Which user token should I send at query time? - userToken and authenciatedUserToken best practices

The user token sent with search queries must match the userToken parameter sent with events. This means you should be sending the anonymous/session user token with search queries.
 
Our current recommendation is:

• Send the same anonymous/session userToken in both the search and events userToken parameters

• If a user logs in (authenticated users), send the authenticatedUserToken in the authenticatedUserToken events parameter

• Do not replace userToken with the authenticated user token in search queries or events 

• Following this means:

  • both the anonymous and authenticated user tokens will be sent with each event to ensure that data collected when users weren’t authenticated isn’t lost

  • user profiles for Personalisation continue to be updated, as profiles are currently built using userToken

More info on these parameters can be found here:

• User Token: https://www.algolia.com/doc/api-reference/api-parameters/userToken/#how-to-use

• Authenticated User Token: https://www.algolia.com/doc/guides/sending-events/concepts/usertoken/#authenticated-user-token

Useful Guides: 

• What is the best practice for identifying userTokens if a login is possible at any point in the customer journey?