CLI overview

The eliza binary (also published as eliza-ai / elizaai) is the primary way to start the API server, run setup wizards, and manage local configuration from a terminal.

Requirements

Node.js 22+ or Bun as documented in Installation.
Config and state live under the Eliza state directory (by default ~/.eliza/ when ELIZA_NAMESPACE=eliza).

Global Flags

Flag	Description
`--verbose`	Enable informational runtime logs
`--debug`	Enable debug-level runtime logs
`--version`	Print version and exit
`--help`	Show help for any command

Command map

Command	Purpose
`eliza start`	Run the API server (embedded runtime). `eliza run` is an alias.
`eliza setup`	First-time wizard (keys, workspace)
`eliza configure`	Configuration guidance (prints env-var help)
`eliza config`	Read config values (`get`, `path`, `show`)
`eliza dashboard`	Open the Control UI in your browser
`eliza models`	Show configured model providers
`eliza plugins`	Plugin listing, search, install, and management
`eliza update`	Check for and install updates
`eliza doctor`	Health and environment checks
`eliza db`	Database utilities (reset)
`eliza benchmark`	Run a benchmark task headlessly against the agent

Global options

Flag	Description
`-v, --version`	Print version
`--verbose`	Enable informational runtime logs
`--debug`	Enable debug-level runtime logs
`--dev`	Dev profile: isolate state under `~/.eliza-dev` with separate config and ports
`--profile <name>`	Use a named profile (isolates state and config under `~/.eliza-<name>`)
`--no-color`	Disable ANSI colors

Config subcommands

bash

eliza config get <key>   # read a config value
eliza config path        # print resolved config file path
eliza config show        # display all config values grouped by section

Plugin subcommands

bash

eliza plugins list            # browse registry plugins
eliza plugins installed       # show installed plugins
eliza plugins install <name>  # install a plugin from the registry
eliza plugins uninstall <name>  # remove an installed plugin
eliza plugins search <query>  # search plugins by keyword

Global flags

Flag	Purpose
`--help`	Show help for any command
`--version`	Print the installed version
`--verbose`	Enable informational runtime logs
`--debug`	Enable debug-level runtime logs

bash

eliza --version
eliza --debug start
eliza plugins --help

Help

Run eliza --help or eliza <command> --help for the exact flags in your build. Implementation lives under eliza/packages/app-core/src/cli/ in the elizaOS submodule (run bun run setup:upstreams to initialize it for development).

Environment

See CLI environment for variables that affect bind addresses, ports, and state paths.