agents
Build voice AI agents with natural conversations, multiple LLM providers, custom tools, and web embedding.
- Supports five LLM providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, ElevenLabs, custom) with 30+ model options and configurable voice personalities
- Extend agents with webhook tools (server-side API calls), client tools (browser-side actions), and built-in system tools like call transfer and end-call
- Embed agents in web applications via HTML widget or JavaScript SDK with React hooks for real-time message handling
- Make outbound phone calls via Twilio integration with optional call recording and dynamic variable support
- Manage agents through CLI (recommended) with local project structure, or programmatically via Python, JavaScript, and REST APIs
ElevenLabs Agents Platform
Build voice AI agents with natural conversations, multiple LLM providers, custom tools, and easy web embedding.
Setup: See Installation Guide for CLI and SDK setup.
Quick Start with CLI
The ElevenLabs CLI is the recommended way to create and manage agents:
# Install CLI and authenticate
npm install -g @elevenlabs/cli
elevenlabs auth login
# Initialize project and create an agent
elevenlabs agents init
elevenlabs agents add "My Assistant" --template complete
# Push to ElevenLabs platform
elevenlabs agents push
Available templates: complete, minimal, voice-only, text-only, customer-service, assistant
Python
from elevenlabs import ElevenLabs
client = ElevenLabs()
agent = client.conversational_ai.agents.create(
name="My Assistant",
enable_versioning=True,
conversation_config={
"agent": {
"first_message": "Hello! How can I help?",
"language": "en",
"prompt": {
"prompt": "You are a helpful assistant. Be concise and friendly.",
"llm": "gemini-2.0-flash",
"temperature": 0.7
}
},
"tts": {"voice_id": "JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb"}
}
)
JavaScript
import { ElevenLabsClient } from "@elevenlabs/elevenlabs-js";
const client = new ElevenLabsClient();
const agent = await client.conversationalAi.agents.create({
name: "My Assistant",
enableVersioning: true,
conversationConfig: {
agent: {
firstMessage: "Hello! How can I help?",
language: "en",
prompt: {
prompt: "You are a helpful assistant.",
llm: "gemini-2.0-flash",
temperature: 0.7
}
},
tts: { voiceId: "JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb" }
}
});
cURL
curl -X POST "https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/convai/agents/create?enable_versioning=true" \
-H "xi-api-key: $ELEVENLABS_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name": "My Assistant", "conversation_config": {"agent": {"first_message": "Hello!", "language": "en", "prompt": {"prompt": "You are helpful.", "llm": "gemini-2.0-flash"}}, "tts": {"voice_id": "JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb"}}}'
Starting Conversations
Server-side (Python): Get signed URL for client connection:
signed_url = client.conversational_ai.conversations.get_signed_url(
agent_id="your-agent-id",
environment="staging",
)
Client-side (JavaScript):
import { Conversation } from "@elevenlabs/client";
const conversation = await Conversation.startSession({
agentId: "your-agent-id",
environment: "staging",
onMessage: (msg) => console.log("Agent:", msg.message),
onUserTranscript: (t) => console.log("User:", t.message),
onError: (e) => console.error(e)
});
React Hook:
import { useConversation } from "@elevenlabs/react";
const conversation = useConversation({ onMessage: (msg) => console.log(msg) });
// Get a signed URL for the target environment from your backend, then:
await conversation.startSession({ signedUrl: token });
Configuration
| Provider | Models |
|---|---|
| OpenAI | gpt-5, gpt-5-mini, gpt-5-nano, gpt-4.1, gpt-4.1-mini, gpt-4.1-nano, gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini, gpt-4-turbo |
| Anthropic | claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-sonnet-4-5, claude-sonnet-4, claude-haiku-4-5, claude-3-7-sonnet, claude-3-5-sonnet, claude-3-haiku |
gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview, gemini-3-pro-preview, gemini-3-flash-preview, gemini-2.5-flash, gemini-2.5-flash-lite, gemini-2.0-flash, gemini-2.0-flash-lite |
|
| ElevenLabs | glm-45-air-fp8, qwen3-30b-a3b, gpt-oss-120b |
| Custom | custom-llm (bring your own endpoint) |
Use GET /v1/convai/llm/list to inspect the current model catalog, including deprecation state, token/context limits, and capability flags such as image-input support.
Popular voices: JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb (George), EXAVITQu4vr4xnSDxMaL (Sarah), onwK4e9ZLuTAKqWW03F9 (Daniel), XB0fDUnXU5powFXDhCwa (Charlotte)
Turn eagerness: patient (waits longer for user to finish), normal, or eager (responds quickly)
See Agent Configuration for all options.
