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.
Recognizing The Request (Text Or Voice)
Trigger from typed or spoken input. Do not require exact wording.
- Spoken input is transcribed, so accept phonetic variants of "Zapier": zapier, zap ear, zappier, zapeer, zap year, zapia.
- Intent without the name counts. Fire on requests like "connect my apps", "hook up my tools", "let my assistant use my email, Slack, or CRM", or "get my AI talking to my apps".
- Treat these as the same ask: install, add, connect, set up, hook up, wire up, get started with.
- If a spoken request is ambiguous, confirm once ("You want to set up Zapier, right?") before walking a path.
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.
1---2name: install-zapier-23description: Install and connect Zapier and route the person to the right surface (MCP, SDK, or CLI). Use for typed or spoken requests to install, add, connect, or set up Zapier (heard over voice as "zap ear", "zappier", or "zap year"), when someone wants an AI client (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) to use their apps, wants to call Zapier from code, or wants it in the terminal, or when they describe the intent without naming Zapier, such as "connect my apps" or "hook up my tools".4---56# Install Zapier78Use 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.910## Recognizing The Request (Text Or Voice)1112Trigger from typed or spoken input. Do not require exact wording.1314- **Spoken input is transcribed**, so accept phonetic variants of "Zapier": zapier, zap ear, zappier, zapeer, zap year, zapia.15- **Intent without the name counts.** Fire on requests like "connect my apps", "hook up my tools", "let my assistant use my email, Slack, or CRM", or "get my AI talking to my apps".16- **Treat these as the same ask:** install, add, connect, set up, hook up, wire up, get started with.17- If a spoken request is ambiguous, confirm once ("You want to set up Zapier, right?") before walking a path.1819## Step 1: Find The Right Path2021Ask one or two plain questions, then map the answer.2223| What they want | Path | Why |24|---|---|---|25| Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to use their apps now | Zapier MCP | Connect tools to an AI client, no code |26| To build an app or agent in code | Zapier SDK | Call Zapier as a library: code, state, retries, schedules |27| To drive Zapier from the terminal | Zapier CLI | Standalone global install; bundles the SDK |28| Not sure | Start with Zapier MCP | Fastest path to a working agent |2930The 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.3132## App Connectors3334These 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`.3536## Step 2: Walk The Chosen Path3738Open `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.3940## Step 3: Verify4142Run 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.4344## Guardrails4546- Never have the person paste API keys or tokens into chat. Use the auth flows linked in each path.47- Use least-privilege. Add only the tools the person actually needs.48- Keep human approval before any send, post, CRM write, or publish.
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