Connection types

A connection gives an agent a controlled way to reach something you use. It may be a folder on your Mac, a local app, or a remote service. All need an intended scope and a profile allowed to use them, even though their setup differs.

Connection	What it is for	What to choose or review
Filesystem	Read and navigate selected folders; write supported Markdown notes in configured writable roots.	Grant roots in Folders and choose the profile’s operations. A folder connection is not unrestricted shell access.
Local apps	Work with Apple Reminders and Apple Calendar.	Grant macOS access, then select the lists or calendars and operations available to the profile.
Local MCP server	Use tools exposed by another Mac app or a local server.	Choose its stdio command or local HTTP endpoint, review discovered tools, and enable selected operations.
Remote MCP server	Use a service’s MCP tools over Streamable HTTP.	Configure its endpoint and authentication, review the tool catalog, and apply grants and approvals.
Online API	Read or change selected data in a third-party service.	Let an agent prepare a REST, GraphQL, or JMAP connection with specific operations and resource constraints.
PostgreSQL	Query a database through scoped operations or an explicitly chosen raw SQL connection.	Use a restricted database role and select the mode and allowed scope.

The Mac app groups these under Folders, Local apps, and Online services. These are ways to find connections; their placement does not grant extra access.

Why put a local MCP app behind Access?

An app may already expose MCP directly. Connecting it through Access lets you choose which reviewed tools an agent sees, apply approval rules, and inspect calls in Access’s audit log. The underlying app still determines the resource scope inside each tool. Review that app’s permissions as well. A local stdio server is a program running as your macOS user. Its own file and network access is not sandboxed by Access. See the security model.

Why there isn’t a large API catalog: an agent can read a provider’s current documentation and prepare a connection around your task. For example, a Cloudflare analytics connection can request the relevant fields for one account and time range. This avoids needing a predefined integration for every service. You still review the scope and enter credentials; the requested restriction must be enforceable by the connection and provider.

Start with Set up a connector with an agent. Check Supported protocols before choosing an API or server.

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Connections

Permissions and security

Interfaces

Why put a local MCP app behind Access?

​Why put a local MCP app behind Access?

Why put a local MCP app behind Access?