# Customer Identity: headless, passwordless and Customer 360 fit

*Platform Identity and Access Management Architect Study Guide · Salesforce Identity · Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/identity-and-access-management-architect/salesforce-identity/customer-identity-headless-passwordless-and-customer-360-fit*

Where Salesforce Customer Identity (the exam guide's Customer 360 Identity) fits in a Customer 360 architecture: the login, registration, verification and SSO layer for customers and partners, separate from Data 360 profile unification, with headless identity for off-platform apps, passwordless login, SMS verification options and login flows that collect profile data later.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Identity and Access Management Architect
- Exam section: Salesforce Identity
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/identity-and-access-management-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario identify if Salesforce Customer 360 Identity fits into fully a developed Customer 360 solution.

## What the exam expects

- Decide whether a Customer 360 requirement belongs to Salesforce Customer Identity (customer login, registration, verification, SSO) or to another product such as Data 360 or employee identity.
- Place an Experience Cloud site in the design: as the login surface, as an identity provider or OpenID provider for other apps, or as the hidden back end of headless identity.
- Know the scope of headless identity (customers and partners only, site required) and its flows, including user discovery.
- Choose between free email verification, Salesforce-delivered SMS (Identity Verification Credits) and a custom SMS provider.
- Collect profile data after registration with a login flow.

Key terms: **Salesforce Customer Identity** (the exam guide's Customer 360 Identity: IAM for customers and partners); **External Identity license** (the license that delivers Customer Identity); **headless identity** (Salesforce authentication behind an off-platform app's own screens); **passwordless login** (log in and sign up without a username or password); **Identity Verification Credits** (add-on that buys Salesforce-delivered SMS messages).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Customer 360 Identity today | Salesforce Customer Identity | [Salesforce Customer Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_about_customers_partners.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Licenses that enable it | External Identity or a Community license | [Salesforce Customer Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_about_customers_partners.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| External Identity with paid community licenses | Free in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited | [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Unified profiles | Data 360 identity resolution | [About Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Headless site requirement | Every implementation needs an Experience Cloud site | [Headless Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.headless_identity_customers_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Headless audience | Customers and partners only, never employees | [Headless Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.headless_identity_customers_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Headless flows | Login, passwordless, registration, forgot password, guest | [Headless Identity Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.remoteaccess_headless_identity_pointer.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| User discovery | Any identifier for login, passwordless, forgot password | [Headless Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.headless_identity_customers_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Email verification | Free | [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Salesforce-sent SMS | Identity Verification Credits add-on | [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Site credentials into a third-party app | Site as SAML IdP or OpenID provider | [Site as Identity Provider](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.external_identity_sso_idp.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a standalone app still need an Experience Cloud site for headless identity?
- When do existing Customer Community users need a separate External Identity purchase for Customer Identity features?
- Which tool asks for the remaining profile fields after a short sign-up?
- Why is a request to unify banking and web analytics records not a Customer Identity requirement?

## Sources

- [Salesforce Customer Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_about_customers_partners.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Headless Identity for Customers and Partners](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.headless_identity_customers_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [External Identity License Details](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.users_license_types_external_identity.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Configure Your Experience Cloud Site as an Identity Provider or OpenID Provider](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.external_identity_sso_idp.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Configure Your Experience Cloud Site as a Service Provider or Relying Party](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.external_identity_sso_sp.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Headless Identity Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.remoteaccess_headless_identity_pointer.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [About Identity Resolution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_identity_resolution.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Custom Login Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.security_login_flow.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Use SMS as an MFA Verification Method for External Users](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.security_mfa_sms_for_external_users.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Embedded Login](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.external_identity_embedded_login_use_cases.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 11 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Identity and Access Management Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams