## Create a contact

`$ lightfield contact create`

**post** `/v1/contacts`

Creates a new contact record.

After creation, Lightfield automatically enriches the contact in the background.

Supports idempotency via the `Idempotency-Key` header.

To avoid duplicates, we recommend a find-or-create pattern — use <u>[list filtering](/using-the-api/list-endpoints/#filtering)</u> to check if a record exists before creating.

**[Required scope](/using-the-api/scopes/):** `contacts:create`

**[Rate limit category](/using-the-api/rate-limits/):** Write

### Parameters

- `--fields: object { "$email", "$name", "$profilePhotoUrl" }`

  Field values for the new contact. System fields use a `$` prefix (e.g. `$email`, `$name`); custom attributes use their bare slug. Note: `$name` is an object `{ firstName, lastName }`, not a plain string. Call the <u>[definitions endpoint](/api/resources/contact/methods/definitions)</u> to discover available fields and their types. See <u>[Fields and relationships](/using-the-api/fields-and-relationships/)</u> for value type details.

- `--relationships: optional object { "$account" }`

  Relationships to set on the new contact. System relationships use a `$` prefix (e.g. `$account`); custom relationships use their bare slug. Each value is a single entity ID or an array of IDs. Call the <u>[definitions endpoint](/api/resources/contact/methods/definitions)</u> to list available relationship keys.

### Returns

- `contact_create_response: object { id, createdAt, fields, 4 more }`

  - `id: string`

    Unique identifier for the entity.

  - `createdAt: string`

    ISO 8601 timestamp of when the entity was created.

  - `fields: map[object { value, valueType } ]`

    Map of field names to their typed values. System fields are prefixed with `$` (e.g. `$name`, `$email`); custom attributes use their bare slug.

    - `value: string or number or boolean or 3 more`

      The field value, or null if unset.

      - `union_member_0: string`

      - `union_member_1: number`

      - `union_member_2: boolean`

      - `union_member_3: array of string`

      - `Address: object { city, country, latitude, 5 more }`

        - `city: optional string`

          City name.

        - `country: optional string`

          2-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.

        - `latitude: optional number`

          Latitude coordinate.

        - `longitude: optional number`

          Longitude coordinate.

        - `postalCode: optional string`

          Postal or ZIP code.

        - `state: optional string`

          State or province.

        - `street: optional string`

          Street address line 1.

        - `street2: optional string`

          Street address line 2.

      - `FullName: object { firstName, lastName }`

        - `firstName: optional string`

          The contact's first name.

        - `lastName: optional string`

          The contact's last name.

    - `valueType: "ADDRESS" or "CHECKBOX" or "CURRENCY" or 11 more`

      The data type of the field.

      - `"ADDRESS"`

      - `"CHECKBOX"`

      - `"CURRENCY"`

      - `"DATETIME"`

      - `"EMAIL"`

      - `"FULL_NAME"`

      - `"MARKDOWN"`

      - `"MULTI_SELECT"`

      - `"NUMBER"`

      - `"SINGLE_SELECT"`

      - `"SOCIAL_HANDLE"`

      - `"TELEPHONE"`

      - `"TEXT"`

      - `"URL"`

  - `httpLink: string`

    URL to view the entity in the Lightfield web app, or null.

  - `relationships: map[object { cardinality, objectType, values } ]`

    Map of relationship names to their associated entities. System relationships are prefixed with `$` (e.g. `$owner`, `$contact`).

    - `cardinality: string`

      Whether the relationship is `has_one` or `has_many`.

    - `objectType: string`

      The type of the related object (e.g. `account`, `contact`).

    - `values: array of string`

      IDs of the related entities.

  - `updatedAt: string`

    ISO 8601 timestamp of when the entity was last updated, or null.

  - `externalId: optional string`

    External identifier for the entity, or null if unset.

### Example

```cli
lightfield contact create \
  --api-key 'My API Key' \
  --fields '{}'
```

#### Response

```json
{
  "id": "id",
  "createdAt": "createdAt",
  "fields": {
    "foo": {
      "value": "string",
      "valueType": "ADDRESS"
    }
  },
  "httpLink": "httpLink",
  "relationships": {
    "foo": {
      "cardinality": "cardinality",
      "objectType": "objectType",
      "values": [
        "string"
      ]
    }
  },
  "updatedAt": "updatedAt",
  "externalId": "externalId"
}
```