Connectors, Tools & Triggers on Macha — Explained
Three words come up constantly in Macha: connectors, tools, and triggers. They're the plumbing that lets your agents actually do things in your other apps. Once you see how they relate, building agents that act across your stack makes complete sense.
Watch the overview
Connectors: the link to your apps
A connector is how Macha connects to a third-party app — Zendesk, Slack, Stripe, Shopify, and more. Open the Connectors page from the left menu and you'll see all the connectors Macha offers; connect one, and you've opened a door between Macha and that app.
A connector on its own doesn't do anything — it's the bridge. What you get across that bridge is tools and triggers.
Tools: the actions an agent can take
When you add a connector, it comes with tools — the capabilities you can give an agent so it can take action in that app. Each tool is either a read action (fetch a ticket, search orders, look up a customer) or a write action (post a reply, update a field, issue a refund). You have full control over which tools each agent gets — so you hand an agent exactly the abilities it needs and nothing more. (The read/write distinction matters a lot for safety — see read tools vs. write tools.)
Triggers: the events that start an agent
The same connectors also provide triggers — events that automatically start an agent. A new Zendesk ticket, a Slack mention, a status change. Where tools are what an agent can do, triggers are when it runs. (More in what is a trigger.)
How they fit together
Here's the whole model in one breath:
- Connectors link Macha to your apps.
- Tools (from a connector) are the actions an agent can take in that app.
- Triggers (from a connector) are the events that start the agent.
So a typical Zendesk support agent uses the Zendesk connector, is given a few tools (read the ticket, update fields, post a reply), and runs on a trigger (ticket created). Connect, pick tools, set a trigger — that's an agent that works across your helpdesk.
And if Macha doesn't have a connector for something you use? You can build your own tools from any API — see custom tools.
Frequently asked questions
What is a connector? The link between Macha and a third-party app (Zendesk, Slack, Stripe…). Connecting it unlocks that app's tools and triggers.
What's the difference between a tool and a trigger? A tool is an action an agent can take; a trigger is an event that starts the agent.
Do I have to give an agent all of a connector's tools? No — you choose exactly which tools each agent gets.
What if there's no connector for my app? Build a custom tool from its API endpoint.
The bottom line
Connectors link Macha to your apps; tools are the actions those connectors give your agents; triggers are the events that start them. Connect an app, give your agent the right tools, set a trigger — and you've got an agent that acts across your stack.
Connect your stack: add a connector and give your agent the tools it needs. 7-day free trial, no credit card required. Start free.
