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| elevenlabs-agents | Build conversational AI voice agents with ElevenLabs Platform using React, JavaScript, React Native, or Swift SDKs. Configure agents, tools (client/server/MCP), RAG knowledge bases, multi-voice, and Scribe real-time STT. Use when: building voice chat interfaces, implementing AI phone agents with Twilio, configuring agent workflows or tools, adding RAG knowledge bases, testing with CLI "agents as code", or troubleshooting deprecated @11labs packages, Android audio cutoff, CSP violations, dynamic variables, or WebRTC config. Keywords: ElevenLabs Agents, ElevenLabs voice agents, AI voice agents, conversational AI, @elevenlabs/react, @elevenlabs/client, @elevenlabs/react-native, @elevenlabs/elevenlabs-js, @elevenlabs/agents-cli, elevenlabs SDK, voice AI, TTS, text-to-speech, ASR, speech recognition, turn-taking model, WebRTC voice, WebSocket voice, ElevenLabs conversation, agent system prompt, agent tools, agent knowledge base, RAG voice agents, multi-voice agents, pronunciation dictionary, voice speed control, elevenlabs scribe, @11labs deprecated, Android audio cutoff, CSP violation elevenlabs, dynamic variables elevenlabs, case-sensitive tool names, webhook authentication | MIT |
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ElevenLabs Agents Platform
Overview
ElevenLabs Agents Platform is a comprehensive solution for building production-ready conversational AI voice agents. The platform coordinates four core components:
- ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) - Converts speech to text (32+ languages, sub-second latency)
- LLM (Large Language Model) - Reasoning and response generation (GPT, Claude, Gemini, custom models)
- TTS (Text-to-Speech) - Converts text to speech (5000+ voices, 31 languages, low latency)
- Turn-Taking Model - Proprietary model that handles conversation timing and interruptions
🚨 Package Updates (November 2025)
ElevenLabs migrated to new scoped packages in August 2025. Current packages:
npm install @elevenlabs/react@0.11.3 # React SDK
npm install @elevenlabs/client@0.11.3 # JavaScript SDK
npm install @elevenlabs/react-native@0.5.4 # React Native SDK
npm install @elevenlabs/elevenlabs-js@2.25.0 # Base SDK (Python: elevenlabs@1.59.0)
npm install -g @elevenlabs/agents-cli@0.6.1 # CLI
DEPRECATED: @11labs/react, @11labs/client (uninstall if present)
⚠️ CRITICAL: v1 TTS models will be removed 2025-12-15. Migrate to Turbo v2/v2.5.
1. Quick Start
React SDK
npm install @elevenlabs/react zod
import { useConversation } from '@elevenlabs/react';
const { startConversation, stopConversation, status } = useConversation({
agentId: 'your-agent-id',
signedUrl: '/api/elevenlabs/auth', // Recommended (secure)
// OR apiKey: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_ELEVENLABS_API_KEY,
clientTools: { /* browser-side tools */ },
onEvent: (event) => { /* transcript, agent_response, tool_call */ },
serverLocation: 'us' // 'eu-residency' | 'in-residency' | 'global'
});
CLI ("Agents as Code")
npm install -g @elevenlabs/agents-cli
elevenlabs auth login
elevenlabs agents init # Creates agents.json, tools.json, tests.json
elevenlabs agents add "Bot" --template customer-service
elevenlabs agents push --env dev # Deploy
elevenlabs agents test "Bot" # Test
API (Programmatic)
import { ElevenLabsClient } from 'elevenlabs';
const client = new ElevenLabsClient({ apiKey: process.env.ELEVENLABS_API_KEY });
const agent = await client.agents.create({
name: 'Support Bot',
conversation_config: {
agent: { prompt: { prompt: "...", llm: "gpt-4o" }, language: "en" },
