fix(mcp): guide Connector Builder agents through the credentials flow

[Aaron ("AJ") Steers (aaronsteers)]

Overview

👉 TL;DR: Guides agents building a connector that needs credentials. They create a draft test source up front, and they ask the user to enter credentials in both the Connector Builder testing values and that test source, never in chat. Specifically, this updates the create_connector_builder_project docstring, returns next_steps from it, and makes the readiness testing-values check fail while a required field has no value.

Stacked on #1407:

• feat(mcp): add Connector Builder project tools for hosted connector building #1407

Changes

• create_connector_builder_project docstring: for credentialed connectors, put the spec (secrets marked airbyte_secret) in the initial manifest and set create_test_source. The test source is saved as a draft (deferred credentials), so credentials nobody has tested yet don't block it.
• Suggested spec shape, following the 39 certified manifests that use it: a credentials object whose oneOf options each have a constant auth_type (api_key, access_token, oauth2.0), and SelectiveAuthenticator with authenticator_selection_path: ["credentials", "auth_type"] when there is more than one option.
• The result always includes next_steps. With a test source, it asks the user to enter credentials at connector_builder_project_url and at test_source_settings_url (then test and save).
• Readiness check 4 ("Ask the user to enter testing values, including secrets, in the Connector Builder UI") now fails while a required top-level field without a default is missing. Masked secrets count as entered. Its next step now includes the project URL.

Test plan

• Unit tests for next_steps with and without a test source, and for the testing-values check (missing required, masked secret, no inputs, required with default).
• Recorded Goose Desktop run against cloud-mcp-preview with a credentialed source: pending.

Link to Devin session: https://app.devin.ai/sessions/37c00a83f788401489bfd0e37c0b7440
Open in Devin Desktop: https://app.devin.ai/desktop/session/37c00a83f788401489bfd0e37c0b7440?variant=devin
Requested by: Aaron ("AJ") Steers (@aaronsteers)

[devin-ai-integration]

I'll fix CI failures and address comments from users with write access. I'll skip comments containing "(aside)".

• Disable automatic comment, CI, and merge conflict monitoring

[github-actions]

👋 Greetings, Airbyte Team Member!

Here are some helpful tips and reminders for your convenience.

💡 Show Tips and Tricks

Testing This PyAirbyte Version

You can test this version of PyAirbyte using the following:

# Run PyAirbyte CLI from this branch:
uvx --from 'git+https://github.com/airbytehq/PyAirbyte.git@devin/1792438676-connector-builder-credentials-flow' pyairbyte --help

# Install PyAirbyte from this branch for development:
pip install 'git+https://github.com/airbytehq/PyAirbyte.git@devin/1792438676-connector-builder-credentials-flow'

PR Slash Commands

Airbyte Maintainers can execute the following slash commands on your PR:

• /fix-pr - Fixes most formatting and linting issues
• /uv-lock - Updates uv.lock file
• /test-pr - Runs tests with the updated PyAirbyte
• /prerelease - Builds and publishes a prerelease version to PyPI
• /evals - Runs the Cloud MCP evals that use the MCP tools this PR changed (/evals full=true runs the full suite)

📚 Show Repo Guidance

Helpful Resources

• PyAirbyte Documentation
• API Reference

Community Support

Questions? Join the #pyairbyte channel in our Slack workspace.

📝 Edit this welcome message.

[github-actions]

Prerelease Build Started

Building and publishing prerelease package from this PR...
Check job output.
Prerelease Published to PyPI

Version: 0.71.2.dev141039313338033
View publish workflow

Install with:

pip install airbyte==0.71.2.dev141039313338033

[github-code-quality]

Code coverage overview

Languages: Python

Python / code-coverage/pytest-no-creds

devin/1792350894-con... d9f652f	devin/1792438676-con... d3415c0	+/-
65%	80%	+15%

View coverage of the 10 most impacted files.

File	devin/1792350894-con... d9f652f	devin/1792438676-con... d3415c0	+/-
airbyte/_util/api_util.py	36%	67%	+31%
airbyte/mcp/cloud.py	52%	84%	+32%
airbyte/cloud/connectors.py	34%	79%	+45%
airbyte/mcp/_datadog.py	0%	50%	+50%
airbyte/mcp/_telemetry.py	0%	94%	+94%
airbyte/_direct...ctors/models.py	0%	95%	+95%
airbyte/cloud/c...lder/project.py	0%	95%	+95%
airbyte/mcp/_sso_auth.py	0%	96%	+96%
airbyte/cloud/models.py	0%	97%	+97%
airbyte/mcp/int...nc_status_ui.py	0%	97%	+97%

Python / code-coverage/pytest

devin/1792350894-con... d9f652f	devin/1792438676-con... d3415c0	+/-
71%	82%	+11%

View coverage of the 10 most impacted files.

File	devin/1792350894-con... d9f652f	devin/1792438676-con... d3415c0	+/-
airbyte/cloud/connectors.py	51%	82%	+31%
airbyte/mcp/cloud.py	52%	84%	+32%
airbyte/mcp/_datadog.py	0%	50%	+50%
airbyte/mcp/_user_identity.py	0%	93%	+93%
airbyte/mcp/_telemetry.py	0%	94%	+94%
airbyte/_direct...ctors/models.py	0%	95%	+95%
airbyte/cloud/c...lder/project.py	0%	95%	+95%
airbyte/mcp/_sso_auth.py	0%	96%	+96%
airbyte/cloud/models.py	0%	97%	+97%
airbyte/mcp/int...nc_status_ui.py	0%	97%	+97%

Python / code-coverage/pytest-unit

devin/1792350894-con...	devin/1792438676-con... d3415c0	+/-
—	77%	—

Line coverage data for the devin/1792350894-con... branch is not yet available.

View coverage of the 10 most covered files.

File	devin/1792350894-con...	devin/1792438676-con... d3415c0	+/-
airbyte/cloud/models.py	—	97%	—
airbyte/mcp/_sso_auth.py	—	96%	—
airbyte/_direct...ctors/models.py	—	95%	—
airbyte/cloud/client.py	—	90%	—
airbyte/exceptions.py	—	90%	—
airbyte/mcp/cloud.py	—	84%	—
airbyte/progress.py	—	80%	—
airbyte/cloud/connectors.py	—	79%	—
airbyte/shared/...ql_processor.py	—	68%	—
airbyte/_util/api_util.py	—	67%	—

ℹ️ Calculations represent line coverage. Results may change as calculations are updated.

---

_{Updated October 19, 2026 19:55 UTC}