# Connections

A **connection** is a configured integration between Scalekit and a third-party provider. It holds the credentials and settings Scalekit needs to interact with that provider's API on behalf of your users — OAuth client secrets, API keys, scopes, and so on.

You create one connection per provider in the Scalekit Dashboard. Once active, it can be shared across all your users.

## Connection types

| Type | When to use |
|---|---|
| **OAuth 2.0** | Providers like Notion, Gmail, Slack, GitHub that use user-delegated authorization |
| **API Key** | Providers like Exa, HarvestAPI, Snowflake that authenticate with a static key |
| **Bearer token** | Providers that accept a long-lived bearer token |
| **Basic auth** | Providers that use username + password authentication |

## Creating a connection

1. Open the **Connections** section in the [Scalekit Dashboard](https://app.scalekit.com)
2. Click **Add connection** and select a provider
3. Enter the required credentials (OAuth client ID/secret, API key, etc.)
4. Save — the connection is now available for use
For a step-by-step example, see how to set up a [Gmail connection](/reference/agent-connectors/gmail/).

Next, learn how to create and manage [Connected accounts](/agent-auth/connected-accounts) that use these connections to authenticate and execute tools for your users.