# Apps and connectors

> What an app, connector, operation and connection are in APIANT, how the app catalog is organized, how apps authenticate, and what happens when the app or operation you need is not in the catalog.

Each app in the APIANT catalog is a **connector** (how APIANT authenticates to the vendor's API) plus its **operations** (the triggers and actions an automation step can use). A **connection** is your own authorized account on that app, such as your HubSpot portal.

## Terms

| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **App** | A product APIANT can talk to, such as HubSpot or Slack |
| **Connector** | The part of an app that defines how requests are authenticated |
| **Operation** | One trigger or action of an app, such as **New or updated contact** or **Add deal** |
| **Connection** | Your authorized account on an app. You can have several per app, each with its own name. See [Connecting accounts](/docs/apps/connections). |
| **Built-in app** | An app that runs inside APIANT and needs no connection, such as Forms, Chat, Web Service, Lookup Tables or Flow Control. See [Actions and built-in apps](/docs/automations/actions). |

Operations are also called **assemblies** in Claude's output and in the [MCP tool reference](/docs/reference/mcp-tools). An assembly can make several API calls and run logic between them, but an automation uses it as one step.

## Finding an app

Ask Claude or the assistant whether an app is supported and what it can do, for example: "Does APIANT have an Asana trigger for new comments on a task?" Claude searches the catalog by name and, when nothing matches the name, by what the app does.

To browse, open **Connections** and select **Connect App**, then search by app name.

![The Connect App dialog with its Search apps field focused and the alphabetical app list open below it.](https://lptryjqgqoknvmzotyvz.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/docs-images/1789500936666-apiant-ai-docs-connect-app-dialog.webp)

The Connect App dialog filters apps as you type. Apps marked **Needs your keys** connect only with app keys you supply, such as an OAuth client ID and secret from your own vendor account.

The catalog is also published as a public JSON feed; see [App catalog](/docs/reference/apps).

## How apps authenticate

| Authentication | What you do |
|---|---|
| API key or other credentials | Paste the key, and any other values the app asks for, into the connect dialog |
| No credentials | Nothing, or fill in settings such as a base URL |
| OAuth 2.0 | Sign in to the vendor and approve access |
| Managed authentication (Composio) | Sign in to the vendor through Composio. The first time, the connect dialog asks for an API key from your own Composio account, unless one is already on file for your account. |
| Token exchange | Enter credentials, such as a client ID and secret or a username and password, that APIANT exchanges for a short-lived token |

An OAuth app connects through the OAuth app APIANT has registered with the vendor, when one exists. When APIANT has none for that app, you connect with an OAuth app registered on your own vendor account. See [Use your own OAuth app or API keys](/docs/apps/own-oauth-app).

## When an app or operation is missing

When you ask for an app or operation the catalog does not have, Claude or the assistant tells you. Some catalog entries carry a status with a one-sentence explanation:

| Status | What you are told | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Awaiting vendor approval | The app works, but the vendor has not approved the public listing yet | Connect it with your own OAuth keys |
| Deprecated | The app works, but a newer app replaces it | Build against the newer app |
| Retired or duplicate | The app is not available, or is the same app under another name | Use the replacement app named |
| Not built yet | The app is not built yet, and can be built on demand | Use one of the two routes below |
| No public API or discontinued | There is nothing to connect to | None |

Two other routes cover a missing operation:

- **An API call step.** The **HTTP** built-in app's **Send an HTTP(S) request** action calls an HTTP API directly from a step.
- **A custom connector or operation.** On plans that allow private connectors, Claude Code can read the vendor's API documentation and build the connector, trigger or action for your account. See [Build a connector, action or trigger](/docs/apps/custom-connectors).

## Next steps

- [Connecting accounts](/docs/apps/connections)
- [Use your own OAuth app or API keys](/docs/apps/own-oauth-app)
- [Build a connector, action or trigger](/docs/apps/custom-connectors)
- [App catalog](/docs/reference/apps)