A method to generate a role-based user interface to be presented to a user includes processing a security-relevant portion of user interface code associated with an application, determining a permission by processing application role information pertaining to the user and security policy information, wherein the security policy information is distinct from the user interface code, and associated with the security-relevant portion of the user interface code and with permissions relating to the application, and generating the role-based user interface associated with the application to selectively include a user interface element based upon the determined permission.