> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.agentlinkops.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Import backlinks
> Store a backlink export the user already owns, from Ahrefs, Search Console, Semrush, Majestic, Moz, DataForSEO, Linkody or a generic CSV, as discovery candidates.
`import_backlinks`
Store a backlink export the user already owns, from Ahrefs, Search Console, Semrush, Majestic, Moz, DataForSEO, Linkody or a generic CSV, as discovery candidates. Costs nothing and buys nothing: the user already paid their supplier. The supplier is named in provenance and its dates stay supplier dates, separate from any check we run. An import NEVER claims complete coverage, because nothing in an export says whether it is the whole result or one filtered page. Rejected rows come back with the response, identified by position; none is dropped. Re-importing the same rows returns the same run rather than duplicating candidates. Imported rows are not verified links, are not enrolled in monitoring, and never enter a shared corpus.
Hosted MCP registration verified. These schemas describe the development contract; confirm supported inputs with tools/list. Generic CLI/HTTP calls require a matching development server. Configure LINKTRAIL\_API\_URL; production does not expose these command routes.
| Access | Behavior |
| ----------------- | --------------------- |
| `discovery:write` | Writes or admits work |
Reading saved data does not start a verification job. Mutations can change saved records or access; the effects below apply.
## Example request
Connect through [MCP](/guides/connect-mcp), [CLI](/guides/connect-cli), or [HTTP](/guides/connect-http). Replace example identifiers with records from your workspace.
```json MCP theme={null}
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"id": 1,
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "import_backlinks",
"arguments": {
"projectId": "project_example",
"supplier": "ahrefs",
"targetKind": "domain",
"target": "example.com",
"includeSubdomains": false,
"backlinksStatus": "live",
"rows": [
{
"source_url": "https://publisher.example.com/resources",
"target_url": "https://example.com/guide"
}
]
}
}
}
```
```bash CLI theme={null}
linktrail call import_backlinks --args '{"projectId":"project_example","supplier":"ahrefs","targetKind":"domain","target":"example.com","includeSubdomains":false,"backlinksStatus":"live","rows":[{"source_url":"https://publisher.example.com/resources","target_url":"https://example.com/guide"}]}'
```
```bash HTTP theme={null}
curl "$LINKTRAIL_API_URL/v1/commands/import_backlinks" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKTRAIL_API_KEY" \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data '{"projectId":"project_example","supplier":"ahrefs","targetKind":"domain","target":"example.com","includeSubdomains":false,"backlinksStatus":"live","rows":[{"source_url":"https://publisher.example.com/resources","target_url":"https://example.com/guide"}]}'
```
## Returned result
Illustrative data validated against the documented response schema. IDs and dates are examples, not a live account capture. MCP returns this data in `structuredContent` and in a text content block; generic HTTP and CLI return the JSON result directly.
```json theme={null}
{
"v": 1,
"id": "dr_import_example",
"workspace_id": "ws_example",
"project_id": "project_example",
"provider": "imported",
"data_mode": "imported",
"query": {
"target_kind": "domain",
"target": "example.com",
"include_subdomains": false,
"backlinks_status_type": "live",
"exclude_internal_backlinks": true,
"mode": "as_is",
"filters": null,
"order_by": [
"as_supplied"
],
"rank_scale": null,
"page_limit": 1,
"row_limit": 1
},
"status": "partial",
"created_at": "2026-09-13T12:00:00.000Z",
"started_at": "2026-09-13T12:00:00.000Z",
"finished_at": "2026-09-13T12:00:00.000Z",
"coverage": "partial",
"coverage_reason": "import_scope_unknown",
"provider_total_count": null,
"usage": {
"unit": "discovery",
"currency": "USD",
"quote_id": "import_example",
"max_cost_microusd": 0,
"reserved_cost_microusd": 0,
"provider_reported_cost_microusd": 0,
"request_count": 1,
"returned_rows": 1,
"accepted_candidates": 1,
"rejected_rows": 0,
"duplicate_rows": 0
},
"operation": "backlinks",
"coverage_scope": "customer_import",
"whole_web_coverage": false,
"replayed": false,
"rejected": [],
"duplicates": [],
"rejected_total": 0,
"duplicates_total": 0
}
```
## Input fields
Omit optional fields when you do not want to supply them. Null is accepted only where listed. Unknown input properties are rejected.
