> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.givebutter.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Connecting Works

> How to connect an AI assistant to your Givebutter account, and what happens during the secure sign-in.

Givebutter hosts a remote MCP server that any compatible AI assistant can connect to. In [Claude](/ai-connections/connect/claude) and [ChatGPT](/ai-connections/connect/chatgpt) you add it from that client's own directory, with no endpoint to enter. Every other client connects to it as a custom remote MCP server at this endpoint:

```
https://mcp.givebutter.com/mcp
```

<Note>
  **AI Connections are in beta.** Features and available data may change. Access is also limited:
  your account must be enabled before you can authorize a connection. If sign-in fails with a
  message about limited access, contact Givebutter support to request access.
</Note>

## What happens when you connect

You never enter an API key or password into your AI assistant. Instead, every client follows the same secure flow:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the connection">
    Add Givebutter from the directory in Claude or ChatGPT, or point any other client at
    `https://mcp.givebutter.com/mcp`, using the instructions for your assistant.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign in to Givebutter">
    Your client opens a Givebutter sign-in page in your browser. Log in as you normally would.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose an account">
    If you have access to more than one Givebutter account, pick the single account this connection
    should use.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Authorize">
    Approve the connection. Your assistant receives a secure, read-only token and is ready to answer
    questions about your data.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Pick your assistant

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Claude" icon="message-square" href="/ai-connections/connect/claude">
    Claude.ai and the Claude desktop and mobile apps, from the connectors directory.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Claude Code" icon="terminal" href="/ai-connections/connect/claude-code">
    The Claude Code CLI.
  </Card>

  <Card title="ChatGPT" icon="message-circle" href="/ai-connections/connect/chatgpt">
    The official Givebutter ChatGPT plugin.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cursor" icon="mouse-pointer-2" href="/ai-connections/connect/cursor">
    The Cursor editor.
  </Card>

  <Card title="VS Code" icon="code" href="/ai-connections/connect/vscode">
    Visual Studio Code.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Other clients" icon="plug" href="/ai-connections/connect/other-clients">
    Any MCP client, via the `mcp-remote` bridge.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Sign-in fails with a 'limited access' message">
    AI Connections are gated to approved accounts during the limited-access period. Contact
    Givebutter support to request access for your account.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The connection asks me to choose an account again">
    Each connection is scoped to exactly one Givebutter account. If you need to query a different
    account, add a separate connection and choose that account during sign-in.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My client says the server requires authorization">
    This is expected. Givebutter uses OAuth, so the first request prompts you to sign in. Complete
    the browser sign-in and your client will reconnect automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I want to disconnect">
    Remove the connector from your AI assistant's settings. It stops querying your data right away,
    and its access expires automatically. The token is read-only and scoped to a single account.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>