:_mod-docs-content-type: CONCEPT

// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// overview/assembly-overview-components.adoc

[id='overview-concepts-user-operator-{context}']
= User Operator

[role="_abstract"]
The User Operator provides a way of managing users in a Kafka cluster through `KafkaUser` resources.
The Cluster Operator can deploy the User Operator as part of the *Entity Operator* configuration at the same time as a Kafka cluster.
The operator can also be deployed standalone to help manage users for Kafka clusters not operated by Strimzi.

The User Operator manages Kafka users for a Kafka cluster by watching for `KafkaUser` resources that describe Kafka users,
and ensuring that they are configured properly in the Kafka cluster.

When a `KafkaUser` is created, deleted, or changed, the User Operator performs the corresponding action on the Kafka user.

You can declare a `KafkaUser` resource as part of your application's deployment and the User Operator manages the Kafka user for you.
You can specify the authentication and authorization mechanism for the user.
You can also configure _user quotas_ that control usage of Kafka resources to ensure, for example, that a user does not monopolize access to a broker.

When the user is created, the user credentials are created in a `Secret`.
Your application needs to use the user and its credentials for authentication and to produce or consume messages.

In addition to managing credentials for authentication, the User Operator also manages authorization rules by including a description of the user's access rights in the `KafkaUser` declaration.