tts: { model_id: "eleven_turbo_v2_5", voice_id: "your-voice-id" }
}
});
2. Agent Configuration
System Prompt Architecture (6 Components)
1. Personality - Identity, role, character traits 2. Environment - Communication context (phone, web, video) 3. Tone - Formality, speech patterns, verbosity 4. Goal - Objectives and success criteria 5. Guardrails - Boundaries, prohibited topics, ethical constraints 6. Tools - Available capabilities and when to use them
Template:
{
"agent": {
"prompt": {
"prompt": "Personality:\n[Agent identity and role]\n\nEnvironment:\n[Communication context]\n\nTone:\n[Speech style]\n\nGoal:\n[Primary objectives]\n\nGuardrails:\n[Boundaries and constraints]\n\nTools:\n[Available tools and usage]",
"llm": "gpt-4o", // gpt-5.1, claude-sonnet-4-5, gemini-3-pro-preview
"temperature": 0.7
}
}
}
2025 LLM Models:
gpt-5.1,gpt-5.1-2025-11-13(Oct 2025)claude-sonnet-4-5,claude-sonnet-4-5@20250929(Oct 2025)gemini-3-pro-preview(2025)gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025(Oct 2025)
Turn-Taking Modes
| Mode | Behavior | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Eager | Responds quickly | Fast-paced support, quick orders |
| Normal | Balanced (default) | General customer service |
| Patient | Waits longer | Information collection, therapy |
{ "conversation_config": { "turn": { "mode": "patient" } } }
Workflows & Agent Management (2025)
Workflow Features:
- Subagent Nodes - Override prompt, voice, turn-taking per node
- Tool Nodes - Guarantee tool execution
- Edges - Conditional routing with
edge_order(determinism, Oct 2025)
{
"workflow": {
"nodes": [
{ "id": "node_1", "type": "subagent", "config": { "system_prompt": "...", "turn_eagerness": "patient" } },
{ "id": "node_2", "type": "tool", "tool_name": "transfer_to_human" }
],
"edges": [{ "from": "node_1", "to": "node_2", "condition": "escalation", "edge_order": 1 }]
}
}
Agent Management (2025):
- Agent Archiving -
archived: truefield (Oct 2025) - Agent Duplication - Clone existing agents
- Service Account API Keys - Management endpoints (Jul 2025)
Dynamic Variables
Use {{var_name}} syntax in prompts, messages, and tool parameters.
System Variables:
{{system__agent_id}},{{system__conversation_id}}{{system__caller_id}},{{system__called_number}}(telephony){{system__call_duration_secs}},{{system__time_utc}}{{system__call_sid}}(Twilio only)
Custom Variables:
await client.conversations.create({
agent_id: "agent_123",
dynamic_variables: { user_name: "John", account_tier: "premium" }
});
Secret Variables: {{secret__api_key}} (headers only, never sent to LLM)
⚠️ Error: Missing variables cause "Missing required dynamic variables" - always provide all referenced variables.
3. Voice & Language Features
Multi-Voice, Pronunciation & Speed
Multi-Voice - Switch voices dynamically (adds ~200ms latency per switch):
{ "prompt": "When speaking as customer, use voice_id 'voice_abc'. As agent, use 'voice_def'." }
Pronunciation Dictionary - IPA, CMU, word substitutions (Turbo v2/v2.5 only):
{
"pronunciation_dictionary": [
{ "word": "API", "pronunciation": "ey-pee-ay", "format": "cmu" },
{ "word": "AI", "substitution": "artificial intelligence" }
]
}
PATCH Support (Aug 2025) - Update dictionaries without replacement
Speed Control - 0.7x-1.2x (use 0.9x-1.1x for natural sound):
{ "voice_settings": { "speed": 1.0 } }
Voice Cloning Best Practices:
- Clean audio (no noise, music, pops)
- Consistent microphone distance
- 1-2 minutes of audio
- Use language-matched voices (English voices fail on non-English)
Language Configuration
32+ Languages with automatic detection and in-conversation switching.
