packages/docs/plugin-registry/eliza-classic.md
The Eliza Classic plugin brings the original 1966 ELIZA chatbot patterns into Eliza, providing Rogerian psychotherapist-style conversational responses alongside legacy Eliza Classic behavior.
Package: @elizaos/plugin-eliza-classic
ELIZA was one of the first chatbot programs, created by Joseph Weizenbaum at MIT in 1966. It used pattern matching and substitution to simulate a Rogerian psychotherapist. This plugin implements those classic patterns within the elizaOS runtime, allowing agents to fall back to or incorporate ELIZA-style conversational techniques.
Note: "Eliza Classic" refers to the 1966 chatbot, not elizaOS.
eliza plugins install eliza-classic
No environment variables or configuration required. The plugin works out of the box once installed.
When loaded, the plugin makes ELIZA-style pattern matching available to agents. This can serve as a fallback conversational mode or as a novelty feature that pays homage to the origins of conversational AI.
"Tell me about your problems."
"How does that make you feel?"
The classic patterns follow Weizenbaum's original script, reflecting questions back to the user and prompting deeper self-reflection.