| Field | Type | Presence | Meaning and constraints |
| ------------------------- | ------------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `projectId` | string | Required | Identifier of the project returned by its create or list operation. pattern: "^\[a-zA-Z0-9\_-]\{1,128}\$" |
| `supplier` | string | Required | Source of imported candidate evidence, retained as provenance. values: "ahrefs", "google\_search\_console", "semrush", "majestic", "moz", "dataforseo", "linkody", "csv" |
| `targetKind` | string | Required | Whether target identifies an exact URL or a domain. values: "domain", "exact\_url" |
| `target` | string | Required | Exact URL or domain to query, interpreted according to targetKind. minLength: 1; maxLength: 4096 |
| `includeSubdomains` | boolean | Required | Include subdomains of the selected domain in this query. |
| `backlinksStatus` | string | Required | Supplier-reported backlink status filter; this is not Linktrail verification. values: "live", "lost", "all" |
| `rows` | array | Required | Each row requires source\_url and target\_url. target\_url is the row destination; the outer target defines the import scope. Optional fields are shown in the row schema. Invalid rows return positional errors without rejecting valid neighbors. Example: \{"source\_url":"[https://publisher.example/article","target\_url":"https://example.com/","anchor":"Example"\}](https://publisher.example/article","target_url":"https://example.com/","anchor":"Example"\});. minItems: 1; maxItems: 1000 |
| `rows[].source_url` | string | Required | See the typed schema and response example for this field. maxLength: 4096 |
| `rows[].target_url` | string | Required | See the typed schema and response example for this field. maxLength: 4096 |
| `rows[].anchor` | string / null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].rel` | object / null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].dofollow` | boolean,null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].link_type` | string / null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].first_seen` | string / null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].last_seen` | string / null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].is_lost` | boolean,null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `rows[].supplier_row_id` | string / null | Optional | Identifier returned by the related operation. |
| `rows[].supplier_metrics` | object / null | Optional | See the typed schema and response example for this field. |
| `supplierGeneratedAt` | string / null | Optional | Supplier export generation timestamp, distinct from import time. default: null |
| `idempotencyKey` | string | Optional | Caller-generated key reused only for retries of the same operation and arguments in this workspace. pattern: "^\[\x21-\x7e]\{1,200}\$" |
### Validation and omitted values
includeSubdomains and backlinksStatus are required import scope choices. Omitted supplierGeneratedAt remains null, rather than using the import date as a supplier date.
Omitted idempotencyKey uses deterministic content-based import identity. Re-importing the same scope, supplier and rows as supplied reuses the run. Imported order remains as\_supplied.
Every row requires source\_url and target\_url. Optional supplier metadata retains its provenance; invalid rows are returned with their positions while valid neighbors continue.
### Defaults when omitted
| Field | Default |
| --------------------- | ------- |
| `supplierGeneratedAt` | `null` |
## Output fields
Fields inside optional or nullable parents apply only when that parent exists. [Common schema conventions](/reference/schemas) explain evidence states, empty lists and extensions.
| Field | Type | Presence | Meaning and constraints |
| --------------------------------------- | -------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `v` | number | Required | v recorded for this result. must equal 1 |
| `id` | string | Required | Resource identifier returned by the operation. minLength: 1; maxLength: 128; pattern: "^\[a-zA-Z0-9\_-]+\$" |
| `workspace_id` | string | Required | Workspace that owns this record. minLength: 1; maxLength: 128; pattern: "^\[a-zA-Z0-9\_-]+\$" |
| `project_id` | string | Required | Project that owns this record. minLength: 1; maxLength: 128; pattern: "^\[a-zA-Z0-9\_-]+\$" |
| `provider` | string | Required | provider recorded for this result. values: "linktrail\_corpus", "dataforseo", "imported" |
| `data_mode` | string | Required | data mode recorded for this result. values: "synthetic", "owned\_corpus", "provider\_index", "imported" |
| `query` | object | Required | query recorded for this result. additional fields rejected |
| `query.target_kind` | string | Required | target kind recorded for this result. values: "domain", "exact\_url" |
| `query.target` | string | Required | target recorded for this result. minLength: 1; maxLength: 4096 |
| `query.include_subdomains` | boolean | Required | include subdomains recorded for this result. |
| `query.backlinks_status_type` | string | Required | backlinks status type recorded for this result. values: "live", "lost", "all" |
| `query.exclude_internal_backlinks` | boolean | Required | exclude internal backlinks recorded for this result. |
| `query.mode` | string | Required | mode recorded for this result. must equal "as\_is" |
