Integration
A connection between two tools that allows data to flow between them. Can be native (built into both tools), via middleware (n8n, Make, Zapier), or custom-built via API. PURIST connects 500+ apps.
Expert insight
Not all integrations are equal. A native integration (built and maintained by the vendor) is usually the most reliable, but only covers the vendor's most popular use cases. A middleware integration through n8n or Make covers far more tools and gives you control over the data mapping, but you inherit responsibility for handling that tool's API changes and rate limits. A custom API integration is the most flexible and the most fragile, it breaks silently when the third-party API changes its response format, so it needs monitoring that a native integration doesn't.
In a real workflow
The integration between Shopify and Xero sends each paid order as an invoice with the right tax codes.
Common mistakes
- Building point-to-point integrations everywhere, which becomes a tangle.
- Not documenting which system is the source of truth for each field.
Complexity level
Anyone can understand this no technical background needed.
Related terms
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of rules that allow two software applications to communicate. Most automat…
n8n
An open-source, self-hostable automation platform. More powerful than Zapier and…
Middleware
Software that sits between two applications and translates data between them. n8…
See it in action
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More in Core concepts
Keep exploring
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A workflow pattern that processes a list of items one by one. Example:…
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Payload
The data carried by a webhook or API call. When a client fills your co…
Polling
Checking an external service for changes at regular intervals (e.g., "…
Go deeper
Guides that cover Integration
Stripe to QuickBooks Integration: The Automation That Eliminates Manual Bookkeeping
Every Stripe payment that gets manually re-entered into QuickBooks costs 4-7 minutes and carries a 12% error rate. Here is the integration that ends that entirely, syncing every charge, refund, and subscription event in real time.
Salesforce to HubSpot Sync: The Integration That Keeps Both CRMs Clean and Current
When sales runs on Salesforce and marketing runs on HubSpot, data divergence is inevitable without a proper sync. Here is the architecture that keeps both systems accurate without conflict.
n8n and MCP: The Complete Guide to Model Context Protocol Integration (2026)
Model Context Protocol is changing how AI agents connect to tools and data. Here's how MCP works, how it connects to n8n specifically, and where it genuinely helps versus where it's hype.