# identify

URL: /business/nouns/visitor/identify · Id: `verb:Visitor.identify` · Call: `await $.Visitor.identify({ … })` (SDK) or the `do` tool at `https://api.sb/mcp`. Inputs says what to pass, Outputs what returns, When it waits who approves.

> Identify joins a Visitor to the Contact it turns out to be, so earlier Visits count toward that person.

Identify joins a [Visitor](/business/nouns/visitor) to the [Contact](/business/nouns/contact) it turns out to be, so earlier [Visits](/business/nouns/visit) count toward that person.

## Inputs
| Input | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `visitor` | [Visitor](/business/nouns/visitor) | Yes | The Visitor. |
| `contact` | [Contact](/business/nouns/contact) | Yes | The Contact or Customer the Visitor is. |

## Outputs
| Output | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `contact` | [Contact](/business/nouns/contact) | Yes | The Contact, with the Visitor’s Visits attached. |
| `visitor` | [Visitor](/business/nouns/visitor) | Yes | The Visitor, now joined to its Contact. |

## Effects
- Emits [`Visitor.identified`](/business/events/Visitor.identified).
- Performed by the [Analyst](/agents/marketing/analyst).
- Two-way: it runs at once, in the `try`, `send` and `do` modes.
- Runs at sign-up, sign-in and checkout without a call.

## Refuses when
| Check | Error | Fix | Then call |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The key is valid, but its scopes do not allow this operation. | [`forbidden`](/code/api/errors/forbidden) | Use a key whose scopes cover the operation, or ask an owner of the namespace to grant them. | [Visitor.identify](/business/nouns/visitor/identify) |

## When it waits
| Gate | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Decision class | Low: two-way, nothing at stake |
| [Delay window](/systems/trust-and-governance/controls/one-way-windows) | None: it runs once review passes. |
| Limit | The call [Limit](/business/nouns/limit) of the [Permission](/business/nouns/permission) it runs under. |
| Over the Limit | It waits `pending` for an [Approval](/business/nouns/approval) from the [Founder](/agents/founding/founder). Approved, it runs; refused, it ends `refused` with [`limit-exceeded`](/code/api/errors/limit-exceeded); unanswered by its deadline, it ends `canceled`. |

## Example

**Ask**

```text
Identify the latest visitor with a contact.
```

**API**

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/visitors/visitor_1/identify \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"contact":"contact_1"}'
```

```json
{
  "api": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop",
  "contact": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/contacts/contact_1",
    "$type": "Contact",
    "email": "lena@petpantry.shop",
    "phone": "Example phone"
  },
  "visitor": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/visitors/visitor_1",
    "$type": "Visitor",
    "firstSeenAt": "2026-10-22T12:00:00Z"
  },
  "action": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/actions/action_1",
    "operation": "Visitor.identify",
    "status": "done"
  },
  "links": {
    "self": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/actions/action_1"
  }
}
```

**SDK**

```ts
import { $ } from 'startup-builder'

const { contact, visitor } = await $.Visitor.identify({ visitor: 'visitor_1', contact: 'contact_1' })
```

**CLI**

```bash
npx startup-builder do Visitor.identify --json '{"visitor":"visitor_1","contact":"contact_1"}'
```

**MCP**

```json
{
  "name": "do",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "return await $.Visitor.identify({ visitor: 'visitor_1', contact: 'contact_1' })"
  }
}
```