Multi-Language Presets:
{
"language_presets": [
{ "language": "en", "voice_id": "en_voice", "first_message": "Hello!" },
{ "language": "es", "voice_id": "es_voice", "first_message": "¡Hola!" }
]
}
4. Knowledge Base & RAG
Enable agents to access large knowledge bases without loading entire documents into context.
Workflow:
- Upload documents (PDF, TXT, DOCX)
- Compute RAG index (vector embeddings)
- Agent retrieves relevant chunks during conversation
Configuration:
{
"agent": { "prompt": { "knowledge_base": ["doc_id_1", "doc_id_2"] } },
"knowledge_base_config": {
"max_chunks": 5,
"vector_distance_threshold": 0.8
}
}
API Upload:
const doc = await client.knowledgeBase.upload({ file: fs.createReadStream('docs.pdf'), name: 'Docs' });
await client.knowledgeBase.computeRagIndex({ document_id: doc.id, embedding_model: 'e5_mistral_7b' });
⚠️ Gotchas: RAG adds ~500ms latency. Check index status before use - indexing can take minutes.
5. Tools (4 Types)
A. Client Tools (Browser/Mobile)
Execute in browser or mobile app. Tool names case-sensitive.
clientTools: {
updateCart: {
description: "Update shopping cart",
parameters: z.object({ item: z.string(), quantity: z.number() }),
handler: async ({ item, quantity }) => {
// Client-side logic
return { success: true };
}
}
}
B. Server Tools (Webhooks)
HTTP requests to external APIs. PUT support added Apr 2025.
{
"name": "get_weather",
"url": "https://api.weather.com/{{user_id}}",
"method": "GET",
"headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer {{secret__api_key}}" },
"parameters": { "type": "object", "properties": { "city": { "type": "string" } } }
}
⚠️ Secret variables only in headers (not URL/body)
2025 Features:
- transfer-to-human system tool (Apr 2025)
- tool_latency_secs tracking (Apr 2025)
C. MCP Tools (Model Context Protocol)
Connect to MCP servers for databases, IDEs, data sources.
Configuration: Dashboard → Add Custom MCP Server → Configure SSE/HTTP endpoint
Approval Modes: Always Ask | Fine-Grained | No Approval
2025 Updates:
- disable_interruptions flag (Oct 2025) - Prevents interruption during tool execution
- Tools Management Interface (Jun 2025)
⚠️ Limitations: SSE/HTTP only. Not available for Zero Retention or HIPAA.
D. System Tools
Built-in conversation control (no external APIs):
end_call,detect_language,transfer_agenttransfer_to_number(telephony)dtmf_playpad,voicemail_detection(telephony)
2025: use_out_of_band_dtmf flag for telephony integration
6. SDK Integration
useConversation Hook (React/React Native)
const { startConversation, stopConversation, status, isSpeaking } = useConversation({
agentId: 'your-agent-id',
signedUrl: '/api/auth', // OR apiKey: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_ELEVENLABS_API_KEY
clientTools: { /* ... */ },
onEvent: (event) => { /* transcript, agent_response, tool_call, agent_tool_request (Oct 2025) */ },
onConnect/onDisconnect/onError,
serverLocation: 'us' // 'eu-residency' | 'in-residency' | 'global'
});
2025 Events:
agent_chat_response_part- Streaming responses (Oct 2025)agent_tool_request- Tool interaction tracking (Oct 2025)
Connection Types: WebRTC vs WebSocket
| Feature | WebSocket | WebRTC (Jul 2025 rollout) |
|---|---|---|
| Auth | signedUrl |
conversationToken |
| Audio | Configurable (16k/24k/48k) | PCM_48000 (hardcoded) |
| Latency | Standard | Lower |
| Best For | Flexibility | Low-latency |
⚠️ WebRTC: Hardcoded PCM_48000, limited device switching
Platforms
- React:
@elevenlabs/react@0.11.3 - JavaScript:
@elevenlabs/client@0.11.3-new Conversation({...}) - React Native:
@elevenlabs/react-native@0.5.4- Expo SDK 47+, iOS/macOS (custom build required, no Expo Go) - Swift: iOS 14.0+, macOS 11.0+, Swift 5.9+
- Embeddable Widget:
<script src="https://elevenlabs.io/convai-widget/index.js"></script>
Scribe (Real-Time Speech-to-Text - Beta 2025)
Real-time transcription with word-level timestamps. Single-use tokens, not API keys.
