packages/docs/apps/overview.md
Eliza is available across all primary platforms. Each app connects to the same agent runtime, giving you a consistent experience whether you're at your desk or on your phone.
All apps share a common connection pattern:
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ Desktop App │ │ Mobile App │ │ Dashboard │
└──────┬───────┘ └──────┬───────┘ └──────┬───────┘
│ │ │
└────────────┬───────┴──────────────┬─────┘
│ │
┌─────▼──────┐ ┌────▼──────┐
│ Agent API │ │ Runtime │
│ (REST/WS) │ │ Services │
└─────────────┘ └───────────┘
Eliza has two distinct types of "apps" — understanding the difference prevents confusion.
These are the independent applications listed above. Each is a complete, pre-built application that connects to the agent runtime. You install them once and they provide the UI for interacting with your agent.
These are elizaOS plugins with names like @hyperscape/plugin-hyperscape that are installed through the Dashboard's Apps browser. When launched:
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Dashboard │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ iframe (sandboxed) │ │
│ │ ┌───────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ External Service UI │ │ │
│ │ │ (e.g., Hyperscape) │ │ │
│ │ └───────────────────────┘ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Agent Logs Panel │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
App plugins are discovered via the Plugin Registry and filtered by the app- prefix in their package name. They are managed through the Apps API.
| Standalone Apps | App Plugins | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Pre-built platform clients | Plugins that connect to external services |
| How you get them | Install once (binary/extension) | Install from Apps browser in Dashboard |
| UI location | Independent window/app | Embedded iframe in Dashboard |
| Runtime relationship | Connects to runtime via API | Runs inside the runtime as a plugin |
| Examples | Desktop, Mobile, Dashboard | Hyperscape, 2004scape |
| Package naming | N/A | @elizaos/app-* |
| Need | Best App |
|---|---|
| Full offline capability | Desktop |
| On-the-go access | Mobile |
| Browser automation | Desktop or Dashboard with browser-capable plugins |
| Team management | Dashboard |