PONA Auth Secondary Onboarding

Author: Josh S. Sakweli, Backend Lead Team
Last Updated: 2026-04-27
Version: v1.0

Base URL: https://api.nexgate.co/api/v1/onboarding/secondary

Short Description: Secondary onboarding completes a user's profile after the primary onboarding step (name, phone, birth date). It is a step-machine — each endpoint returns the next missing step and a refreshed access token. The flow is complete when stepsRemaining reaches 0 and nextMissing is null.

Hints:

All endpoints require a valid Bearer access token issued after primary onboarding or login.
Every response includes a fresh accessToken with updated onboarding flags embedded in the JWT claims — replace the stored token after each step.
Steps can be completed in any order. The nextMissing field signals the next recommended step; it does not enforce ordering.
Email linking has two independent paths: custom (user-provided email + OTP) and Google (Google ID token). Only one path needs to be completed.
Profile picture upload expects multipart/form-data, not JSON.

Standard Response Format

All API responses follow a consistent structure using our Globe Response Builder pattern:

Success Response Structure

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Operation completed successfully",
  "action_time": "2025-09-23T10:30:45",
  "action": "COLLECT_EMAIL",
  "data": {}
}

Error Response Structure

{
  "success": false,
  "httpStatus": "BAD_REQUEST",
  "message": "Error description",
  "action_time": "2025-09-23T10:30:45",
  "data": "Error description"
}

Standard Response Fields

Field	Type	Description
`success`	boolean	`true` for successful operations, `false` for errors
`httpStatus`	string	HTTP status name (OK, BAD_REQUEST, etc.)
`message`	string	Human-readable result description
`action_time`	string	ISO 8601 timestamp of the response
`action`	string	Next frontend action to perform (see action codes below)
`data`	object/string	Response payload or error detail

Action Codes

Code	Meaning
`COLLECT_USERNAME`	Username step is next
`COLLECT_EMAIL`	Email step is next
`COLLECT_PROFILE_PIC`	Profile picture step is next
`COLLECT_INTERESTS`	Interests step is next
`COLLECT_BIO`	Bio step is next
`PROCEED`	All steps complete — onboarding is done

Standard Secondary Onboarding Response Fields

Most endpoints return a SecondaryOnboardingResponse. Its fields are:

Field	Type	Description
`accessToken`	string	Fresh JWT — store and use this for all subsequent requests
`onboarding`	object	Current completion state of all onboarding steps (see below)
`nextMissing`	string	Key name of the next incomplete step, or `null` if all done
`stepsRemaining`	integer	Number of steps still pending

`onboarding` Object Fields

Field	Type	Description
`primaryComplete`	boolean	Primary onboarding (name/phone/DOB) is done
`username`	boolean	Username has been set
`email`	boolean	Email has been linked and verified
`profilePic`	boolean	Profile picture has been uploaded
`interests`	boolean	Interests have been selected
`bio`	boolean	Bio has been written

Endpoints

1. Get Username Suggestions

Purpose: Returns up to 5 AI-generated username suggestions based on the user's first name, last name, and birth date.

Endpoint: GET {base_url}/username/suggestions

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Username suggestions",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "data": {
    "suggestions": [
      "john_sakweli",
      "johnsakweli99",
      "j_sakweli",
      "johnsak2004",
      "jsakweli_"
    ]
  }
}

Success Response Fields:

Field	Description
`suggestions`	Array of up to 5 available username strings

Error Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": false,
  "httpStatus": "NOT_FOUND",
  "message": "Account not found",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "data": "Account not found"
}

2. Set Username

Purpose: Sets a unique username for the account.

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/username

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`application/json`

Request JSON Sample:

{
  "username": "john_sakweli"
}

Request Body Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation
`username`	string	Yes	Desired username	Min: 3, Max: 30 characters. Must start with a letter. Only letters, numbers, and underscores allowed.

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Username set successfully",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "action": "COLLECT_EMAIL",
  "data": {
    "accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9...",
    "onboarding": {
      "primaryComplete": true,
      "username": true,
      "email": false,
      "profilePic": false,
      "interests": false,
      "bio": false
    },
    "nextMissing": "email",
    "stepsRemaining": 4
  }
}

Success Response Fields:

Field	Description
`accessToken`	Fresh JWT with updated onboarding claims — replace stored token
`onboarding.username`	Now `true`
`nextMissing`	Next recommended step key
`stepsRemaining`	Steps left to complete

Error Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": false,
  "httpStatus": "BAD_REQUEST",
  "message": "Username is already taken",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "data": "Username is already taken"
}

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: Username already taken or invalid format
401 UNAUTHORIZED: Missing or invalid token
422 UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY: Validation failure (length, pattern)

3. Set Bio

Purpose: Saves a short bio to the user's profile.