const { connect, startRecording, stopRecording, transcript, partialTranscript } = useScribe({
token: async () => (await fetch('/api/scribe/token')).json().then(d => d.token),
commitStrategy: 'vad', // 'vad' (auto on silence) | 'manual' (explicit .commit())
sampleRate: 16000, // 16000 or 24000
onPartialTranscript/onFinalTranscript/onError
});
Events: PARTIAL_TRANSCRIPT, FINAL_TRANSCRIPT_WITH_TIMESTAMPS, SESSION_STARTED, ERROR
⚠️ Closed Beta - requires sales contact. For agents, use Agents Platform instead (LLM + TTS + two-way interaction).
7. Testing & Evaluation
🆕 Agent Testing Framework (Aug 2025)
Comprehensive automated testing with 9 new API endpoints for creating, managing, and executing tests.
Test Types:
- Scenario Testing - LLM-based evaluation against success criteria
- Tool Call Testing - Verify correct tool usage and parameters
- Load Testing - High-concurrency capacity testing
CLI Workflow:
# Create test
elevenlabs tests add "Refund Test" --template basic-llm
# Configure in test_configs/refund-test.json
{
"name": "Refund Test",
"scenario": "Customer requests refund",
"success_criteria": ["Agent acknowledges empathetically", "Verifies order details"],
"expected_tool_call": { "tool_name": "lookup_order", "parameters": { "order_id": "..." } }
}
# Deploy and execute
elevenlabs tests push
elevenlabs agents test "Support Agent"
9 New API Endpoints (Aug 2025):
POST /v1/convai/tests- Create testGET /v1/convai/tests/:id- Retrieve testPATCH /v1/convai/tests/:id- Update testDELETE /v1/convai/tests/:id- Delete testPOST /v1/convai/tests/:id/execute- Execute testGET /v1/convai/test-invocations- List invocations (pagination, agent filtering)POST /v1/convai/test-invocations/:id/resubmit- Resubmit failed testGET /v1/convai/test-results/:id- Get resultsGET /v1/convai/test-results/:id/debug- Detailed debugging info
Test Invocation Listing (Oct 2025):
const invocations = await client.convai.testInvocations.list({
agent_id: 'agent_123', // Filter by agent
page_size: 30, // Default 30, max 100
cursor: 'next_page_cursor' // Pagination
});
// Returns: test run counts, pass/fail stats, titles
Programmatic Testing:
const simulation = await client.agents.simulate({
agent_id: 'agent_123',
scenario: 'Refund request',
user_messages: ["I want a refund", "Order #12345"],
success_criteria: ["Acknowledges request", "Verifies order"]
});
console.log('Passed:', simulation.passed);
Agent Tracking (Oct 2025): Tests now include agent_id association for better organization
8. Analytics & Monitoring
2025 Features:
- Custom Dashboard Charts (Apr 2025) - Display evaluation criteria metrics over time
- Call History Filtering (Apr 2025) -
call_start_before_unixparameter - Multi-Voice History - Separate conversation history by voice
- LLM Cost Tracking - Per agent/conversation costs with
aggregation_interval(hour/day/week/month) - Tool Latency (Apr 2025) -
tool_latency_secstracking - Usage Metrics - minutes_used, request_count, ttfb_avg, ttfb_p95
Conversation Analysis: Success evaluation (LLM-based), data collection fields, post-call webhooks
Access: Dashboard → Analytics | Post-call Webhooks | API
9. Privacy & Compliance
Data Retention: 2 years default (GDPR). Configure: { "transcripts": { "retention_days": 730 }, "audio": { "retention_days": 2190 } }
Encryption: TLS 1.3 (transit), AES-256 (rest)
Regional: serverLocation: 'eu-residency' | 'us' | 'global' | 'in-residency'
Zero Retention Mode: Immediate deletion (no history, analytics, webhooks, or MCP)
