# Integrations

An Integration is the actual connection between an Account and a Provider.

While Connectors define a common interface for interacting with a category of providers,
Integrations represent the specific provider connection that has been configured and authenticated
for a particular Account.

For example, the Ticketing Connector defines how ticketing systems are accessed through Synqly.
An Integration represents a customer's actual connection to Jira, ServiceNow, or another
supported ticketing provider.

## Why Integrations Exist

Connectors and Providers alone are not enough to perform work.

Bridging the gap
A Connector defines a common API, and a Provider defines a specific external system, but neither
contains the customer-specific configuration, credentials, or authorization required to access
that system.

Integrations bridge that gap by storing the information necessary to establish and maintain a
connection to a Provider on behalf of an Account, allowing Connector API requests to be executed
against the correct external system.

## Integrations as Runtime Connections

A useful way to think about an Integration is as a runtime instance of a Connector-Provider
relationship.

For example, two Accounts may both use Jira, but each requires its own authorization,
configuration, and lifecycle management:


```mermaid
flowchart TD
    accA(Account A)
    accB(Account B)
    intA(Jira Integration)
    intB(Jira Integration)
    prov(Jira)

    accA --> intA
    accB --> intB
    intA & intB --> prov
```

Although both Integrations connect to the same Provider, they remain completely independent
because they belong to different Accounts.

Tenant isolation by design
This separation is fundamental to maintaining tenant isolation within Synqly. Data and
credentials never cross Account boundaries.

## Integrations and Integration Points

Integrations can optionally reference an Integration Point. In this relationship, the
Integration Point defines shared requirements and governance rules, while the Integration
represents the actual authorized connection that satisfies those requirements.

| Concept | Role |
|  --- | --- |
| **Integration Point** | Defines shared requirements and governance rules |
| **Integration** | The authorized connection that satisfies those rules |
| **Provider** | The external system the Integration connects to |


This allows Organizations to apply consistent policies across many Integrations without
duplicating configuration.

## The Full Picture

Integrations sit between Synqly's abstraction layer and the external systems where work occurs.


```mermaid
flowchart TD
    conn(Connector)
    intg(Integration)
    prov(Provider)

    conn --> intg --> prov
```

The piece that makes it real
The Connector provides a unified interface, the Provider supplies the underlying functionality,
and the Integration binds them together for a specific Account.

Without an Integration, a Connector is simply a common API and a Provider is simply an external
system. The Integration is the object that makes the relationship active, authorized, and usable.