FAQ
What is a connector?
A connector is a pre-built integration component that exposes an external service's API as ready-to-use operations. Instead of constructing HTTP requests and parsing responses by hand, you select an action from the connector's list and configure its inputs. See Overview for the full set of concepts.
What's the difference between a connector and a library?
A connector talks to an external service. A library doesn't — it adds integration capabilities that don't need a client or connection at all, such as PDF generation, string manipulation, I/O, or invoking a cloud function (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions). Both live in the same catalog, but you use a library directly in your integration logic like any other Ballerina library, with no connection to set up first.
What's the difference between a connection and an action?
A connection is a named, reusable configuration holding the credentials and endpoint settings for an external service (API keys, OAuth tokens, hostnames) — you define it once, and every action in your integration uses it by name. An action is a specific operation invoked through that connection, such as "send SMS" or "create contact." See Using Connectors for the practical walkthrough.
What's the difference between an action and a trigger? Do all connectors support triggers?
Actions are outbound: your integration calls the external service. Triggers are inbound: the external service pushes an event into your integration. No — most connectors are action-only. Trigger support is concentrated in a smaller set of connectors, primarily databases, messaging systems, and file storage.
How many connectors are in the catalog, and how are they organized?
Around 165 connector families, browsable and filterable by category (AI & ML, Database, CRM & Sales, Messaging, Storage & Files, and more) and by vendor in the Connector Catalog.
Why do some connectors have no setup guide?
Protocol-level connectors (HTTP, gRPC, GraphQL, TCP, UDP, WebSocket, WebSub, FTP, MQTT, Email, MCP, and AI) ship with the platform itself, rather than integrating with a specific third-party vendor's API like Salesforce, SAP, or HubSpot do. Several of them have no setup guide for exactly this reason, because there's no external account or credentials to configure. You can find them under categories such as Network & Protocols, Messaging, and Storage & Files in the Connector Catalog.
What if there's no connector for the service I need?
Build one yourself — either by generating it automatically from an OpenAPI specification, or by writing it from scratch in Ballerina for full control over authentication and data transformation. See Build a Connector to compare the two approaches.
If I publish a connector to Ballerina Central, does it automatically appear in this catalog?
Not yet. The catalog currently lists WSO2's own pre-built connectors; support for listing community-published connectors is planned. Publishing to Ballerina Central still makes your connector installable and shareable with your team or the broader Ballerina community in the meantime — see Publish Connector.
How do I request a connector that's missing from the catalog?
Open a request on GitHub, or generate one yourself from an OpenAPI spec if the target API has one — both options are linked directly from the Connector Catalog's filter sidebar.
Do I need to know Ballerina to use connectors?
No — using a pre-built connector is visual: search the catalog, add a connection, and drag its actions onto your flow in the node palette, as covered in Using Connectors. Ballerina knowledge is only needed if you're building a custom connector from scratch yourself.
Where do "Vendor" and "Area" on a connector's card come from?
See Glossary for what these classification terms mean, and Publish Connector for how a connector gets tagged with them.