---
title: "eliza start"
description: "Start the Eliza API server (embedded elizaOS runtime, server-only mode)."
---

# `eliza start`

Starts the HTTP + WebSocket API without an interactive REPL. Use this for local development, desktop shells, and headless deployments. `eliza run` is an alias for this command.

## Options

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--connection-key [key]` | Set or auto-generate a connection key for remote access. When passed without a value, a random 32-hex-character key is generated. When the server binds to a non-loopback address and no token is already set, a key is auto-generated regardless of this flag. |

## Behavior

- Loads the configured agent runtime and plugins.
- Binds to the server-only port (default **2138**, override with `ELIZA_PORT`).
- May print a **connection key** when binding on a non-loopback address and no token is set.
- Shuts down cleanly on `SIGINT` or `SIGTERM`.

## Common Options

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--verbose` | Enable informational-level runtime logs |
| `--debug` | Enable debug-level runtime logs |
| `--profile <name>` | Load a named CLI profile (applies profile-specific env vars) |
| `--no-color` | Disable ANSI color output |

Run `eliza start --help` for the full flag list in your build.

## Examples

```bash
# Start the server with default settings
eliza start
eliza start --connection-key
eliza start --connection-key my-secret-key
ELIZA_PORT=3000 eliza start
```

## Related

- [Desktop local development](/apps/desktop-local-development)
- [REST API](/api-reference)
- [CLI environment](/cli/environment)