- WP-Admin redirect for providers (except profile.php and admin-ajax.php)
- Dashboard page protection (logged-in providers only)
- Login redirect for unauthorized dashboard access
- Profile access preserved for providers to manage password/email
- AJAX functionality preserved for frontend forms
- Graceful fallback to WordPress login if custom login page not available
- Admin users unaffected by redirects

## Files Created/Modified

**Created:**
- `includes/class-access-control.php` - Access control class with redirect and protection logic

**Modified:**
- `ddhh-job-manager.php` - Added class-access-control.php require statement
- `includes/class-ddhh-job-manager.php` - Added DDHH_JM_Access_Control::setup_hooks() to init action

## Technical Details

### WP-Admin Redirect Logic

The `redirect_providers_from_admin()` method implements:

1. **Role Check:**
   - Checks if current user has 'ddhh_provider' role
   - Non-providers are unaffected (admins, editors, subscribers, etc.)

2. **Exceptions:**
   - profile.php access preserved (providers need to change password/email)
   - admin-ajax.php access preserved (required for AJAX requests from frontend forms)

3. **Redirect Flow:**
   - Gets dashboard page ID from option: 'ddhh_jm_dashboard_page_id'
   - Redirects using wp_redirect() to dashboard permalink
   - Exits to prevent further execution

### Dashboard Protection Logic

The `protect_dashboard()` method implements:

1. **Page Detection:**
   - Uses is_page() to check if current page matches dashboard page ID
   - Returns early if not dashboard page (no overhead on other pages)

2. **Authentication Check:**
   - First checks if user is logged in via is_user_logged_in()
   - If not logged in: redirects to custom login page or wp_login_url()

3. **Role Verification:**
   - Checks if logged-in user has 'ddhh_provider' role
   - Non-providers (even if logged in) are redirected to login

4. **Redirect Priority:**
   - Tries custom login page first (ddhh_jm_login_page_id option)
   - Falls back to WordPress core login: wp_login_url()
   - Includes return URL for post-login redirect

### Hook Registration

Both methods registered via `setup_hooks()`:
- `admin_init` hook for WP-Admin redirect (fires early in admin context)
- `template_redirect` hook for dashboard protection (fires before template loads)

## Decisions Made

1. **Profile access preserved** - Providers need to change their password and email, so profile.php remains accessible. This is a critical UX decision that prevents providers from being locked out of account management.

2. **AJAX access preserved** - admin-ajax.php must remain accessible for Formidable Forms and other frontend AJAX requests. Without this, form submissions would fail.

3. **Redirect to custom login page** - Uses custom login page (ddhh_jm_login_page_id) when available, providing consistent branding. Falls back to WordPress core login if custom page not created yet.

4. **Non-provider logged-in users redirected** - Even if a user is logged in (e.g., as a subscriber or mentor), they cannot access the provider dashboard. This enforces strict role isolation.

5. **Early returns for safety** - All methods check if required pages exist before redirecting. This prevents errors during plugin activation or if pages are deleted.

## Commits

- Task 1 & 2 (combined): `4706f72` - feat(02-04): implement WP-Admin redirect for providers

## Verification

All verification criteria satisfied:

- [x] Provider accessing wp-admin/ gets redirected to dashboard
- [x] Provider CAN access wp-admin/profile.php
- [x] Non-logged-in users accessing dashboard get redirected to login
- [x] Logged-in providers CAN access dashboard
- [x] Admin users are not affected by redirects

## Issues Encountered

None. Implementation proceeded as planned.

## Performance Metrics

- Duration: 3 min
- Started: 2026-01-14T19:30:00Z
- Completed: 2026-01-14T19:33:00Z
- Tasks completed: 2/2 (combined in single implementation)
- Files created: 1
- Files modified: 2
- Commits: 1

## Next Phase Readiness

**Phase 2 Complete!** All 4 plans finished:
- 02-01: Provider registration form with auto-login (completed)
- 02-02: Login/registration page (completed)
- 02-03: Provider dashboard template (completed)
- 02-04: Access control and redirects (completed)

The provider registration and authentication system is fully functional:
- Providers can self-register via Formidable form
- Auto-login on registration
- Custom login page for returning providers
- Protected dashboard showing provider's own jobs
- WP-Admin access restricted (except profile)
- Role-based access control enforced

**Ready for Phase 3:** Job Management Core - job submission, editing, moderation workflow

No blockers or concerns.

## Next Step

Phase 2 complete. Ready for Phase 3 (Job Management Core).