Compliance: GDPR (1-2 years), HIPAA (6 years), SOC 2 (automatic encryption)
10. Cost Optimization
LLM Caching: Up to 90% savings on repeated inputs. { "caching": { "enabled": true, "ttl_seconds": 3600 } }
Model Swapping: GPT-5.1, GPT-4o/mini, Claude Sonnet 4.5, Gemini 3 Pro/2.5 Flash (2025 models)
Burst Pricing: 3x concurrency limit at 2x cost. { "burst_pricing_enabled": true }
11. Advanced Features
2025 Platform Updates:
- Azure OpenAI (Jul 2025) - Custom LLM with Azure-hosted models (requires API version field)
- Genesys Output Variables (Jul 2025) - Enhanced call analytics
- LLMReasoningEffort "none" (Oct 2025) - Control model reasoning behavior
- Streaming Voice Previews (Jul 2025) - Real-time voice generation
- pcm_48000 audio format (Apr 2025) - New output format support
Events: audio, transcript, agent_response, tool_call, agent_chat_response_part (streaming, Oct 2025), agent_tool_request (Oct 2025), conversation_state
Custom Models: Bring your own LLM (OpenAI-compatible endpoints). { "llm_config": { "custom": { "endpoint": "...", "api_key": "{{secret__key}}" } } }
Post-Call Webhooks: HMAC verification required. Return 200 or auto-disable after 10 failures. Payload includes conversation_id, transcript, analysis.
Chat Mode: Text-only (no ASR/TTS). { "chat_mode": true }. Saves ~200ms + costs.
Telephony: SIP (sip-static.rtc.elevenlabs.io), Twilio native, Vonage, RingCentral. 2025: Twilio keypad fix (Jul), SIP TLS remote_domains validation (Oct)
12. CLI & DevOps ("Agents as Code")
Installation & Auth:
npm install -g @elevenlabs/agents-cli@0.6.1
elevenlabs auth login
elevenlabs auth residency eu-residency # 'in-residency' | 'global'
export ELEVENLABS_API_KEY=your-api-key # For CI/CD
Project Structure: agents.json, tools.json, tests.json + agent_configs/, tool_configs/, test_configs/
Key Commands:
elevenlabs agents init
elevenlabs agents add "Bot" --template customer-service
elevenlabs agents push --env prod --dry-run # Preview
elevenlabs agents push --env prod # Deploy
elevenlabs agents pull # Import existing
elevenlabs agents test "Bot" # 2025: Enhanced testing
elevenlabs tools add-webhook "Weather" --config-path tool_configs/weather.json
elevenlabs tools push
elevenlabs tests add "Test" --template basic-llm
elevenlabs tests push
Multi-Environment: Create agent.dev.json, agent.staging.json, agent.prod.json for overrides
CI/CD: GitHub Actions with --dry-run validation before deploy
.gitignore: .env, .elevenlabs/, *.secret.json
13. Common Errors & Solutions (17 Documented)
Error 1: Missing Required Dynamic Variables
Cause: Variables referenced in prompts not provided at conversation start
Solution: Provide all variables in dynamic_variables: { user_name: "John", ... }
Error 2: Case-Sensitive Tool Names
Cause: Tool name mismatch (case-sensitive)
Solution: Ensure tool_ids: ["orderLookup"] matches name: "orderLookup" exactly
Error 3: Webhook Authentication Failures
Cause: Incorrect HMAC signature, not returning 200, or 10+ failures
Solution: Verify hmac = crypto.createHmac('sha256', SECRET).update(payload).digest('hex') and return 200
Error 4: Voice Consistency Issues
Cause: Background noise, inconsistent mic distance, extreme volumes in training Solution: Use clean audio, consistent distance, avoid extremes
Error 5: Wrong Language Voice
Cause: English-trained voice for non-English language
Solution: Use language-matched voices: { "language": "es", "voice_id": "spanish_voice" }
Error 6: Restricted API Keys Not Supported (CLI)
