# What is the difference between user\_id and current\_user\_id

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-difference-between-user-id-and-current-user-id/246642
**Category:** Data & reporting
**Tags:** badges
**Created:** [November 24, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-difference-between-user-id-and-current-user-id/246642 "2022-11-24T13:21:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Anai-s](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/anai-s/32/255759_2.png) [@Anai-s](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Anai-s)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-difference-between-user-id-and-current-user-id/246642/1 "2022-11-24T13:21:15Z")

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Hi everyone!  
I want to create a badge that is granted when someone shares at least 5 posts. To be sure I use the correct field, I would like to understand the difference between user\_id and current\_user\_id in the table incoming\_links in [Data Explorer](https://meta.discourse.org/t/32566?silent=true). If someone has an idea it would be really helpful, thank you!

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### Author: ![pedrom9604](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pedrom9604/32/280240_2.png) [@pedrom9604](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pedrom9604)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2022, 2:21am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-difference-between-user-id-and-current-user-id/246642/2 "2022-11-25T02:21:40Z")

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Hi Anais,

`user_id` refers to the user who shared the post and `current_user_id` refers to the user that checked the post via the shared link. If a visitor (outsider from your Discourse instance) uses this link, `current_user_id` will be NULL.

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### Author: ![Anai-s](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/anai-s/32/255759_2.png) [@Anai-s](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Anai-s)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2022, 8:28am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-difference-between-user-id-and-current-user-id/246642/3 "2022-11-25T08:28:15Z")

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Hi Pedro!

Thank you so much for your explanation!

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### Author: ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/system/32/443519_2.png) [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2022, 8:28am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-difference-between-user-id-and-current-user-id/246642/4 "2022-12-25T08:28:31Z")

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