/packages/docs/apps/overview.md

title, sidebarTitle, description

title	sidebarTitle	description
Apps Overview	Overview	Eliza ships as a cross-platform suite for desktop, mobile, and web dashboard workflows.

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.

Available Apps

Electrobun-based desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux with native OS integration and embedded runtime. iOS and Android app built with Capacitor, featuring native plugins and push notifications. Web-based management interface for agent configuration, monitoring, and analytics.

Architecture

All apps share a common connection pattern:

┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐
│  Desktop App │     │  Mobile App  │     │   Dashboard  │
└──────┬───────┘     └──────┬───────┘     └──────┬───────┘
       │                    │                    │
       └────────────┬───────┴──────────────┬─────┘
                    │                      │
              ┌─────▼──────┐         ┌────▼──────┐
              │  Agent API  │         │  Runtime  │
              │  (REST/WS)  │         │  Services │
              └─────────────┘         └───────────┘

• Desktop embeds the runtime directly (offline-capable)
• Mobile connects via REST API
• Dashboard uses REST + WebSocket for real-time updates

Standalone Apps vs. App Plugins

Eliza has two distinct types of "apps" — understanding the difference prevents confusion.

Standalone Apps (Platforms)

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.

App Plugins (Game/Experience Apps)

These are elizaOS plugins published with the @elizaos/app-* naming convention that are installed through the Dashboard's Apps browser. When launched:

1. The plugin is installed into the agent runtime
2. The agent connects to an external service (e.g., a metaverse, a game server)
3. The Dashboard embeds the service UI in a sandboxed iframe
4. The agent can interact with the service alongside you

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Dashboard                          │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────┐    │
│  │  iframe (sandboxed)         │    │
│  │  ┌───────────────────────┐  │    │
│  │  │  External Service UI  │  │    │
│  │  │  (External Service)   │  │    │
│  │  └───────────────────────┘  │    │
│  └─────────────────────────────┘    │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────┐    │
│  │  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.

Plugins do **not** inject custom UI components into the Dashboard. Plugin configuration uses schema-driven forms (via `@elizaos/plugin-ui`), not dynamically loaded components. Only app plugins with a `viewer.url` get embedded as iframes.

Key Differences

	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
Package naming	N/A	@elizaos/app-*

Choosing a Standalone 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

Related

• Installation — Install the CLI and apps
• Configuration — Configure your agent
• Quickstart — Get started in minutes
• Apps API — REST API for managing app plugins
• Plugin Registry — Browse available plugins and apps