How Connections Work
Each category in the sidebar holds one app at a time. Connecting an app does two things: it gives the agent permission to call that app’s API on your behalf through Lava, and it opens the app as a live tab in the sidebar. The two steps are separate (authorizing the agent and signing into the tab are distinct actions you complete in the same flow). Three connection shapes appear across the categories:- Sign in with your account: an authorization screen opens in the sidebar and you approve access. Used by most apps.
- Paste an API key: a form prompts you to paste a key from the app’s settings. The key is stored and used for subsequent calls.
- Sign in on the tab: the app opens as a live tab and your existing session is what connects it. No separate authorization step; the agent detects that you’re signed in.
Calendar
Apps: Google Calendar How you connect: Sign in with your Google account. An authorization screen opens in the sidebar and you approve access. What the agent can do: Check availability, find events, and help plan your time.Messaging
Apps: Slack How you connect: Sign in with your Slack account. An authorization screen opens in the sidebar and you approve access. What the agent can do: Read, summarize, and reply to your messages.CRM
Apps: Salesforce, HubSpot, Affinity How you connect: Sign in with your Salesforce or HubSpot account via the authorization screen. For Affinity, paste an API key from your Affinity settings. What the agent can do: Search, summarize, and update your contacts, deals, and pipeline.Accounting
Apps: QuickBooks How you connect: Sign in with your QuickBooks account. An authorization screen opens in the sidebar and you approve access. What the agent can do: Read invoices, customers, and reports, and record transactions.Recruiting
Apps: LinkedIn How you connect: Sign in on the tab. LinkedIn opens in the sidebar; once you’re signed in, the agent detects your session and the connection is live. No separate authorization step. What the agent can do: Read your inbox, search connections, and message candidates across your network.Notes
Apps: Grain, Fireflies, Granola How you connect: Sign in with your account. An authorization screen opens and you approve access. What the agent can do: Search your meeting notes, summarize them, and pull action items.Lava CRM
Lava CRM is built into Lava Desktop and requires no connection step. It appears in the sidebar automatically and your agent can access it once you’re signed into Lava. What the agent can do: Search, summarize, and update contacts, accounts, deals, and pipeline.Additional Apps
Beyond the sidebar slots, the “Connect a new app” screen gives your agent access to additional services. These do not open as sidebar tabs but extend what the agent can do for you. Examples include Airtable, GitHub, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Linear, Notion, and others. Each additional app shows its connection shape in the picker:| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| OAuth | Sign in with your account |
| API Key | Paste a key from the app’s settings |
| MCP | Sign in with your account via a secure connection |
Next Steps
Connecting Your Apps
Step-by-step guide to adding, switching, and removing apps.
Working with the Agent
Give the agent tasks across your connected apps.