Data & tools

A data connector brings an external system into Lobu on two axes: it collects content into shared memory as events, and it can expose actions agents invoke against the source under policy and approval.

Lobu ships built-in connectors for GitHub, Gmail, Linear, Jira, Stripe, YouTube, RSS, and more. But you’re not limited to what we ship — your agent can write connectors in TypeScript, or you can write them yourself. Any REST API, GraphQL endpoint, webhook, OAuth service, or browser session becomes a connector through the Connector SDK. See the examples folder for real connectors pulling from Shopify, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Discourse, DocuSign, Google Takeout, and others.

GitHubCollects GitHub issues/discussions and executes repo actions.DataActionsGmailSyncs Gmail threads, live-reads matching messages, and supports sending, drafts, and replies.DataActionsGoogle CalendarSyncs calendar events from Google Calendar and supports creating new events.DataActionsHacker NewsSearches Hacker News stories and comments via Algolia API.DataJiraLive-reads Jira Cloud issues via JQL (virtual feeds) and receives real-time issue/comment webhooks.DataLinearLive-reads Linear issues via GraphQL (virtual feeds) and receives real-time issue/comment webhooks.DataMicrosoft OutlookSyncs emails and calendar events from Microsoft 365 via Graph API.DataPostgreSQLBring your own PostgreSQL database as memory (collected sync) or live virtual reads via query()/search(). Connection DATABASE_URL is merged into virtual reads with feed config.DataProduct HuntSearches Product Hunt posts and comments for a given query.DataRedditFetches posts and comments from Reddit subreddits or search queries.DataRSS / AtomFetches and parses RSS 2.0 and Atom feeds to collect articles.DataSShellRun shell commands on the host device. Executes via `bash -lc` and returns structured stdout/stderr/exit_code. Same trust tier as the macOS shell connector - commands run in the device\DataActionsYouTubeSyncs liked videos, playlists, and optional keyword search; on-demand actions for public and library search.DataActions

How a connector works

Every connector is a small TypeScript program that runs in an isolated V8 sandbox — it gets a filesystem workspace, a restricted network path through the gateway proxy, and no direct access to Lobu’s central database except through the same event and memory APIs an agent uses.

• It writes to shared memory, not your database. A connector’s sync produces typed events that land in the central Postgres-backed store, where entities and automations read them. The connector never holds a database connection.
• Secrets never reach the worker. The gateway stores credentials — OAuth tokens, API keys — behind its secret proxy. The worker only ever sees a placeholder (lobu_secret_<uuid>); the real value is swapped in on the gateway just before an allowed outbound request leaves the host.
• Auth is declared, not hard-coded. A connector’s definition lists the auth models it supports, and the gateway handles the hard parts:

Auth model	What Lobu does
oauth	Runs the OAuth dance, refreshes tokens, and isolates per-user credentials
env_keys	Stores the API key or PAT encrypted; injects it only at egress
app_installation	Manages org-scoped app installs and their webhooks
browser	Uses cookies from a logged-in Chrome session via the paired Owletto extension
none	Public endpoints, no credentials

• Agents can author and deploy connectors at runtime. A coding agent with the Lobu skill can scaffold a connector, declare feeds and actions, and ship it with lobu apply — no human in the loop. The connector runs in the same isolated sandbox as the agent, pulling data from browsers, OAuth APIs, or any HTTP endpoint on demand.

Device connectors

Some data lives behind your login, on your machine, or in a browser session that no cloud worker can reach. Owletto — the Mac app and Chrome extension — solves this by pairing your device with Lobu as a device worker.

  Cloud worker                      Device worker (Owletto)
  ─────────────────────             ─────────────────────
  Runs on Lobu server               Runs on your Mac
  Gateway proxy for egress          Uses your machine's network
  OAuth / API key credentials       Your real logged-in sessions
  GitHub, Stripe, RSS, …            Browser tabs, local files, …

         │                                   │
         └──────────┬────────────────────────┘
                    ▼
            Shared memory
            (same entity graph)

Owletto Mac app pairs as a device worker and advertises capabilities like os.files (local filesystem), screentime (screen time data), and os.shell (command execution). Connectors declare which capability they need — if a connector requires screentime, it only runs on a Mac that has Owletto installed and has granted that permission.

Owletto Chrome extension enables browser-based data collection. It drives your real logged-in Chrome — the tabs, sessions, and cookies you already have. Connectors like X (Twitter) use it for feeds that have no public API (home timeline, DMs). The extension pairs through the Mac app’s native messaging; no separate auth flow.

A connection can be pinned to a device so its syncs and actions run on that machine instead of cloud workers. Useful when:

• The connector needs your browser session (X timeline, site scraping)
• The connector reads local files or system data (Apple Screen Time, filesystem takeout)
• You want egress to use your machine’s network, not the gateway proxy

Pinning is optional for cloud-capable connectors (“run the GitHub connector on my Mac”) and required for device-only ones. The gateway delivers credentials to the device over a user-scoped token — the trust boundary is the user who owns both the device and the data.

For chat surfaces, see Connect a chat platform. For MCP clients, see Agents & clients.