By default, the Person API is asynchronous — a request is submitted and results arrive via a callback URL. TheDocumentation Index
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Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
withoutWaterfall mode changes this to a synchronous flow: results are returned immediately in the response body.
How It Differs
| Standard (async) | withoutWaterfall (sync) | |
|---|---|---|
| Response time | Slower (queries external APIs) | Fast, immediate |
| Requires callback server | Yes | No |
| Callback Url | Required | Not allowed |
| External API enrichment | Yes | No — only internal data |
| Contact coverage | Higher | Lower |
| Data freshness | Higher | May be less current |
| Without contacts mode | Supported | Supported — combine with withoutContacts: true |
Use
withoutWaterfall when a fast response is needed and fewer or slightly older contacts are acceptable. Use the standard async mode when completeness matters more than speed.Request Parameters
The same parameters apply as in the standard Retrieve Person Data endpoint, with two differences:withoutWaterfallmust be set totruecallbackUrlmust not be included
withoutContacts: true can be added to retrieve profiles without contact details synchronously. This uses without-contacts credits instead of standard credits.
Request Example
Response Example (HTTP 200)
The response format is identical to the callback payload in standard mode — an array of result objects returned directly. Each element containsitem, status, and candidate when successful. See Candidate Object for a complete field reference.
401, 402, 406, 429 — see Response Codes.
Response Status Values
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
success | Profile found and returned in the candidate field. |
failed | Item not found or could not be processed. |
credits_are_over | Credits ran out while processing this item. |
duplicate_query | Same request was submitted again within a short period. |
Rate Limits
For information on request limits and throttling, see Rate Limits.When to Use withoutWaterfall
UsewithoutWaterfall when:
- A fast synchronous response is more important than maximum contact coverage
- Setting up a publicly accessible callback server is not feasible — for example, in local development, scripts, or environments without a public endpoint.
callbackUrl when completeness matters more than speed — it queries external APIs in real time and returns the most up-to-date contact data available.