zapier Install Zapier
Use this skill when a person says "install Zapier" and may not know which Zapier surface they need. Do not make them pick a product. Ask what they want to do, then walk them through the right path one step at a time.
Step 1: Find The Right Path
Ask one or two plain questions, then map the answer.
| What they want | Path | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to use their apps now | Zapier MCP | Connect tools to an AI client, no code |
| To build an app or agent in code | Zapier SDK | Call Zapier as a library: code, state, retries, schedules |
| To drive Zapier from the terminal | Zapier CLI | Standalone global install; bundles the SDK |
| Not sure | Start with Zapier MCP | Fastest path to a working agent |
The SDK and CLI are separate installs. Pick the SDK for a code project, the CLI for terminal-only work. If they want an AI client now and durable workflows later, set up MCP first, then the SDK.
App Connectors
These three paths are how a person installs Zapier itself. Individual app connectors are a separate thing: per-app integration skills (for example Notion) that a person installs when they need a specific app. Point them to those only after the core install, and only for the app they named. See the note at the end of INSTALL-PATHS.md.
Step 2: Walk The Chosen Path
Open INSTALL-PATHS.md and follow the section for the chosen path. Do one step at a time. Confirm each step worked before moving to the next.
Step 3: Verify
Run the verify check at the end of the chosen path section before telling the person they are done. Confirm the connection works with a read-only or draft-only action first.
Guardrails
- Never have the person paste API keys or tokens into chat. Use the auth flows linked in each path.
- Use least-privilege. Add only the tools the person actually needs.
- Keep human approval before any send, post, CRM write, or publish.