---
title: "Overview"
description: "Learn about credential offers in the Issuer2 API."
stack: "Community Stack (open source) — version 0.21.0"
stack_version: "0.21.0"
stack_comparison: https://docs.walt.id/community-vs-enterprise.md
canonical_url: https://docs.walt.id/community-stack/issuer2/credential-offers/overview
generated: 2026-07-08
---
# Overview

Before a wallet can receive a credential, the issuer creates a credential offer from a [credential profile](https://docs.walt.id/community-stack/issuer2/credential-profiles/overview.md). The Issuer2 API exposes endpoints for creating and managing these offers, which generate an OID4VCI credential offer URL that any compliant wallet can claim.

## What is a Credential Offer?

A credential offer is a one-time or limited-use invitation for a wallet to receive a credential. When you create an offer, you specify:

- **Profile** – The credential profile to use as the base configuration
- **Authentication Method** – Pre-authorized or authorization code flow
- **Delivery Mode** – Credential offer by reference or by value
- **Expiration** – How long the offer remains valid
- **Runtime Overrides** – Any profile values to override for this specific offer

## Offer Flow

1. **Create Offer** – Call the offers endpoint with a profile ID
2. **Share URL** – Send the credential offer URL to the user (QR code, deep link, etc.)
3. **Wallet Claims** – User's wallet resolves the offer and receives the credential

## Authentication Methods

| Method | Description | Use Case |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| `PRE_AUTHORIZED` | No user authentication required | Known users, pre-verified data |
| `AUTHORIZED` | User must authenticate via IdP | Unknown users, dynamic data collection |

See [Protocol Flows](https://docs.walt.id/community-stack/issuer2/protocol-flows/overview.md) for the full sequence diagrams and a more detailed breakdown of when to use each.

## Offer Delivery Modes

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `BY_REFERENCE` | Offer URL contains a reference; wallet fetches full offer from issuer (default) |
| `BY_VALUE` | Full credential offer is embedded in the URL |

**Note:**

`BY_REFERENCE` is recommended for most use cases as it keeps URLs shorter and allows the issuer to track when offers are resolved.

## API Endpoints

### Create a Credential Offer

```bash
curl -X POST 'http://localhost:7002/issuer2/credential-offers' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "profileId": "universityDegree",
    "authMethod": "PRE_AUTHORIZED"
  }'
```

**Response:**

```json
{
  "offerId": "abc123-def456-ghi789",
  "profileId": "universityDegree",
  "authMethod": "PRE_AUTHORIZED",
  "expiresAt": 1704067500000,
  "credentialOffer": "openid-credential-offer://?credential_offer_uri=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%3A7002%2Fopenid4vci%2Fcredential-offer%3Fid%3Dabc123-def456-ghi789"
}
```

### List Sessions

```bash
curl -X GET 'http://localhost:7002/issuer2/sessions'
```

### Get Session Details

```bash
curl -X GET 'http://localhost:7002/issuer2/sessions/{sessionId}'
```

## Using the Credential Offer

The `credentialOffer` URL in the response can be:

1. **Displayed as QR Code** – User scans with their wallet app
2. **Sent as Deep Link** – User clicks link on mobile device
3. **Embedded in Email/Message** – User clicks to open in wallet

When the wallet resolves this URL, it will:
1. Fetch the full credential offer from the issuer
2. Display the credential details to the user
3. Request the credential using the appropriate flow

## Next Steps

- [Create an Offer](https://docs.walt.id/community-stack/issuer2/credential-offers/create-offer.md) – Step-by-step guide to creating credential offers
- [Protocol Flows](https://docs.walt.id/community-stack/issuer2/protocol-flows/overview.md) – Full sequence diagrams for both authentication methods
- [Notifications](https://docs.walt.id/community-stack/issuer2/notifications.md) – Monitor issuance progress via webhooks or SSE