What Are Linked Services

A linked service is a named pointer to one of your HTTP endpoints. Each entry has:

• a Service ID — the short handle actions use to call it (for example orders_api);
• a Method — GET, POST, PUT or DELETE;
• a URL — the endpoint the request is sent to;
• an optional authentication header and its secret value.

When an action invokes a linked service, Seekdown's backend makes the request on the assistant's behalf, attaches the authentication header if you configured one, and returns the response to the conversation. Because the assistant only ever refers to the service by its id, the real URL and any credential stay on the server — they're never part of the public assistant configuration the widget downloads.

When to Use a Linked Service

• Fetch live data the dataset can't hold — an order status, stock level, or account

balance — in response to a user's question.

• Submit a request to your systems — create a ticket, register interest, trigger a

workflow — from a form the assistant shows.

• Keep an API key off the page — you want to call an authenticated endpoint without

exposing the key in front-end code.

Related Docs

• Advanced customization — where actions and the

executeProxyRequest helper live.

• Assistant forms — collect input the assistant can send to a linked service.