---
title: "Overview"
canonical: https://workspace.socra.com/docs/cortex/integrations
updated: 2026-10-13
---

# Agent integrations

Connect Cortex to your agent so it can preserve useful knowledge from your work and reuse it across conversations. You can start with an empty graph; the agent handles creating, connecting and updating Modules as it learns.

Agent integrations are one way to use Cortex. The [Cortex web app, Socra CLI, and API](/docs/cortex/ways-to-use) provide other interfaces to the same Cortex service and Account-owned data.

[Open guided setup](https://cortex.socra.com/setup) and choose **Ask my agent to help**, or follow the **Plugin**, **MCP**, or **CLI** steps yourself. The guide continues through authorization, agent instructions, and a connection check.

For the ChatGPT plugin store, follow [Connect ChatGPT](/docs/cortex/integrations/chatgpt). For the Grok Build plugin or Grok web connector, follow [Connect Grok](/docs/cortex/integrations/grok).

For all installation paths in one article, read [Installation](/docs/cortex/installation). Agents can read the [complete Markdown guide](/docs/cortex/installation.md).

## Choose a connection method

| Method                                                  | Use it when                                                                              | What it provides                                                                       |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Agent plugin](/docs/cortex/integrations/coding-agents) | You use Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot CLI. Grok Build also has a plugin. | Cortex tools and guidance through a skill or SessionStart hook, depending on the host. |
| [MCP integration](/docs/cortex/guides/mcp)              | You use Claude, Grok web, or another client that supports remote HTTP MCP.               | Cortex tools through the hosted MCP server. Save the guidance separately.              |

Use an agent plugin when Cortex supports your coding agent. The plugin already includes the [hosted MCP configuration](/docs/cortex/reference/mcp), so you do not need to add a separate MCP connection.

Use an MCP integration when your client cannot install a Cortex plugin or when you want to configure the MCP connection directly. [Custom MCP setup](/docs/cortex/guides/mcp) requires a Cloud Project with Cortex enabled and an OAuth client registered for the agent host.

## Authorization and approval

Each agent host stores its own Cortex authorization. Complete the OAuth flow in every host that you connect.

OAuth allows the host to call Cortex tools. Plugin guidance loads separately through a skill or SessionStart hook. For a host that uses a hook, approve it when prompted. Codex and Grok Build use the `socra-cortex` skill instead.

The Cortex MCP server includes tools that can create, update, and delete Cortex resources. Review the [security model](/docs/cortex/administration/security) to understand how the agent host and Cortex apply approval and access controls.

The guidance can be adapted to your preference: let the agent maintain authorized knowledge and explain its changes, or require recommendations before saving. See [Choose your review preference](/docs/cortex/installation#choose-your-review-preference). Then [continue a real task](/docs/cortex/get-started/first-workflow); no manual knowledge-entry step is required.