> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.agentruntime.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Integrations quickstart

> Connect your first MCP tool in AgentRuntime — connections, instances, and workflow steps.

This guide walks through the three-layer integration model in AgentRuntime: **connections** (credentials), **MCP instances** (deployed tool servers), and **workflow steps** (runtime tool calls).

<Info>
  **Docs structure:** Pages in **Integration setup** cover the shared model (connections, instances, auth). **Connectors** lists one page per MCP adapter (`connectors/{slug}`) with tools and config only for that adapter.
</Info>

## Before you begin

* **Project contributor** role in your workspace
* Credentials for the tool you want to connect (Google account, API key, or WhatsApp business account)

## The integration model

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
  Conn[Connection credentials] --> Inst[MCP instance]
  Inst --> Step[Workflow mcp_call step]
```

1. **Connection** — Stores OAuth tokens or API keys
2. **MCP instance** — Installs a catalog server in your project and binds a connection
3. **Workflow step** — Calls a tool on that instance at runtime

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a connection">
    Go to **Connections** (`/connections`) and connect your tool:

    * **Google account** card — OAuth for Workspace MCP adapters (Gmail, Drive, Sheets, …)
    * **Connect WhatsApp** — Embedded signup or manual token entry
    * **New custom connection** — API keys, tokens, DSNs (Resend, GitHub, Postgres, …)

    See [Connections](/integrations/connections).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install an MCP instance">
    Go to **MCP** (`/mcp`), find a server in the platform catalog (for example, `gmail`, `postgres`, or `shopify`), and click **Add instance**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wire credentials on the instance">
    Open **Instance config** (`/mcp/instances/{id}`). Pick a config profile, wire your connection, and set the profile **active**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Validate (recommended)">
    Run **MCP validation** at `/mcp/{server_id}/validate` or test with a single-tool workflow run before production traffic.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add an MCP step to a workflow">
    In Workflow Studio, add an **mcp\_call** step. Select your instance, pick a tool, and configure `tool_args`. Reference upstream data with template variables.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Validate and run">
    Dry-run validate the workflow, publish, and start a run. Check the event log for tool responses.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

* [MCP instances](/integrations/mcp-instances) — config profiles and binding details
* [Connector catalog](/integrations/connector-catalog) — full list of available adapters
* [Authentication methods](/integrations/authentication) — OAuth vs API keys