> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.canton.network/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to allocate and query Daml parties

> Allocate new parties on a participant and query party metadata.

# How to allocate and query Daml parties

Canton Participant Node exposes a party management service that allows creation and discovery of the Daml parties. This guide explains how to programmatically manipulate the parties using the JSON Ledger API, which is described using OpenAPI specifications.

To learn about the Daml parties and users, see Daml parties and users in the key concepts section.

Refer to the party management section in the operational guide to learn how the parties can be created using the Canton console.

## Start Canton Participant Node

Ensure that your Canton Participant Node opens a JSON Ledger API HTTP port by adding a flag to the Canton Participant startup

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
-C canton.participants.participant1.http-ledger-api.port=7575
```

Alternatively, enable the [JSON Ledger API](/appdev/quickstart/json-api) in the [Canton config](/global-synchronizer/reference/canton-configuration-guide) file.

Start the Canton Participant Node and connect it to the Synchronizer. If you are unfamiliar with the procedure, review [Connecting the Participant nodes and synchronizers](/global-synchronizer/canton-console/getting-started-tutorial#connecting-the-participant-nodes-and-synchronizers).

## How to query for existing parties

To list all parties known to the participant, issue a GET request towards the `v2/parties` endpoint.

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
curl http://localhost:7575/v2/parties
```

The participant responds with a message containing all the known parties

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
{
  "partyDetails": [
    {
      "party": "Alice::122091f5d8d174bc0d624616d4f366904f8d4c56d56e33508878db3156c3dd9b8ae9",
      "isLocal": true,
      "localMetadata": {
        "resourceVersion": "0",
        "annotations": {}
      },
      "identityProviderId": ""
    },
    {
      "party": "Bob::122091f5d8d174bc0d624616d4f366904f8d4c56d56e33508878db3156c3dd9b8ae9",
      "isLocal": true,
      "localMetadata": {
        "resourceVersion": "0",
        "annotations": {}
      },
      "identityProviderId": ""
    },
    {
      "party": "ee1d49e9-fa52-480a-8e85-033738a1fc75::122091f5d8d174bc0d624616d4f366904f8d4c56d56e33508878db3156c3dd9b8ae9",
      "isLocal": true,
      "localMetadata": {
        "resourceVersion": "",
        "annotations": {}
      },
      "identityProviderId": ""
    }
  ],
  "nextPageToken": ""
}
```

The `isLocal` attribute is set to true if the participant hosts the party and the party shares the same identity provider as the user issuing the request.

## How to create a new local party

To create a new party, issue a POST request towards the `v2/parties` endpoint.

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
curl -d '{"partyIdHint":"Alice"}' http://localhost:7575/v2/parties
```

The resulting party id is composed of the supplied `partyIdHint` and the namespace fingerprint of the entity overseeing that party. Typically, it is the fingerprint associated with the Canton Participant Node.

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
{
  "partyDetails": {
    "party": "Alice::122091f5d8d174bc0d624616d4f366904f8d4c56d56e33508878db3156c3dd9b8ae9",
    "isLocal": true,
    "localMetadata": {
      "resourceVersion": "0",
      "annotations": {}
    },
    "identityProviderId": ""
  }
}
```

If you omit the `partIdHint` in your request, the Participant Node selects a random hint string.