# Connect only what you need

Before a live agent run, enable only the MCP connectors and tools required for that job — an unused brokerage, payer, email, or browser connector still expands blast radius if the prompt drifts. Pairs with one-connector-at-a-time and review-before-place. Agent Lane does not install connectors or place trades.

Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/connect-only-what-you-need/

## Answer first

For each live run: name the job, enable only the connectors that job requires, leave unused brokerage, payer, email, browser, and post rails off, keep review before place on, and fund only if money is in the job. Leaving everything on “just in case” is how a drifted prompt spends or sends on a rail you meant to keep idle.

## Why “leave everything on” is the failure mode

- **Full stack, one job** — research/content with brokerage, payer, mail, and browser still live; a drifted prompt can place/pay/send on unused rails.
- **Specialist with every connector** — marketplace bot for one desk inherits a spend/send path left enabled “for later.”
- **Reconnect-all after revoke** — flipping every MCP on at once reopens blast radius before you prove any path.

Caps bound how much. Review stops the first bad place/send. Connect only what you need limits which tools are callable for this job.

## What it means

1. Job first — name the lane; list only required tools.
2. Minimum live set — enable those; leave the rest disabled for this session.
3. Review on — [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md).
4. Money only if money is the job — [fund-session-ceiling.md](./fund-session-ceiling.md) when spend is in scope; otherwise keep spend connectors off.
5. Prove, then stay minimal — prefer [paper-before-live.md](./paper-before-live.md) on a new path; do not leave extras on overnight.

## Code connectors vs money connectors

A code connector reads or changes your work — repos, pull requests, docs, tickets, search, files. A money connector can move money — brokerage, wallet, exchange, card, checkout, anything that signs. A code mistake costs time. A money mistake can cost cash you do not get back. Keep money connectors off unless this job spends.

| Type | Examples | Worst bad call | Default for a run |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code | GitHub, repo, docs, tickets, search, files | Messy commit or wrong comment | On only if the job touches that code |
| Send | Email, chat, social posts | A message goes out in your name | Off unless the job sends; review every send |
| Money | Brokerage, crypto wallet/exchange, card, checkout, booking | Money moves, often for good | Off unless the job spends; one at a time |

1. Code-only job — money connectors off, agent wallet empty, no funding step.
2. Money job — one money connector; write [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md) first (monthly budget, per-session limit, daily max); [fund-session-ceiling.md](./fund-session-ceiling.md) only, in a [dedicated-agent-wallet.md](./dedicated-agent-wallet.md).
3. Mixed job — split it: code part with money off, then turn on the money connector only for the step that spends, review before place on, off after.

Quick test: one bad call right now — lose time or lose money? Time: can stay on for a code job. Money: off until the job spends.

## Different from one connector at a time

- [one-connector-at-a-time.md](./one-connector-at-a-time.md) — reconnect order after revoke/clean start (one rail, prove, then next).
- This page — live-run habit: only the tools this job needs stay enabled.

Use both.

## Shield stack

1. [dedicated-agent-wallet.md](./dedicated-agent-wallet.md)
2. [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md)
3. [paper-before-live.md](./paper-before-live.md)
4. [fund-session-ceiling.md](./fund-session-ceiling.md)
5. [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md)
6. Venue — connect only what you need (this page)
7. [one-connector-at-a-time.md](./one-connector-at-a-time.md) — reopen after revoke
8. [revoke-before-debug.md](./revoke-before-debug.md)

## How to connect only what you need

1. Name the job and the tools it needs.
2. Disable unused spend and send rails.
3. Keep review before place on.
4. Fund only if money is in the job.
5. Prove on the minimum set (prefer paper before live when new).
6. After the run, leave extras off; reconnect later one at a time if you revoked.

Secrets in chat: [never-paste-api-keys-in-chat.md](./never-paste-api-keys-in-chat.md) — vault or connector grant; never paste API keys, cookies, or broker passwords into the transcript.

## Practical checklist

- Job → tool list before enable.
- No “leave everything on” — installed ≠ enabled for this session.
- Specialist = still minimal — [install-specialist-bot.md](./install-specialist-bot.md).
- After revoke: one at a time, then only what the job needs.
- Shared-box and browser pass — [shared-box.md](./shared-box.md), [separate-browser-profile-for-agent.md](./separate-browser-profile-for-agent.md).

Related: [read-only-quote-before-trade-connector.md](./read-only-quote-before-trade-connector.md), [never-paste-api-keys-in-chat.md](./never-paste-api-keys-in-chat.md), [one-connector-at-a-time.md](./one-connector-at-a-time.md), [install-specialist-bot.md](./install-specialist-bot.md), [paper-before-live.md](./paper-before-live.md), [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md), [revoke-before-debug.md](./revoke-before-debug.md), [shared-box.md](./shared-box.md), [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md), [separate-browser-profile-for-agent.md](./separate-browser-profile-for-agent.md).

## FAQ

**What does connect only what you need mean?**
Before a live agent run, enable only the MCP connectors and tools that job requires. Leave unused brokerage, payer, email, browser, and post connectors off — idle tools still expand blast radius if the prompt drifts.

**Different from one connector at a time?**
One connector at a time = reconnect order after revoke. Connect only what you need = minimal live set for this job. Use both.

**Why is leaving everything on a failure mode?**
A drifted prompt can place, pay, or send on rails you did not mean to use. Caps and review do not remove callable tools.

**Common failure modes?**
Leave everything on; specialist with full stack; reconnect-all after revoke; unused spend/mail/browser left on for research-only runs.

**Replace review, caps, paper, or revoke?**
No — you need the full stack.

**When turn connectors back on?**
When the next job truly needs that rail — enable the minimum set, review on, fund only if money is in scope.

**Code connectors vs money connectors?**
Code connectors (repos, docs, tickets, files) cost time when they misfire. Money connectors (brokerage, wallet, card, checkout) move money. Keep money off unless the job spends.

**Can a code connector and a money connector be on in the same run?**
Try not to. Split the job. If both must be on: spend caps written, only the session amount in a dedicated agent wallet, review before place on.

## Sources

- Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/connect-only-what-you-need/
- Related shelf: https://agentlane.net/resources/
- Site index for bots: https://agentlane.net/llms.txt

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