> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.signalhire.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# API to Find Contacts

> SignalHire API — access contact information, emails, phone numbers, and social profiles from a global database of professionals.

The SignalHire API allows developers to integrate the capabilities of SignalHire directly into their own applications. It provides access to a wealth of contact information — including emails, phone numbers, and social media profiles — from a global database of professionals. The API enables businesses to find and verify contact details, improve customer outreach, and enrich data for CRM systems.

SignalHire API is designed to be simple, scalable, and secure. It offers endpoints to retrieve detailed information about individuals based on known identifiers, as well as powerful search capabilities to discover new prospects. The flexibility of the API allows for easy integration into existing applications and workflows, giving access to accurate data when needed.

## Use Cases

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Enrich CRM Data" icon="database">
    Automatically enrich CRM contacts with verified emails, phone numbers, and social profiles using the Person API.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lead Generation" icon="chart-line">
    Discover new prospects by searching the SignalHire database with filters like job title, location, company, and industry.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Talent Acquisition" icon="people-group">
    Find and contact candidates matching specific skills, experience level, and location criteria.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Market Research" icon="magnifying-glass-chart">
    Explore professional landscape data across industries, companies, and geographies.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Available APIs

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Person API" icon="user" href="/person-api/retrieve-person">
    Retrieve full, detailed information about a specific individual using a LinkedIn URL, email, phone, or profile ID. May return contact details depending on the request mode.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Search API" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/search-api/search-by-query">
    Search for individuals using filters like job title, location, company, or industry. Returns a list of matching profiles for lead generation and talent sourcing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Company API" icon="building" href="/company-api/overview">
    Look up companies, retrieve full company profiles, and fetch employee lists. Available on request — contact support to enable.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Key Differences Between APIs

|          | Person API                                    | Search API                                                | Company API                                           |
| -------- | --------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Input    | LinkedIn URL, email, phone, or UID            | Search filters (title, location, etc.)                    | Company ID or slug                                    |
| Output   | One full profile, may include contacts        | Multiple brief profiles, no contacts                      | Company data or employee profiles                     |
| Use case | Enrich a known person's data                  | Discover new candidates or leads                          | Company research and employee sourcing                |
| Delivery | Async (callback) or sync (`withoutWaterfall`) | Sync — first batch in response, pagination via `scrollId` | Sync for lookup and info, async callback for profiles |
| Access   | Standard                                      | Standard                                                  | On request via support                                |

## Getting Started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Get an API key">
    Register for a SignalHire account and navigate to **Integrations & API** to generate a key. See [Authentication](/authentication).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make the first request">
    Start with the [Person API](/person-api/retrieve-person) to retrieve data for a known LinkedIn profile or email address.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Explore search">
    Use the [Search API](/search-api/search-by-query) to find new prospects using filters like job title, location, or company.
  </Step>
</Steps>