| `query.filters` | null | Required | filters recorded for this result. |
| `query.order_by` | array | Required | order by recorded for this result. minItems: 1; maxItems: 1 |
| `query.rank_scale` | string / null | Required | rank scale recorded for this result. |
| `query.page_limit` | integer | Required | page limit recorded for this result. minimum: 1; maximum: 1000 |
| `query.row_limit` | integer | Required | row limit recorded for this result. minimum: 1; maximum: 1000 |
| `status` | string | Required | Resource lifecycle status. values: "queued", "running", "succeeded", "partial", "failed", "reconciliation\_required" |
| `created_at` | string | Required | UTC timestamp when the record was created. format: "date-time"; pattern: "^(?:(?:\d\d\[2468]\[048]\|\d\d\[13579]\[26]\|\d\d0\[48]\|\[02468]\[048]00\|\[13579]\[26]00)-02-29\|\d\{4}-(?:(?:0\[13578]\|1\[02])-(?:0\[1-9]\|\[12]\d\|3\[01])\|(?:0\[469]\|11)-(?:0\[1-9]\|\[12]\d\|30)\|(?:02)-(?:0\[1-9]\|1\d\|2\[0-8])))T(?:(?:\[01]\d\|2\[0-3]):\[0-5]\d:\[0-5]\d\\.\d\{3}(?:Z))\$" |
| `started_at` | string / null | Required | started at recorded for this result. |
| `finished_at` | string / null | Required | finished at recorded for this result. |
| `coverage` | string | Required | Dataset scope and completeness, including limits on what these results establish. values: "pending", "complete\_for\_query", "capped", "partial", "unknown" |
| `coverage_reason` | string / null | Required | coverage reason recorded for this result. |
| `provider_total_count` | integer / null | Required | provider total count recorded for this result. |
| `usage` | object | Required | usage recorded for this result. additional fields rejected |
| `usage.unit` | string | Required | unit recorded for this result. must equal "discovery" |
| `usage.currency` | string | Required | currency recorded for this result. must equal "USD" |
| `usage.quote_id` | string | Required | quote id recorded for this result. minLength: 1; maxLength: 128; pattern: "^\[a-zA-Z0-9\_-]+\$" |
| `usage.max_cost_microusd` | integer | Required | max cost microusd recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `usage.reserved_cost_microusd` | integer | Required | reserved cost microusd recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `usage.provider_reported_cost_microusd` | integer / null | Required | provider reported cost microusd recorded for this result. |
| `usage.request_count` | integer | Required | request count recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `usage.returned_rows` | integer | Required | returned rows recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `usage.accepted_candidates` | integer | Required | accepted candidates recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `usage.rejected_rows` | integer | Required | rejected rows recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `usage.duplicate_rows` | integer | Required | duplicate rows recorded for this result. minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `operation` | string | Required | operation recorded for this result. must equal "backlinks" |
| `coverage_scope` | string | Required | coverage scope recorded for this result. values: "customer\_import", "corpus\_subset", "provider\_query" |
| `whole_web_coverage` | boolean | Required | False: these results do not measure the whole web. must equal false |
| `replayed` | boolean | Optional | True when the response reuses an earlier request with the same idempotency value. |
| `rejected` | array | Required | rejected recorded for this result. |
| `rejected[].row` | number | Required | row recorded for this result. |
| `rejected[].reason` | string | Required | Recorded explanation; null when no explanation applies. |
| `duplicates` | array | Required | duplicates recorded for this result. |
| `duplicates[].row` | number | Required | row recorded for this result. |
| `duplicates[].first_seen_on_row` | number | Required | first seen on row recorded for this result. |
| `rejected_total` | number | Required | rejected total recorded for this result. |
| `duplicates_total` | number | Required | duplicates total recorded for this result. |
[Download input schema](/schemas/import_backlinks.input.json) · [Download output schema](/schemas/import_backlinks.output.json)
## Errors and retries
The command is annotated idempotent. Reuse an accepted idempotency key when the input provides one; changing the payload under a reused key can conflict.
See [error recovery](/reference/errors) for status, scope, cooldown, cursor and retry handling. Unknown observations are result data and do not establish loss.
## HTTP resource routes
These existing resource routes share the operation’s domain behavior. Their parameter placement, status and response envelope can differ from generic invocation. See [HTTP route details](/reference/http/routes).
| Method and route | Success | Details |
| ---------------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `POST /v1/discovery/imports` | 201 | Remaining arguments go in a JSON object body. Supply idempotencyKey as the Idempotency-Key header on this resource route. |
## Continue
[get\_discovery\_run](/reference/commands/get_discovery_run) · [list\_discovery\_candidates](/reference/commands/list_discovery_candidates)
Follow the [related workflow](/guides/import-and-verify), inspect [capability status](/capability-status), or return to the [command index](/reference/index).