Tools
Extend agents with webhook, client, or built-in system tools. Tools are defined inside conversation_config.agent.prompt:
Workspace environment variables can resolve per-environment server tool URLs, headers, and auth connections, and runtime system variables such as {{system__conversation_history}} can pass full conversation context into tool calls when needed.
"prompt": {
"prompt": "You are a helpful assistant that can check the weather.",
"llm": "gemini-2.0-flash",
"tools": [
# Webhook: server-side API call
{"type": "webhook", "name": "get_weather", "description": "Get weather",
"api_schema": {"url": "https://api.example.com/weather", "method": "POST",
"request_body_schema": {"type": "object", "properties": {"location": {"type": "string"}}, "required": ["location"]}}},
# Client: runs in the browser
{"type": "client", "name": "show_product", "description": "Display a product",
"parameters": {"type": "object", "properties": {"productId": {"type": "string"}}, "required": ["productId"]}}
],
"built_in_tools": {
"end_call": {},
"transfer_to_number": {"transfers": [{"transfer_destination": {"type": "phone", "phone_number": "+1234567890"}, "condition": "User asks for human support"}]}
}
}
Client tools run in browser:
clientTools: {
show_product: async ({ productId }) => {
document.getElementById("product").src = `/products/${productId}`;
return { success: true };
}
}
See Client Tools Reference for complete documentation.
Widget Embedding
<elevenlabs-convai agent-id="your-agent-id"></elevenlabs-convai>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/@elevenlabs/convai-widget-embed" async type="text/javascript"></script>
Customize with attributes: avatar-image-url, action-text, start-call-text, end-call-text.
See Widget Embedding Reference for all options.
Outbound Calls
Make outbound phone calls using your agent via Twilio integration:
Python
response = client.conversational_ai.twilio.outbound_call(
agent_id="your-agent-id",
agent_phone_number_id="your-phone-number-id",
to_number="+1234567890",
call_recording_enabled=True
)
print(f"Call initiated: {response.conversation_id}")
JavaScript
const response = await client.conversationalAi.twilio.outboundCall({
agentId: "your-agent-id",
agentPhoneNumberId: "your-phone-number-id",
toNumber: "+1234567890",
callRecordingEnabled: true,
});
cURL
curl -X POST "https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/convai/twilio/outbound-call" \
-H "xi-api-key: $ELEVENLABS_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"agent_id": "your-agent-id", "agent_phone_number_id": "your-phone-number-id", "to_number": "+1234567890", "call_recording_enabled": true}'
See Outbound Calls Reference for configuration overrides and dynamic variables.
Managing Agents
Using CLI (Recommended)
# List agents and check status
elevenlabs agents list
elevenlabs agents status
# Import agents from platform to local config
elevenlabs agents pull # Import all agents
elevenlabs agents pull --agent <agent-id> # Import specific agent
# Push local changes to platform
elevenlabs agents push # Upload configurations
elevenlabs agents push --dry-run # Preview changes first
# Add tools
elevenlabs tools add-webhook "Weather API"
elevenlabs tools add-client "UI Tool"
Project Structure
The CLI creates a project structure for managing agents:
your_project/
├── agents.json # Agent definitions
├── tools.json # Tool configurations
├── tests.json # Test configurations
├── agent_configs/ # Individual agent configs
├── tool_configs/ # Individual tool configs
└── test_configs/ # Individual test configs
SDK Examples
# List
agents = client.conversational_ai.agents.list()
# Get
agent = client.conversational_ai.agents.get(agent_id="your-agent-id")
# Update (partial - only include fields to change)
client.conversational_ai.agents.update(agent_id="your-agent-id", name="New Name")
client.conversational_ai.agents.update(agent_id="your-agent-id",
conversation_config={
"agent": {"prompt": {"prompt": "New instructions", "llm": "claude-sonnet-4"}}
})
# Delete
client.conversational_ai.agents.delete(agent_id="your-agent-id")
See Agent Configuration for all configuration options and SDK examples.
Error Handling
try:
agent = client.conversational_ai.agents.create(...)
except Exception as e:
print(f"API error: {e}")
Common errors: 401 (invalid key), 404 (not found), 422 (invalid config), 429 (rate limit)
References
- Installation Guide - SDK setup and migration
- Agent Configuration - All config options and CRUD examples
- Client Tools - Webhook, client, and system tools
- Widget Embedding - Website integration
- Outbound Calls - Twilio phone call integration