Context API and Data Cloud Activation integration guide

How it works

Context API supports a direct integration with Data Cloud Activation, letting you create real-time personalizations using data directly from your data cloud. Retrieve visitor data from Data Cloud Activation segments based on cloud data sources like Snowflake or Databricks.

This integration creates a bridge between your data cloud and real-time API responses, enabling personalization scenarios that combine the scale of your data warehouse with the low-latency performance of Context API.

The integration requires configuration in both your Data Cloud Activation profile and Context API.

Prerequisites

• Data Cloud Activation profile with at least one configured cloud data source
• Data Cloud Activation segments created using cloud attributes
• Context API enabled for your account

Step 1: Configure the cloud data source

In your Data Cloud Activation profile, configure the Context API integration for each cloud data source you want to use with Context API:

1. Go to Connect > Data Sources in your Data Cloud Activation profile.
2. Either create a new cloud data source or edit an existing one.
3. Navigate to the Context API Integration section in the data source configuration.
4. Enable Context API Integration.
5. Select the cloud data source column that contains a unique identifier for each record.
   • This identifier should be unique per visitor or entity (for example, a visitor ID, customer ID, or email address).
   • Only columns with string or number data types are supported.
   • The value for this column will be used for the momentsApiId parameter in the Context API endpoints.
6. Complete the rest of the data source configuration and save your changes.

The cloud data source is now available as a source for Context API engines.

Step 2: Create Data Cloud Activation segments

Create segments in your Data Cloud Activation profile that define the audiences you want to make available through Context API:

1. Go to Audience in your Data Cloud Activation profile.
2. Create segments using the cloud attributes from your data sources.
3. Save and enable the segments you want to use with Context API.

These segments will be available to select when configuring your Context API engine.

Step 3: Configure the Context API engine

In your Context API configuration, add the Data Cloud Activation data sources and segments you want to include in the API response:

1. Go to CloudStream > Context API in your Data Cloud Activation profile.
2. Either create a new engine or edit an existing one.
3. In the Details screen, configure the engine name, enable status, and domain allow list.
4. Click Next.
5. In the Cloud Data Source screen:
   • Click Add Data Source to add a cloud data source.
   • For each cloud data source you add, select the Data Cloud Activation segments to use in the engine configuration.
   • Records from all selected segments will be prepopulated in the engine configuration.
6. Click Next.
7. In the Response screen, verify that the Data Cloud Activation segments appear as audiences in the Example Response.
   • You can select additional Data Cloud Activation attributes if needed. Supported data types: number, string, boolean, and date.
   • Choose whether to use IDs or names for attributes in the response payload.
8. Review the Example Response panel to verify your configuration.
9. Click Next and review the engine summary.
10. Click Done to save the engine.

Step 4: Call the Context API endpoint

Use the momentsApiId parameter to retrieve visitor data from Data Cloud Activation segments.

Context API endpoint

GET https://personalization-api.{REGION}.prod.tealiumapis.com/personalization/accounts/{ACCOUNT}/profiles/{PROFILE}/engines/{ENGINE_ID}/visitors/{momentsApiId}?suppressNotFound={SUPPRESS_NOT_FOUND}

Parameters

Example request

GET https://personalization-api.us-west.prod.tealiumapis.com/personalization/accounts/example-account/profiles/cloudstream-profile/engines/abc123/visitors/user%40example.com?suppressNotFound=true

In this example:

• user%40example.com is the value of the cloud attribute mapped in the cloud data source configuration.

Response format

The response follows the standard Context API response format with audiences from Data Cloud Activation segments included:

{
    "audiences": [
        "30 Days Since Last Login"
    ],
    "metrics": {
        "Total direct visits": 1
    },
    "properties": {
        "Company Name": "<attr_value>"
    },
    "flags": {
        "Returning visitor": false
    },
    "dates": {
        "First visit": 1491233145706
    }
}

Best practices

• Choose stable identifiers: Select columns that contain stable, unique identifiers that persist across sessions (for example, customer ID or email hash).
• Test with suppressNotFound: During testing, use suppressNotFound=true to avoid HTTP 404 responses for visitors not found in the data source.
• Monitor segment membership: Ensure your Data Cloud Activation segments are configured to capture the visitor populations you expect in Context API responses.
• Coordinate updates: Changes to cloud data source configurations may affect Context API responses. Coordinate updates across both systems.

Related documentation

• About Data Cloud Activation
• About cloud data sources
• Manage a cloud data source
• About Context API (formerly Moments API)
• Context API endpoint
• Manage Context API engines