Connecting apps

Connections & credentials

A connection is a saved credential — an API key, an OAuth grant, or a username/password pair — that a workflow node uses to call a third-party app on your behalf. You create one from Credentials or inline while configuring a node.

Every app that supports at least one connection type publishes its own step-by-step guide, generated directly from that app's connection definition, on its public app page.

Auth types you'll see

Apps authenticate one of two ways:

• API key / token (auth type basic) — paste a key, token, or username+password pair generated from the app's own settings. This is the majority shape across the catalog — most "API key" connections are a basic form with one or two fields.
• OAuth — sign in and approve a scope grant through the app's own consent screen; no key to copy.

Find an app's connection guide

Open any app under Apps — once that app supports a connection type, its page includes a "How to connect" section with field-by-field instructions and any OAuth scopes it requests. A few examples are linked below; use Explore all apps for the full directory.

Connecting via the Platform API or MCP

When an external agent calls create_credential (or POST /api/v1/credentials) for OAuth or missing secrets, it gets back {status: "credential_required", appId, connectionId, connect_url} instead of a chat card. Complete the connection in four steps:

1. The agent calls create_credential (or POST /api/v1/credentials) for an OAuth or missing-secret connection.
2. It reads connect_url from the credential_required response.
3. A logged-in member of the same organization opens connect_url and completes the credential form.
4. The agent polls list_credentials (or GET /api/v1/credentials?appId=…) until the new credential appears.

References

1. WEXTL® connection and credential-storage implementation.
2. Our users' real app connections.
3. Per-app connection guides, generated from each app's own connection definition.