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Hosted And Local Apps (MCP)

Most apps in Settings › Apps connect in one of two ways: Hosted, where the service runs the connection, or Runs on this computer, where Row-Bot starts a small program for it. Both use the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard for offering tools to assistants; you never need to know that to use them.

Connect An App​

  • From a catalog: search Settings › Apps, open the app and choose Connect or Add. Row-Bot shows what will happen, then sets up anything the app needs to run (Node.js or uv, and the app's own package) in its own folder, asks for any key or setting, checks the connection (and signs you in if the service asks), and asks what the app can do.
  • From a link or file: Add from link or file accepts an app's https address, a GitHub repository, or a .mcpb bundle.
  • By its settings: Apps › Advanced › Add a custom connection opens the connection editor for an app that isn't in a catalog.

Use separate connections with their own names for separate accounts, such as Work and Personal. Keys are kept in your system keychain. Apps › Advanced has Use apps, which stops every app at once, and shows the shared Node.js and uv runtimes under On this computer.

Which Actions Ask First​

When you choose what an app can do, Row-Bot groups its actions by effect:

  • Looks things up: actions that only read. Read only, Ask before changes and Full access all let these run.
  • Makes changes: routine changes such as create, add, update, edit, write, set, rename or move. They ask first unless you chose Full access or set the action to Use without asking.
  • Always asks first: high-impact actions. An action is high-impact when the app marks it destructive, or when its name or description says it does something such as delete, send, post, publish, deploy, merge, push, commit, run, execute, pay, transfer, upload, comment, share, invite or change permissions. A routine change to something that reaches people, publishes or grants access is high-impact too, for example creating a release or a pull request, adding a collaborator or setting a password. These ask in every choice and can't be set to run without asking.

An action whose effect Row-Bot can't determine always asks. An app's own hints can only make an action stricter; the one exception is a read-only hint, and it never outweighs a name that says the action makes a change. Without that hint, an action whose name doesn't say it makes a change but whose description does always asks. Connections set up before this version keep asking before routine changes until you choose otherwise.

High-impact actions and actions whose effect Row-Bot can't determine always need approval: under Auto the reviewer approves one only when it clearly matches your request and otherwise asks you, and only Hands-off, which you choose, runs them without asking. Approval mode, agent profiles and the model's tool support still apply on top of this. Turning an action off in Row-Bot does not revoke access at the service; use the service's own account controls for that.

Interactive Views​

Some apps can show their results as an interactive view, such as a chart, a form or a board, under the step in chat. A view runs in its own sandbox and goes through the same access and approvals as any other call. See App views; developers can read Hosting MCP Apps Views.

Windows Connectors​

On Windows Insider builds with Windows' On-device Agent Registry (build 26220.7344 or later, with Settings › System › AI components › Experimental agentic features on), Apps › Advanced › Catalogs lists Windows connectors: connectors that Windows and your installed apps provide. Choose Update to list them; Row-Bot asks Windows only then. Connecting one is the usual setup, and Windows also asks you to allow it the first time Row-Bot uses it. Row-Bot never adds, removes or configures Windows connectors. On other computers and older builds the catalog isn't shown.

Hosted Brokers (Composio)​

A broker is a separate hosted service that connects many apps through one account. Composio is off until you turn it on in Apps › Advanced › Catalogs with Use Composio, which first explains what it means: a separate Composio account, and the requests and results for apps you use through it pass through Composio, which keeps them for up to a year by default under its own terms. Links to Composio's terms, privacy policy and data processing agreement are shown there, and nothing changes until you choose Turn on Composio.

While it's on, searching for an app also finds Composio, and an app's page offers a way such as Notion via Composio after the app's own ways to connect. Connecting signs you in to Composio (or takes a consumer key, kept in your keychain); you then connect each app in your Composio account. Composio's remote code tools start off, and its tools that act for other apps ask every time. Turning the switch off stops Row-Bot offering Composio; a Composio connection you already made stays until you turn it off or remove it on its page. Pipedream isn't available.

Turn Off And Remove​

Turn off stops the connection and keeps its settings and keys. Remove… removes the connection and its settings; its saved sign-in and keys stay in your keychain unless you choose Also delete saved keys and data. Shared runtimes stay installed. See Turn off or remove.

Developers​

How setup runs on the server, the HTTP API and the tool classification are summarised in Extend Row-Bot, with guides to catalog sources, the app catalog, bundles, sign-in and views.