---
title: Introduction
description: Overview of the Clerky Partner API.
---

# Introduction

The Clerky Partner API lets partners bring a Clerky-powered formation workflow
into their own product. It currently supports Delaware C-Corporation formations.

Your product creates a document set, renders the forms the API returns, submits
JSON values, and polls for lifecycle state. Users enter formation information in
your product and sign documents on Clerky.

## Concepts

- **Document set**: the unit of work. It bundles the documents, signatures, and
  filings for one entity formation.
- **Form**: describes a set of data to collect. Each carries a `json_schema`
  (the fields and their constraints), a `ui_schema` (a
  [JSON Forms UI Schema][json-forms-ui-schema] document that describes how to
  render the fields), `values` (what the user has entered), and `actions` (each
  with a label, HTTP method, URL, `content_type`, and a `body_schema` that
  describes the full request body). You render each form, then submit it by
  building the request from an action's `body_schema` and posting to its URL.
- **State**: the document set's lifecycle stage, from `input_needed` to
  `complete`. Poll the document set to drive your progress UI.

The API follows REST conventions, formats responses with
[JSON:API](https://jsonapi.org/format/), and uses
[JSON Schema](https://json-schema.org) for form values and
[JSON Forms UI Schema][json-forms-ui-schema] for form rendering.

[json-forms-ui-schema]: https://jsonforms.io/docs/uischema/