Cause: CLI doesn't support restricted API keys Solution: Use unrestricted API key for CLI
Error 7: Agent Configuration Push Conflicts
Cause: Hash-based change detection missed modification
Solution: elevenlabs agents init --override + elevenlabs agents pull + push
Error 8: Tool Parameter Schema Mismatch
Cause: Schema doesn't match usage
Solution: Add clear descriptions: "description": "Order ID (format: ORD-12345)"
Error 9: RAG Index Not Ready
Cause: Index still computing (takes minutes)
Solution: Check index.status === 'ready' before using
Error 10: WebSocket Protocol Error (1002)
Cause: Network instability or incompatible browser Solution: Use WebRTC instead, implement reconnection logic
Error 11: 401 Unauthorized in Production
Cause: Agent visibility or API key config Solution: Check visibility (public/private), verify API key in prod, check allowlist
Error 12: Allowlist Connection Errors
Cause: Allowlist enabled but using shared link Solution: Configure allowlist domains or disable for testing
Error 13: Workflow Infinite Loops
Cause: Edge conditions creating loops Solution: Add max iteration limits, test all paths, explicit exit conditions
Error 14: Burst Pricing Not Enabled
Cause: Burst not enabled in settings
Solution: { "call_limits": { "burst_pricing_enabled": true } }
Error 15: MCP Server Timeout
Cause: MCP server slow/unreachable Solution: Check URL accessible, verify transport (SSE/HTTP), check auth, monitor logs
Error 16: First Message Cutoff on Android
Cause: Android needs time to switch audio mode
Solution: connectionDelay: { android: 3_000, ios: 0 } (3s for audio routing)
Error 17: CSP (Content Security Policy) Violations
Cause: Strict CSP blocks blob: URLs. SDK uses Audio Worklets loaded as blobs
Solution: Self-host worklets:
cp node_modules/@elevenlabs/client/dist/worklets/*.js public/elevenlabs/- Configure:
workletPaths: { 'rawAudioProcessor': '/elevenlabs/rawAudioProcessor.worklet.js', 'audioConcatProcessor': '/elevenlabs/audioConcatProcessor.worklet.js' } - Update CSP:
script-src 'self' https://elevenlabs.io; worker-src 'self';Gotcha: Update worklets when upgrading@elevenlabs/client
Integration with Existing Skills
This skill composes well with:
- cloudflare-worker-base → Deploy agents on Cloudflare Workers edge network
- cloudflare-workers-ai → Use Cloudflare LLMs as custom models in agents
- cloudflare-durable-objects → Persistent conversation state and session management
- cloudflare-kv → Cache agent configurations and user preferences
- nextjs → React SDK integration in Next.js applications
- ai-sdk-core → Vercel AI SDK provider for unified AI interface
- clerk-auth → Authenticated voice sessions with user identity
- hono-routing → API routes for webhooks and server tools
Additional Resources
Official Documentation:
- Platform Overview: https://elevenlabs.io/docs/agents-platform/overview
- API Reference: https://elevenlabs.io/docs/api-reference
- CLI GitHub: https://github.com/elevenlabs/cli
Examples:
- Official Examples: https://github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-examples
- MCP Server: https://github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp
Community:
- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/elevenlabs
- Twitter: @elevenlabsio
Production Tested: WordPress Auditor, Customer Support Agents Last Updated: 2025-11-25 Package Versions: elevenlabs@1.59.0, @elevenlabs/elevenlabs-js@2.25.0, @elevenlabs/agents-cli@0.6.1, @elevenlabs/react@0.11.3, @elevenlabs/client@0.11.3, @elevenlabs/react-native@0.5.4