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

# Identity lifecycle

> Understand Flutter visitor storage, verification, reset, and client cleanup.

## Visitor ID

Call `init()` before sending a visitor ID to your backend:

```dart theme={null}
final visitorId = await era.init();
```

The SDK stores one visitor per Era partner with
`SharedPreferencesAsync`. The storage key is:

```text theme={null}
era:visitor_id:<partnerId>
```

When preferences are unavailable, the SDK keeps the visitor in memory for the
current isolate.

## Provide an existing UUID

Pass a lowercase UUIDv4 when your application already has a visitor UUID:

```dart theme={null}
final visitorId = await era.init(
  '22222222-2222-4222-8222-222222222222',
);
// era_vid_22222222-2222-4222-8222-222222222222
```

The SDK adds the `era_vid_` prefix when needed. Invalid values throw
`ArgumentError` before a request is made.

## Verify email or phone

Start a challenge:

```dart theme={null}
final challenge = await era.startVerification(
  VerificationType.email,
  'person@example.com',
);
```

Then submit the code collected by your UI:

```dart theme={null}
final confirmation = await era.confirmVerification(
  challenge.challengeId,
  enteredCode,
);
```

For phone verification, use `VerificationType.phone` and an E.164 phone
number.

Verification proves control of the email address or phone number. It does not
sign the user in to your app. The returned `eraEndUserId` is an opaque
continuity ID, not an authorization credential.

## Resend a code

```dart theme={null}
final replacement = await era.resendVerification(
  challenge.challengeId,
);
```

Use the returned challenge for the next confirm or resend call. Its ID and
expiry can change. Only resend after a user action.

## Reset a visitor

Reset after logout, account switching, or a shared-device user change:

```dart theme={null}
final replacementVisitorId = await era.resetVisitor();
```

Reset removes the local visitor association and creates a replacement. It does
not delete the previous Era identity.

Requests from the previous visitor are aborted. An operation that crosses the
reset boundary throws `EraFlutterException` with code `visitor_reset`.

## Close the client

```dart theme={null}
era.close();
```

`close()` aborts requests owned by this client. It also closes the HTTP client
when Era created it or when you passed `ownsHttpClient: true`.

Calls after `close()` throw `EraFlutterException` with code `client_closed`.