API EndpointsUsersConnection OperationsOverview

User Connection Operations

This section contains user-centric connection operations where you interact with connections in the context of a specific user. These endpoints are designed for operations that target a particular user by their ID.

Purpose

User-centric connection endpoints allow developers to:

  • Send connection requests to a specific user
  • Check logged in user’s connection status with a specific user
  • Remove connections with a specific user (decline/withdraw/disconnect)
  • View a specific user’s connections list
  • Get connection counts for any user

Key Characteristics

  • Target-focused: Operations target a specific user by ID
  • Requires userId parameter: All endpoints need a specific user ID in the URL
  • Smart actions: Single endpoint handles multiple scenarios (decline/withdraw/disconnect)
  • Authentication: Required for all operations
  • Bidirectional: Connections require mutual agreement

Available Operations

EndpointMethodPurpose
/users/:userId/connectionPOSTSend connection request to user
/users/:userId/connectionGETCheck connection status with user
/users/:userId/connectionDELETEDecline/withdraw/disconnect with user
/users/:userId/connectionsGETGet user’s connections list
/users/:userId/connections-countGETGet user’s connections count

Connection Status Types

When checking connection status with a user, possible responses:

  • none: No connection exists
  • pending (sent): Logged in user sent them a request
  • pending (received): They sent logged in user a request
  • connected: Users are connected
  • declined: Request was declined

Smart DELETE Behavior

The DELETE /users/:userId/connection endpoint automatically determines the correct action:

  • Decline: If they sent logged in user a pending request
  • Withdraw: If logged in user sent them a pending request
  • Disconnect: If users are connected

Examples

User-centric operations (target specific users, require userId parameter):

  • “Send connection request to user-123” - requires userId parameter
  • “Check connection status with user-456” - requires userId parameter

Connection-centric operations (logged in user’s data, no userId parameter):

  • “Get all logged in user’s established connections” - uses auth token, no userId
  • “Get logged in user’s pending requests” - uses auth token, no userId

Difference from Connection-Centric Operations

User-centric (/users/:userId/connections/...):

  • Operates on a specific user by their ID
  • Requires userId parameter in the URL
  • Can target any user (including public data)

Connection-centric (/connections/...):

  • Operates on the logged in user’s connection data
  • Uses authentication to identify the user
  • No userId parameter needed

Related Endpoints

For managing logged in user’s connections and getting logged in user’s connection lists, see:

Get User Following CountSend Connection Request