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/bio

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`application/json`

Request JSON Sample:

{
  "bio": "Event enthusiast, live music lover, always at the front row."
}

Request Body Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation
`bio`	string	Yes	User's short profile bio	Max: 160 characters. Cannot be blank.

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Bio saved",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "action": "PROCEED",
  "data": {
    "accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9...",
    "onboarding": {
      "primaryComplete": true,
      "username": true,
      "email": true,
      "profilePic": true,
      "interests": true,
      "bio": true
    },
    "nextMissing": null,
    "stepsRemaining": 0
  }
}

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: Bio is blank
401 UNAUTHORIZED: Missing or invalid token
422 UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY: Exceeds 160 characters

4. Set Interests

Purpose: Saves the user's selected interest categories (minimum 3 required).

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/interests

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`application/json`

Request JSON Sample:

{
  "interestIds": [
    "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
    "7a1234bc-1234-4321-abcd-1234567890ab",
    "9c87654d-4321-1234-dcba-0987654321cd"
  ]
}

Request Body Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation
`interestIds`	array of UUID	Yes	IDs of selected interest categories	Min: 3 items. Must not be empty. Use the interests listing endpoint to get valid IDs.

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Interests saved",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "action": "COLLECT_BIO",
  "data": {
    "accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9...",
    "onboarding": {
      "primaryComplete": true,
      "username": true,
      "email": true,
      "profilePic": true,
      "interests": true,
      "bio": false
    },
    "nextMissing": "bio",
    "stepsRemaining": 1
  }
}

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: Interest IDs not found
401 UNAUTHORIZED: Missing or invalid token
422 UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY: Fewer than 3 interests selected

5. Upload Profile Picture

Purpose: Uploads and stores the user's profile picture.

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/profile-pic

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`multipart/form-data`

Query Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation	Default
`file`	file (form field)	Yes	Image file to upload	Image formats: JPEG, PNG, WEBP	—

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Profile picture uploaded",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "action": "COLLECT_INTERESTS",
  "data": {
    "accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9...",
    "onboarding": {
      "primaryComplete": true,
      "username": true,
      "email": true,
      "profilePic": true,
      "interests": false,
      "bio": false
    },
    "nextMissing": "interests",
    "stepsRemaining": 2
  }
}

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: File is missing, empty, or unsupported format
401 UNAUTHORIZED: Missing or invalid token
500 INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR: Storage failure

6. Initiate Email Linking (Custom)

Purpose: Sends a 6-digit OTP to the provided email address and returns a tempToken required for the verify step.

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/email/custom/initiate

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`application/json`

Request JSON Sample:

{
  "email": "john@example.com"
}

Request Body Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation
`email`	string	Yes	Email address to link	Must be a valid email format. Cannot be blank.

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Verification code sent to your email",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "data": {
    "tempToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9.temp...",
    "nextAction": "VERIFY_EMAIL"
  }
}

Success Response Fields:

Field	Description
`tempToken`	Short-lived token required as input to the verify step. Store this until OTP is submitted.
`nextAction`	Always `VERIFY_EMAIL` — signals frontend to show OTP input screen

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: Email already in use by another account
401 UNAUTHORIZED: Missing or invalid token
422 UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY: Invalid email format

7. Verify Email (Custom)

Purpose: Confirms the OTP sent to the user's email and marks the email step as complete.

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/email/custom/verify

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`application/json`

Request JSON Sample:

{
  "tempToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9.temp...",
  "otp": "847291"
}

Request Body Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation
`tempToken`	string	Yes	Token received from the initiate step	Cannot be blank
`otp`	string	Yes	6-digit code sent to the user's email	Exactly 6 digits, numeric only

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Email verified",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "action": "COLLECT_PROFILE_PIC",
  "data": {
    "accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9...",
    "onboarding": {
      "primaryComplete": true,
      "username": true,
      "email": true,
      "profilePic": false,
      "interests": false,
      "bio": false
    },
    "nextMissing": "profilePic",
    "stepsRemaining": 3
  }
}

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: OTP is incorrect or expired
401 UNAUTHORIZED: tempToken is invalid or expired
422 UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY: OTP is not 6 numeric digits

8. Link Email via Google

Purpose: Links and verifies a Google-backed email using a Google ID token — skips the OTP step entirely.

