What Are Custom Connectors?
Custom Connectors are the easiest way to connect an AI assistant to an external tool. Instead of generating API keys, editing config files, and pasting JSON — you just paste a URL into your AI app settings and sign in. That is it.
Behind the scenes, Custom Connectors use the OAuth 2.1 protocol with PKCE. When you click "Add connector" in Claude.ai or ChatGPT, the AI app discovers our authorization endpoints automatically, opens a login page, and securely exchanges tokens. You never see or handle credentials.
How to Connect
For IDE tools like Cursor, VS Code Copilot, and Gemini CLI, the same URL works. Each tool discovers our OAuth endpoints through the MCP specification and handles authentication automatically.
Security Built In
Every connector uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE — the same security standard used by Google, GitHub, and Stripe. Your Lite ASO credentials are never shared with the AI tool. The AI gets a scoped access token that can be revoked at any time.
- PKCE (S256) prevents authorization code interception
- Tokens expire automatically and can be revoked
- CSRF protection on all authentication forms
- Rate limiting prevents brute force attacks
Supported AI Tools
Lite ASO supports three registration methods from the MCP specification: Custom Connectors (OAuth), Dynamic Client Registration (DCR), and Client ID Metadata Documents (CIMD). This covers every major AI tool on the market.
| AI Tool | Method | Auth |
|---|---|---|
| Claude.ai | Custom Connector | OAuth (CIMD) |
| ChatGPT | Custom Connector | OAuth (DCR) |
| Claude Desktop | Custom Connector | OAuth (DCR) |
| Claude Code | API Key / OAuth | .mcp.json |
| Cursor | Custom Connector | OAuth (DCR) |
| VS Code Copilot | Custom Connector | OAuth (CIMD) |
| GitHub Copilot Agent | Custom Connector | OAuth (DCR) |
| Gemini CLI | Custom Connector | OAuth (DCR) |
| OpenAI Codex | API Key | config.toml |
| Windsurf | API Key | SSE headers |
| Cline | API Key | SSE headers |
| Goose | Custom Connector | OAuth (DCR) |
API Keys Still Work
If you prefer API keys — for local development, CI/CD pipelines, or tools that do not support OAuth yet — you can still generate an API key from the dashboard. The Connect AI Agent page now has two tabs: Custom Connector (recommended) and API Key. Both connect to the same MCP server with the same tools.