# Activate an integration

import { Steps } from "@astrojs/starlight/components"

An **integration** is the connector between Mindflow and a third-party service. On the **Integrations** page you find a
vendor, open its services, and turn on the ones your flows need so steps and triggers can call that tool.

## When to use

- You need a step or trigger that calls an external vendor and the service is not activated yet.
- Prefer [Create and manage credentials](/getting-started/credentials/) when the connector is already on and you only
  need to store secrets in an environment.
- Prefer [Call native integrations](/guides/build/reach-out-to-services/call-native-integrations/) when you are ready to
  add an activated service as a flow step.
- Prefer [Send raw HTTP requests](/guides/build/reach-out-to-services/send-raw-http-requests/) for a private or custom
  endpoint that is not in the catalog.

Before you begin, confirm you can open Studio and activate integrations for your organization. Know the vendor and
service you need (for example **Amazon AWS** and **DynamoDB**).

## Guide

### Open Integrations and find a vendor

The **Integrations** page lists vendors in the catalog. Search narrows the list so you can open the vendor that owns the
service you want.

1. **Open Integrations.** In the Studio sidebar, choose **Integrations**.

   <div class="docs-screenshot-compact">

   ![Integrations page with vendor catalog, search Find a vendor service or portfolio, and Show activated services off](./assets/integrations-tab.png)

   </div>

2. **Search for the vendor.** In **Find a vendor, service or portfolio…**, type the vendor name—for example **AWS**—then
   open the matching card (for example **Amazon AWS**).

   <div class="docs-screenshot-compact">

   ![Integrations search for AWS showing the Amazon AWS vendor card](./assets/search-integrations.png)

   </div>

### Activate a service

Each vendor page lists **Native integrations** (and **HTTP presets** when Mindflow does not yet ship a native
connector). Turning a service on makes it available for credentials and for **Add a step**.

1. **Find the service.** On the vendor page, search or scroll to the service—for example **DynamoDB** under **Amazon
   AWS**. Use **Show all versions** when you need an older API version instead of the default.
2. **Turn the service on.** Use the switch on the service card. Prefer a **Native** service when one exists for the
   same job.

   <div class="docs-screenshot-compact">

   ![Amazon AWS Integrations page with DynamoDB native service switch on](./assets/enable-integration.png)

   </div>

3. **Create the credential next.** In an environment, add a credential for that service, then select it on the step.
   See [Create and manage credentials](/getting-started/credentials/).

:::tip
Prefer **native** integrations when available—they usually provide clearer errors and broader step coverage. Use an
**HTTP preset** only when no native connector exists for that vendor or use case.
:::

## Example

A builder enables **DynamoDB** under **Amazon AWS** so a later flow can read inventory rows from DynamoDB.

1. **Open Integrations and search AWS.** Choose **Integrations**, type **AWS**, and open **Amazon AWS**.
2. **Activate DynamoDB.** On the vendor page, find **DynamoDB** under **Native integrations** and turn the switch on.
3. **Add the credential in Docs.** In the **Docs** environment, create an AWS credential for that service, then attach
   it on the DynamoDB step when you design the flow.

## Keep in mind

- **Environments:** Credentials live at the environment level. Two environments can use the same vendor with different
  accounts or permissions. Access to credentials follows who can access that environment.
- **Catalog search:** If you cannot find a vendor, check spelling and confirm the connector exists in the catalog.
- **Steps still fail after activation:** Confirm the credential exists in the same environment as the deployment, and
  that the external account has the required permissions (API scopes, IAM rights, and similar).
- **Authentication errors:** Rotate or recreate the credential, and confirm the vendor has not blocked the app or
  token.

## Related

- [Create and manage credentials](/getting-started/credentials/) — store secrets in an environment after you activate a
  service.
- [Call native integrations](/guides/build/reach-out-to-services/call-native-integrations/) — add an activated service as
  a flow step.
- [Environments](/getting-started/environments/) — execution context for credentials and deployments.
- [Plan before you build](/getting-started/plan-before-you-build/) — list the tools to activate before you design.