# Connect social account

> Markdown version of https://docs.postlake.dev/api/post-social-accounts-connect . The canonical page for humans.
> PostLake is the social media API for AI agents: https://postlake.dev/llms.txt

`POST /v1/social-accounts/connect`

Connect a social account to PostLake with supported credentials. X requires the hosted POST /v1/connect-link OAuth flow and always uses PostLake's shared app. External X tokens are not accepted here.

## Request

Authenticate with a bearer API key. Agents calling over MCP authorise with OAuth instead and never handle the key.

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.postlake.dev/v1/social-accounts/connect \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $POSTLAKE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"platform":"…","profile":"…","handle":"…","appPassword":"…"}'
```

### Body

| Field | Type | Required | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `platform` | object | Yes |  |
| `profile` | string | No | Optional profile username to attach to |
| `handle` | string | No | Platform-specific handle |
| `appPassword` | string | No | Platform-specific password (e.g. for Bluesky) |


## Response

Created (`201`).

| Field | Type | Required | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | string | Yes |  |
| `platform` | object | Yes |  |
| `handle` | string | Yes |  |
| `profileId` | string or null | Yes |  |
| `status` | string | Yes |  |



### Example

```json
{
  "id": "…",
  "platform": "…",
  "handle": "…",
  "profileId": "…",
  "status": "…"
}
```


## Calling this from an agent

Agents do not call REST. They call tools. Over the hosted MCP server this operation is `list_social_accounts`, and the agent authorises with OAuth so your API key is never pasted into a chat or seen by the model. You control what any one agent may do: which brands it may act for, which networks it may reach, how much a day, and whether it may spend credits bought up front.

## Errors

Every failure uses one shape: a stable `type`, a granular `code`, the field at fault in `param`, and a plain-language `fix`. See https://docs.postlake.dev/errors.md .

Check the result before retrying a write. Only operations that explicitly support idempotency can safely replay an `Idempotency-Key`.

## Common questions

**Can an AI agent do this without the REST API?**

Yes. Over MCP the same job is the list_social_accounts tool. The agent authorises with OAuth, so no API key is pasted into a chat or seen by the model, and the answer comes back in the same normalised shape.

**Is it safe to retry this call?**

Do not automatically repeat a write after a timeout unless that endpoint explicitly documents idempotency. First read the resulting state; a second request could repeat the action.

**What happens when it fails?**

You get one error shape: a stable type, a granular code you can branch on, the offending field in param, and a fix written so an agent can correct itself rather than stop. Full list on Errors and retries.

## Related

- [Disconnect a social account](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/delete-social-accounts-by-id.md) `DELETE /v1/social-accounts/{id}`
- [List social accounts](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/get-social-accounts.md) `GET /v1/social-accounts`
- [Retrieve a social account](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/get-social-accounts-by-id.md) `GET /v1/social-accounts/{id}`
- [Preview channel disconnect](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/get-social-accounts-by-id-disconnect-preview.md) `GET /v1/social-accounts/{id}/disconnect-preview`