--- title: OptimizelyUserContext for the JavaScript (Node) SDK prior to v6 slug: feature-experimentation/docs/optimizelyusercontext-javascript-node-prior-to-v6 docTags: createdAt: 2026-08-05T20:39:59.000Z --- The `OptimizelyUserContext` object lets you make flag decisions and track events for a user context that you have already created using the [\`Create User Context\`](docId:7WZjge5drvVl3_iYhV4IQ) method. ## OptimizelyUserContext minimum SDK version OptimizelyUserContext is supported on SDK v3.7 and higher. ### Forced decision methods minimum SDK version `setForcedDecision()`, `getForcedDecision()`, `removeForcedDecision()` and `removeAllForcedDecisions()` methods are supported on v4.9.0 and higher. ### Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation minimum SDK version `fetch_qualified_segments()` and `is_qualified_for()` methods are supported on version 5.0.0 and higher. They also require configuring the [Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation](docId:6UBBxxRv331nBIVZ2lun8) integration. ## `OptimizelyUserContext` definition The following code shows the object definition for `OptimizelyUserContext`: ```typescript interface OptimizelyUserContext { // set an attribute for the user setAttribute(key: string, value: unknown): void; // return user attributes getAttributes(): UserAttributes; // make a decision about which flag variation the user buckets into for the flag key decide( key: string, options: OptimizelyDecideOption[] = [] ): OptimizelyDecision; // make decisions about which flag variations the user buckets into for flag keys decideForKeys( keys: string[], options: OptimizelyDecideOption[] = [], ): { [key: string]: OptimizelyDecision }; // make decisions about which flag variations the user buckets into for all flags decideAll( options: OptimizelyDecideOption[] = [] ): { [key: string]: OptimizelyDecision }; // track user event trackEvent(eventName: string, eventTags?: EventTags): void; // Sets the forced decision (variationKey) for a given decision context setForcedDecision(context: OptimizelyDecisionContext, decision: OptimizelyForcedDecision): boolean; // Returns the forced decision for a given decision context getForcedDecision(context: OptimizelyDecisionContext): OptimizelyForcedDecision | null; // Removes the forced decision for a given decision context removeForcedDecision(context: OptimizelyDecisionContext): boolean; // Removes all forced decisions bound to this user context removeAllForcedDecisions(): boolean; // // The following methods require the Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation. // See the note following this code sample. // // An array of audience segment names that the user is qualified for. // The result of **fetchQualifiedSegments()** is saved here. // Can be nil if not properly updated with fetchQualifiedSegments(). // // You can read and write directly to the qualified segments array. // This lets you bypass the remote fetching process from ODP // or use your your own fetching service. let qualifiedSegments = []; // Fetch all qualified segments for the user context. // // The audience segments fetched are saved in **qualifiedSegments** and can be accessed at any time. // On failure, **qualifiedSegments** is nil and one of the following errors is returned: // - OptimizelyError.invalidSegmentIdentifier // - OptimizelyError.fetchSegmentsFailed(String) // // - Parameters: // - options – (Optional) A set of options for fetching qualified segments. // - completionHandler – A completion handler to be called with the fetch result. // On success, passes a non-nil segments array (can be empty) with a nil error. // On failure, passes a non-nil error with a nil segments array. fetchQualifiedSegments(options = [], completionHandler) // Check is the user qualified for the given segment. // - Parameter segment – The segment name to check qualification for. // - Returns – True, if qualified. isQualifiedFor(segment) } ``` :::hint{type="info"} **Note** You must first configure [Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation](docId:6UBBxxRv331nBIVZ2lun8) to access the`qualifiedSegments` array and the `fetchQualifiedSegments()` and `isQualifiedFor()` methods. ::: ## Properties The following table lists the attributes for the `OptimizelyUserContext` object: | Attribute | Type | Comment | | --------------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | \`userId\` | String | The ID of the user | | \`attributes\` | Map | A map of custom key-value pairs specifying attributes for the user that are used for \[audience targeting]\(https\://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/38683417490957). You can pass the map with the user ID when you create the user. | | \`qualifiedSegments\` | Array | An array of audience segment names that the user is qualified for. Requires \[Real-Time Audiences for Optimizely Feature Experimentation]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/real-time-audiences-for-feature-experimentation). The result of the \`fetchQualifiedSegments()\` array is saved here. The array can be nil if not properly updated with \`fetchQualifiedSegments()\`. You can read and write directly to the qualified segments array. This lets you bypass the remote fetching process from ODP or use your own fetching service. | ## Methods The following table lists the methods for the `OptimizelyUserContext` object: | Method | Comment | | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | \`setAttribute\` | Pass a custom user attribute as a key-value pair to the user context. | | \`decide\` | Returns a decision result for a flag key for a user. The decision result is returned in an OptimizelyDecision object and contains all data required to deliver the flag rule. See \[Decide methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/decide-methods-javascript-node#decide). | | \`decideAll\` | Returns decisions for all active (unarchived) flags for a user. See \[Decide methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/decide-methods-javascript-node#decide-all). | | \`decideForKeys\` | Returns a map of flag decisions for specified flag keys. See \[Decide methods]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/decide-methods-javascript-node). | | \`trackEvent\` | Tracks a conversion event (in other words, an action a user takes) for a user. Logs an error message if the specified event key does not match any existing events. See \[Track Event]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/track-event-javascript-node). | | \`setForcedDecision\` | Forces a user into a specific variation. See \[Set Forced Decision]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-javascript-node#set-forced-decision-method---setforceddecision). | | \`getForcedDecision\` | Returns what variation the user was forced into. See \[Get Forced Decision]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-javascript-node#get-forced-decision-method---getforceddecision). | | \`removeForcedDecision\` | Removes a user from a specific forced variation. See \[Remove Forced Decision]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/forced-decision-methods-javascript-node#remove-forced-decision-method---removeforceddecision). | | \`removeAllForcedDecisions\` | Removes a user from all forced variations. See \[Remove All Forced Decisions]\(doc:). | | \`fetchQualifiedSegment\` \*\* | Fetch all qualified audience segments for the user context. See \[fetchQualfiedSegments]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/real-time-segments-for-feature-experimentation-segment-qualification-methods-javascript-node). | | \`isQualifiedFor\` \*\* | Check if the user is qualified for the given audience segment. See \[isQualifiedFor]\(https\://docs.developers.optimizely.com/feature-experimentation/docs/real-time-segments-for-feature-experimentation-segment-qualification-methods-javascript-node#isqualifiedfor). | \*\* Requires [Real-Time Audiences for Feature Experimentation](docId:6UBBxxRv331nBIVZ2lun8). ## See Also [Create User Context](docId\:MXN8iOzOMT-fcdpbgwg8C) ## Source files The language and platform source files containing the implementation for the JavaScript (Node) SDK are available on [GitHub](https://github.com/optimizely/javascript-sdk/blob/master/lib/optimizely/index.ts).