> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://x-preview-mintlify-7cae4884.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Integration Guide

> This guide covers the key concepts you need to integrate the User lookup endpoints into your. Reference for the Enterprise X API tier covering lookup.

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    <a href={href}>
      <button className="flex items-center space-x-2.5 py-1 px-4 bg-primary-dark dark:bg-white text-white dark:text-gray-950 rounded-full group-hover:opacity-[0.9] font-medium">
        <span>
          {children}
        </span>
        <svg width="3" height="24" viewBox="0 -9 3 24" class="h-6 rotate-0 overflow-visible"><path d="M0 0L3 3L0 6" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round"></path></svg>
      </button>
    </a>
  </div>;
};

This guide covers the key concepts you need to integrate the User lookup endpoints into your application.

***

## Authentication

All X API v2 endpoints require authentication. Choose the method that fits your use case:

| Method                                                                                                                         | Best for                      | Can access private metrics?      |
| :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------- | :------------------------------- |
| [OAuth 2.0 App-Only](/resources/fundamentals/authentication#oauth-2-0)                                                         | Server-to-server, public data | No                               |
| [OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code with PKCE](/resources/fundamentals/authentication#oauth-2-0-authorization-code-flow-with-pkce-2) | User-facing apps              | Yes (for authorized user's data) |
| [OAuth 1.0a User Context](/resources/fundamentals/authentication)                                                              | Legacy integrations           | Yes (for authorized user's data) |

### App-Only authentication

For public user data, use a Bearer Token:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/XDevelopers" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN")

  # Get user by username
  response = client.users.get_by_username("XDevelopers")
  print(response.data)
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ bearerToken: "YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN" });

  const response = await client.users.getByUsername("XDevelopers");
  console.log(response.data);
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### User Context authentication

Required for the authenticated user endpoint (`/2/users/me`):

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/me" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $USER_ACCESS_TOKEN"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  # Using OAuth 2.0 user access token
  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN")

  # Get authenticated user's profile
  response = client.users.get_me()
  print(response.data)
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  // Using OAuth 2.0 user access token
  const client = new Client({ accessToken: "YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" });

  const response = await client.users.getMe();
  console.log(response.data);
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Warning>
  The `/2/users/me` endpoint only works with User Context authentication. App-Only tokens will return an error.
</Warning>

***

## Fields and expansions

The X API v2 returns minimal data by default. Use `fields` and `expansions` to request exactly what you need.

