How Glow Integrations Work

Glow runs a native integration framework for app authentication, action execution, and trigger handling. Connect an account once, reuse it across canvas Steps and AI Agent tools, and inspect every response in Executions.

At a glanceVerified in app · Oct 30, 2026

Use it to

Understand how app connections, pre-built actions, Custom API requests, triggers, and AI Agent tools work together

Find it

Canvas App drawer → Apps and Left sidebar → Connections

Output

App actions return their result directly as {{ N.field }} · Custom API request returns {{ N.status }}, {{ N.headers }}, and {{ N.data }}

Instead

HTTP Request Step (for arbitrary external APIs outside a catalog app)

How the Parts Fit Together

The app catalog defines available operations and input fields. A saved connection supplies account authorization, and each Step supplies the operation and mapped inputs.

1. 01ConfigureBefore a run
   App catalogChoose an action and configure its inputs.

   Connected accountSelect the account and check resource access.
2. 02ExecuteStarted by a trigger or manual run
   App Step in GlowResolve inputs and execute the selected action.

   Request
   response

   External appHandles the API request with its permissions and limits.
3. 03Use the ResultInspect the Step output
   Downstream StepsMap returned fields into the next part of the automation.

   ExecutionsInspect recorded results and errors from the run.

Where AI Fits

Choose the Connection Method

You need to…	Use	Who supplies authentication?
Perform an operation listed for an app	A pre-built app action	Select a saved app connection
Call another endpoint of a supported app	The app’s Custom API request, where available	Glow applies the selected connection’s credentials
Call your own or another public API	HTTP Request	Configure authentication using workspace secrets or API keys
Start an automation when a service sends an event	An app trigger or Webhook	Complete the trigger’s setup or configure webhook verification

What Glow Manages

Layer	What Glow handles	What you verify
Authorization & accounts	Saves connections, refreshes OAuth tokens when a valid refresh token is provided, and updates in place.	Test access to the target resource and check dependents in Connections (Managing Connections).
Configuration & execution	Loads dynamic pickers, resolves mapped inputs at runtime, and logs output in Executions.	Select parent resources before child fields, and map actual output fields ({{ N.field }}).
Incoming events	Polls for new records or receives webhooks through the integration’s trigger mechanism.	Complete required provider subscriptions or bot permissions before switching to Live.

• Direct output on app Steps: App actions expose their return value directly (object, list, or scalar), whereas HTTP Request has its own output wrapper. Adobe PDF Services Steps (Extract Text From PDF and Extract Text and Tables From PDF) return extracted text, elements, and tables directly, with the full archive under archiveFile (up to 10 MB).
• Slack posting & loop protection: Slack Steps that send to a channel post as Glow by default (with Send as Bot enabled on new Post Message Steps) unless Send as User is turned on. If Glow is not in the channel, it joins automatically using your Slack access or asks you to run /invite @Glow (or turn on Send as User for direct messages). Messages posted as Glow do not trigger your Slack triggers.
• No charge when nothing reached the app: When an app Step fails on Glow’s side before anything is sent to the external service, the Step reports "Glow had a problem running this step", confirms nothing was sent, and costs 0 Step credits (Failed - not charged).
• Polling baselines & intervals: Resuming a paused polling trigger sets a fresh baseline without replaying events created while paused. Gmail triggers check for new mail every minute on paid plans (every 5 minutes on Free).
• Connections and webhooks are separate: Saving a connection does not configure an inbound Webhook trigger.

Choose Your OAuth App Registration

Saving a custom registration updates the OAuth client identity for new sign-ins and reconnections. It does not add per-automation scope selectors or reauthorize existing connections. Follow Use Your Own App for setup, rotation, and removal.

Make a Custom API Request

Use an app’s Custom API request action to call an allowed endpoint not covered by pre-built actions. It reuses your saved connection without exposing its raw token.

Initial requests must target an allowed API host for that app. Cross-origin redirects strip credential headers, though redirects can still forward a request body. Check redirect behavior before sending sensitive payloads. Check the external service before retrying a timed-out write.

Review Access and Data Handling

• Isolate client accounts: Keep each client’s connections in its own workspace. Recheck bindings when deploying across workspaces.
• Audit provider scopes: Review OAuth consent screens and API-key scopes against your policy.
• Protect secrets: Raw credentials are never returned in connection details. Use workspace Secrets or API keys for manual auth headers.
• Check retention: Responses enter execution history and downstream Steps. Review Security & Compliance and ask your account team for subprocessor, region, or audit documentation.

Verify it works

Run

Add an app Step or Custom API request, select a saved Connection, and run a read-only test

You should see

Glow calls the external service with the selected account and records the returned output in Executions.

What’s Next?

• Connecting an App: authorize an account and check access with a read-only action.
• Managing Connections: reconnect, replace, or retire an account.
• HTTP Request: configure a request to another public API.