Connections

Connections

Zoho Sites Connections are used to access a different Zoho service or to allow a third-party service to retrieve data. Connections are used for the Dynamic Content feature.

Types  

  1. Default connection: You can choose from the already available list of services, provide your credentials, and establish a connection.
  2. Custom connection: If the desired service is not available in the default services list, you can configure it on your own and connect to it.
You can create more than one connection for the same default or custom service.

Default connection

Perform the following steps to create a connection with a default service. Click Manage in the left menu pane on your Sites dashboard and navigate to Dynamic Content, then to the Connections tab.

Choose the Connections tab, then perform the following actions:

  1. You can click on Create Connection and click on the service under Pick Your Service to which you want to connect your Zoho Sites.



  1. You can also click Default Services listed under Services on the left panel. Choose the preferred service and click Create Connection.
     

  1. Provide the Connection Name. This will be the display name for your connection and can contain up to 50 characters.

  1. Provide the Connection Link Name. Link names must be unique and can be used in Deluge integration tasks and invoke URL scripts to establish authentication.

Note: The link name that you provide must satisfy the following conditions:
    • Must begin with a lower case letter

    • Can contain lower case letters, numbers, and underscores (_)

    • Can contain up to 50 characters

  1. Choose the appropriate scopes, if required.
    Note: The scopes and their availability vary depending upon the service that you pick. You can find the applicable scopes in the desired service's API documentation.

  1. A user permissions dialog will pop up. Provide your login credentials and click AUTHORIZE. Alternatively, click Allow if you are already logged in to the service.

  1. Upon successful authorization, the connection will be listed under My Connections.


Custom connection  

Click Manage in the left menu pane on your Sites dashboard and navigate to Dynamic Content, then to the Connections tab.

  1. Click Create Service under Custom Services.

  1. Under service details, provide the following information:

    • Service Name: This is the display name of the service that you want to create. Display name can contain up to 50 characters.

    • Service Link Name: The link name of the service to help you identify your custom service uniquely.

Note: The link name that you provide must satisfy the following conditions:      
    • Must begin with a lower case letter

    • Can contain lower case letters, numbers, and underscores (_)

    • Can contain up to 50 characters

  1. Authentication Type: Choose the authentication type based on the desired service's API documentation

  1. Under connection details, provide the following information:

    • Connection Name: The display name of your connection

    • Connection LinkName: Link names must be unique and can be used in Deluge integration tasks and invoke URL scripts to establish authentication.
      Note: The link name that you provide must satisfy the following conditions:

    • Must begin with a lower case letter

      • Can contain lower case letters, numbers, and underscores (_)

      • Can contain up to 50 characters

    • Scope (applicable only to OAuth 2 auth type): Scopes required to perform integration as specified in the desired service's API documentation.

    • Scope Delimiter (only applicable to OAuth 2 auth type): Delimiter with which the desired service API expects the scopes to be separated.

Note:

    • You can select from the supported delimiters: comma, space, and plus. If not specified, comma is assumed as default delimiter.

    • You can choose delimiters only if you provide more than one scope.

  1. A User Permissions dialog will pop up. Provide your authentication credentials and proceed. A summary of the connection will be displayed. Upon successful authorization, the connection will be created and listed under My Connections. The configured service will be listed under Custom Service.

 

By following the above steps, you can create and manage connections in the website and provide a better user experience. Managing connections on your website is important for ensuring that it is fast, secure, and reliable.