Connect knowledge, data and systems
Choose a source, read-only lookup, model or capability, and keep credentials out of portable projects.
Connect knowledge, data and systems
Start by deciding what the agent needs. Stable policy or reference material belongs in knowledge. A customer-specific order status should be looked up for that request. An operation that changes data belongs in a typed capability with an approval path. This choice determines what can be pinned into a Build and what must remain a runtime connection.
| Need | Use | Where |
|---|---|---|
| A stable policy or guide | Markdown/file/folder/Git source feeding a context layer | Browser for project-contained files; broader sources locally |
| Current rows for one user | Parameterized read-only database or Sheets lookup | Local Workstation or deployed agent service |
| A document or small table copied as knowledge | Snapshot, then refresh intentionally | Local Workstation |
| A model to answer | CLI, Ollama or API model connection | Local Agent Workspace or standalone agent service |
| An API read or business action | Typed capability and executor binding | Local Agent Workspace or standalone agent service |
Connect data in the local Workstation
Open Data & go live from the Lab or World. Choose Postgres, SQLite, Google Sheets or Docs. Test the connection before saving. For Postgres on a private server, use through my server (SSH) with an existing SSH alias; the Workstation uses your local SSH setup to open a temporary tunnel. MySQL and MariaDB are not currently supported by this guided flow. WhatsApp uses your Evolution API connection.
For each table, choose Look up while answering, Learn it or Not used. A lookup is read-only and parameterized; select the allowed columns and a small row limit, then use Try lookup to see exactly what would reach the agent. Learning stores a bounded local snapshot that becomes a context layer and needs an explicit participation rule. Use Sync now when the snapshot must be refreshed. A table left Not used is unavailable to the agent.
Credential-like columns cannot be selected for a lookup, and Postgres sessions use read-only transactions. Still create a database role with only the needed SELECT grants. The Workstation stores secrets in its local vault or environment references; portable project files keep references, not passwords. When moving a project, configure credentials again on the destination. The cloud editor rejects remote source and provider definitions because it cannot safely run arbitrary user-requested network access.
Connect a capability or live fact
For a current fact such as order status, a runtime provider can supply request-time material without mutating the immutable Context Build. Bind its endpoint and secret separately for each environment. For a business API, define a capability's input and output contract, connect its endpoint, check the exact contract and perform a real test call. Data-changing calls pause for operator approval of the exact arguments. A preview without an actual connection cannot prove that a future external system will respond.
Continue with agent creation, release operations or cloud limitations.