> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.1kosmos.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.1kosmos.com/identity-verification/core-concepts.md).

# Core Concepts

***

### How they fit together

A **flow** is your configuration. A **session** is one execution of that flow. The session produces a **result**, and — if the user is enrolled — writes verified attributes to their **identity wallet** at the appropriate **assurance level**.

```
Flow  (config: docs allowed, liveness level, retention)
  │
  └──▶ Session  (one user, one URL, one outcome)
         │
         ├──▶ Result  (verdict + fields + scores)
         └──▶ Identity Wallet  (durable, user-owned)
                 │
                 └──▶ released to your app via OIDC / SAML / API
                       only with explicit user consent
```

### Mapping to common products

If you've worked with another IDV vendor, the vocabulary translates:

| 1Kosmos             | Persona      | Sumsub             | Incode             |
| ------------------- | ------------ | ------------------ | ------------------ |
| Verification flow   | Template     | Verification level | Onboarding flow    |
| Session             | Inquiry      | Applicant          | Onboarding session |
| Verification result | Verification | Review             | Session outcome    |
| Identity wallet     | Account      | Applicant profile  | Incode Identity    |

The differences matter most when you talk about data lifetime: a 1Kosmos identity wallet is owned by the **user** and persists across sessions and tenants, while most competitors store identity records inside the **business's** account.


---

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