Endpoint: POST {base_url}/email/google

Access Level: 🔒 Protected (Authenticated user)

Authentication: Bearer Token

Request Headers:

Header	Type	Required	Description
`Authorization`	string	Yes	`Bearer <access_token>`
`Content-Type`	string	Yes	`application/json`

Request JSON Sample:

{
  "idToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6..."
}

Request Body Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Validation
`idToken`	string	Yes	Google ID token from the Google Sign-In SDK	Cannot be blank. Must be a valid Google-issued token.

Success Response JSON Sample:

{
  "success": true,
  "httpStatus": "OK",
  "message": "Email linked via Google",
  "action_time": "2026-04-27T10:30:45",
  "action": "COLLECT_PROFILE_PIC",
  "data": {
    "accessToken": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiJ9...",
    "onboarding": {
      "primaryComplete": true,
      "username": true,
      "email": true,
      "profilePic": false,
      "interests": false,
      "bio": false
    },
    "nextMissing": "profilePic",
    "stepsRemaining": 3
  }
}

Standard Error Types:

400 BAD_REQUEST: Google token is invalid, expired, or email already linked to another account
401 UNAUTHORIZED: Missing or invalid Bearer token
422 UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY: idToken is blank

Flow Overview

Primary Onboarding Complete
           │
           ▼
   ┌───────────────┐
   │  Set Username  │  POST /username
   └───────┬───────┘
           │
           ▼
   ┌───────────────┐         ┌──────────────────────┐
   │  Link Email    │─────────│ Option A: Custom      │  POST /email/custom/initiate
   └───────┬───────┘         │  → POST /email/custom/verify
           │                 ├──────────────────────┤
           │                 │ Option B: Google      │  POST /email/google
           │                 └──────────────────────┘
           ▼
   ┌───────────────┐
   │  Profile Pic  │  POST /profile-pic
   └───────┬───────┘
           │
           ▼
   ┌───────────────┐
   │   Interests   │  POST /interests  (min. 3)
   └───────┬───────┘
           │
           ▼
   ┌───────────────┐
   │     Bio       │  POST /bio
   └───────┬───────┘
           │
           ▼
    action: PROCEED
   (onboarding done)

Steps can be completed out of order. The nextMissing field in each response always signals the next recommended incomplete step.

Quick Reference

#	Endpoint	Method	Auth	Purpose
1	`/username/suggestions`	GET	Bearer	Get suggested usernames
2	`/username`	POST	Bearer	Set username
3	`/bio`	POST	Bearer	Set bio
4	`/interests`	POST	Bearer	Set interests
5	`/profile-pic`	POST	Bearer	Upload profile picture
6	`/email/custom/initiate`	POST	Bearer	Send OTP to email
7	`/email/custom/verify`	POST	Bearer	Verify email with OTP
8	`/email/google`	POST	Bearer	Link email via Google token

NextGate — PONA Auth Flow V3 (Progressive · Onboarding · Native · Access)

NextGate PONA Auth — EndPoint Doc (ACTIVE)

PONA Auth Secondary Onboarding

PONA Auth Secondary Onboarding

Standard Response Format

Success Response Structure

Error Response Structure

Standard Response Fields

Action Codes

Standard Secondary Onboarding Response Fields

`onboarding` Object Fields

Endpoints

1. Get Username Suggestions

2. Set Username

3. Set Bio

4. Set Interests

5. Upload Profile Picture

6. Initiate Email Linking (Custom)

7. Verify Email (Custom)

8. Link Email via Google

Flow Overview

Quick Reference

NextGate — PONA Auth Flow V3 (Progressive · Onboarding · Native · Access)

NextGate PONA Auth — EndPoint Doc (ACTIVE)

PONA Auth Secondary Onboarding

PONA Auth Secondary Onboarding

Standard Response Format

Success Response Structure

Error Response Structure

Standard Response Fields

Action Codes

Standard Secondary Onboarding Response Fields

onboarding Object Fields

Endpoints

1. Get Username Suggestions

2. Set Username

3. Set Bio

4. Set Interests

5. Upload Profile Picture

6. Initiate Email Linking (Custom)

7. Verify Email (Custom)

8. Link Email via Google

Flow Overview

Quick Reference

`onboarding` Object Fields