# Persona Webhooks

## When to Use This Skill

* How do I receive Persona webhooks?
* How do I verify the Persona-Signature header?
* Why is my Persona webhook signature verification failing?
* How do I handle inquiry.completed, inquiry.approved, or verification.passed events?
* How do I parse Persona's JSON:API webhook payloads?

## Verification (core)

Persona has no official server-side SDK — verify the `Persona-Signature`
header manually. It is a Stripe-style scheme (NOT Standard Webhooks): the header
is `t=<unix_seconds>,v1=<hex>`, and `v1` is an HMAC-SHA256 hex digest over
``${t}.${rawBody}`` keyed with the per-webhook secret (`wbhsec_...`). Use the
raw request body — never `JSON.parse` first. During secret rotation the header
carries two space-separated `t=...,v1=...` pairs; accept if any `v1` matches.

```javascript
const crypto = require('crypto');

function verifyPersonaSignature(rawBody, header, secret) {
  if (!header) return false;
  // Rotation: header may hold two space-separated "t=...,v1=..." pairs.
  return header.trim().split(/\s+/).some((pair) => {
    const parts = pair.split(',');
    const t = parts.find((p) => p.startsWith('t='))?.slice(2);
    const v1 = parts.find((p) => p.startsWith('v1='))?.slice(3);
    if (!t || !v1) return false;
    const expected = crypto.createHmac('sha256', secret)
      .update(`${t}.${rawBody}`).digest('hex');
    const a = Buffer.from(v1, 'hex');
    const b = Buffer.from(expected, 'hex');
    return a.length === b.length && crypto.timingSafeEqual(a, b);
  });
}

```

Persona documents no timestamp tolerance — signature validity is the check.
Add your own replay window only if you need one. See
[references/verification.md](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/blob/main/skills/persona-webhooks/references/verification.md) for the Python version,
rotation details, and gotchas.

> For complete handlers with route wiring, event dispatch, and tests, see:
> 
> * [examples/express/](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/tree/main/skills/persona-webhooks/examples/express/)
> * [examples/nextjs/](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/tree/main/skills/persona-webhooks/examples/nextjs/)
> * [examples/fastapi/](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/tree/main/skills/persona-webhooks/examples/fastapi/)

## Payload Shape

Persona webhook bodies are JSON:API envelopes. The important paths:

| Path | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `data.attributes.name` | Event type, e.g. `inquiry.completed` |
| `data.attributes.payload.data` | The affected object (same schema as the API response) |
| `data.attributes.created-at` | Use to order events — delivery is not ordered |
| `data.id` | Event ID — use as the idempotency key |

Each webhook is pinned to a configurable API version, which fixes the payload schema.

## Common Event Types

| Event | Triggered When |
| --- | --- |
| `inquiry.created` | A new inquiry is created |
| `inquiry.completed` | An end user finishes all inquiry steps |
| `inquiry.approved` | An inquiry is approved (auto or manual) |
| `inquiry.declined` | An inquiry is declined |
| `inquiry.marked-for-review` | An inquiry needs manual review |
| `inquiry.failed` | An inquiry fails (too many attempts) |
| `inquiry.expired` | An inquiry expires before completion |
| `verification.passed` | A verification passes |
| `verification.failed` | A verification fails |
| `account.created` | An account is created |
| `account.archived` | An account is archived |
| `case.created` | A case is opened |
| `case.resolved` | A case is resolved |
| `report/watchlist.ready` | A watchlist report finishes (report events use the `report/<type>.<action>` slash form) |

> For the full event list, see [Persona Events](https://docs.withpersona.com/events).

## Environment Variables

```bash
# Persona webhook signing secret (wbhsec_...)
# Dashboard -> Webhooks -> select your webhook -> reveal the secret
PERSONA_WEBHOOK_SECRET=wbhsec_your_webhook_secret_here

```

## Local Development

```bash
# Start tunnel (no account needed)
npx hookdeck-cli listen 3000 persona --path /webhooks/persona

```

Then create a test inquiry in the Persona Dashboard, or use Webhooks → Recent
events → Resend to redeliver a past event (events are retained for 30 days).

## Reference Materials

* [references/overview.md](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/blob/main/skills/persona-webhooks/references/overview.md) - What Persona webhooks are, event types, payload shape
* [references/setup.md](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/blob/main/skills/persona-webhooks/references/setup.md) - Dashboard configuration, signing secret, IP allowlist
* [references/verification.md](https://github.com/hookdeck/webhook-skills/blob/main/skills/persona-webhooks/references/verification.md) - Signature verification details and gotchas