### Default response

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "id": "2244994945",
    "name": "X Developers",
    "username": "XDevelopers"
  }
}
```

### Available fields

<Accordion title="user.fields">
  | Field               | Description                  |
  | :------------------ | :--------------------------- |
  | `created_at`        | Account creation timestamp   |
  | `description`       | User bio                     |
  | `entities`          | Parsed URLs in bio           |
  | `location`          | User-defined location        |
  | `pinned_tweet_id`   | Pinned Post ID               |
  | `profile_image_url` | Avatar URL                   |
  | `protected`         | Whether account is protected |
  | `public_metrics`    | Follower/following counts    |
  | `url`               | Website URL                  |
  | `verified`          | Verification status          |
  | `withheld`          | Withholding information      |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="tweet.fields (requires pinned_tweet_id expansion)">
  | Field            | Description              |
  | :--------------- | :----------------------- |
  | `created_at`     | Post creation timestamp  |
  | `text`           | Post content             |
  | `public_metrics` | Engagement counts        |
  | `entities`       | Hashtags, mentions, URLs |
</Accordion>

### Example with fields

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/by/username/XDevelopers?\
  user.fields=created_at,description,public_metrics,verified&\
  expansions=pinned_tweet_id&\
  tweet.fields=created_at,public_metrics" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN")

  # Get user with additional fields and expansions
  response = client.users.get_by_username(
      "XDevelopers",
      user_fields=["created_at", "description", "public_metrics", "verified"],
      expansions=["pinned_tweet_id"],
      tweet_fields=["created_at", "public_metrics"]
  )

  print(response.data)
  print(response.includes)  # Contains expanded pinned tweet
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ bearerToken: "YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN" });

  const response = await client.users.getByUsername("XDevelopers", {
    userFields: ["created_at", "description", "public_metrics", "verified"],
    expansions: ["pinned_tweet_id"],
    tweetFields: ["created_at", "public_metrics"],
  });

  console.log(response.data);
  console.log(response.includes); // Contains expanded pinned tweet
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### Response with expansions

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "id": "2244994945",
    "name": "X Developers",
    "username": "XDevelopers",
    "created_at": "2013-12-14T04:35:55.000Z",
    "verified": true,
    "pinned_tweet_id": "1234567890",
    "public_metrics": {
      "followers_count": 583423,
      "following_count": 2048,
      "tweet_count": 14052
    }
  },
  "includes": {
    "tweets": [
      {
        "id": "1234567890",
        "text": "Welcome to the X Developer Platform!",
        "created_at": "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

<Card title="Fields and expansions guide" icon="sliders" href="/x-api/fundamentals/fields">
  Learn more about customizing responses
</Card>

***

## Batch lookups

Look up multiple users in a single request:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL (by IDs) theme={null}
  curl "https://api.x.com/2/users?ids=2244994945,783214,6253282&\
  user.fields=username,verified" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
  ```

  ```bash cURL (by usernames) theme={null}
  curl "https://api.x.com/2/users/by?usernames=XDevelopers,X,XAPI&\
  user.fields=username,verified" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $BEARER_TOKEN"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN")

  # Get multiple users by IDs
  response = client.users.get_users(
      ids=["2244994945", "783214", "6253282"],
      user_fields=["username", "verified"]
  )
  for user in response.data:
      print(f"{user.username}: {user.verified}")

  # Get multiple users by usernames
  response = client.users.get_users_by_usernames(
      usernames=["XDevelopers", "X", "XAPI"],
      user_fields=["username", "verified"]
  )
  for user in response.data:
      print(f"{user.username}: {user.verified}")
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ bearerToken: "YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN" });

  // Get multiple users by IDs
  const byIds = await client.users.getUsers({
    ids: ["2244994945", "783214", "6253282"],
    userFields: ["username", "verified"],
  });
  byIds.data.forEach((user) => {
    console.log(`${user.username}: ${user.verified}`);
  });

  // Get multiple users by usernames
  const byUsernames = await client.users.getUsersByUsernames({
    usernames: ["XDevelopers", "X", "XAPI"],
    userFields: ["username", "verified"],
  });
  byUsernames.data.forEach((user) => {
    console.log(`${user.username}: ${user.verified}`);
  });
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Tip>
  Batch requests are limited to 100 users. Use multiple requests for larger datasets.
</Tip>

***

## Error handling

### Common errors

| Status | Error             | Solution                            |
| :----- | :---------------- | :---------------------------------- |
| 400    | Invalid request   | Check parameter formatting          |
| 401    | Unauthorized      | Verify authentication credentials   |
| 403    | Forbidden         | Check App permissions               |
| 404    | Not Found         | User doesn't exist or was suspended |
| 429    | Too Many Requests | Wait and retry (see rate limits)    |

### Suspended or deleted users

If a user is suspended or deleted:

* Single user lookup returns `404`
* Multi-user lookup omits the user from results with an `errors` array

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": [
    { "id": "2244994945", "username": "XDevelopers" }
  ],
  "errors": [
    {
      "resource_id": "1234567890",
      "resource_type": "user",
      "title": "Not Found Error",
      "detail": "Could not find user with id: [1234567890]."
    }
  ]
}
```

### Protected users

For protected accounts you don't follow:

* Basic info (id, name, username) is available
* Protected content (pinned Post) may be restricted
* `protected: true` indicates the account status

***

## Best practices

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Batch requests" icon="layer-group">
    Use multi-user endpoints to fetch up to 100 users at once, reducing API calls.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Request only needed fields" icon="filter">
    Specify only the fields you need to minimize response size.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cache user data" icon="database">
    Cache user profiles locally to reduce repeated requests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Handle errors gracefully" icon="triangle-exclamation">
    Check for partial errors in batch responses.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/x-api/users/get-user-by-id">
    Complete endpoint documentation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data dictionary" icon="book" href="/x-api/fundamentals/data-dictionary">
    All available objects and fields
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sample code" icon="github" href="https://github.com/xdevplatform/Twitter-API-v2-sample-code">
    Working code examples
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error handling" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/x-api/fundamentals/response-codes-and-errors">
    Handle errors gracefully
  </Card>
</CardGroup>