install-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.