> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.elizaos.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Examples & Recipes > Practical examples and code recipes for the Knowledge plugin Learn how to use the Knowledge Plugin with practical examples that actually work. ## How Knowledge Actually Works The Knowledge Plugin allows agents to learn from documents in three ways: 1. **Auto-load from `docs` folder** (recommended for most use cases) 2. **Upload via Web Interface** (best for dynamic content) 3. **Hardcode small snippets** (only for tiny bits of info like "hello world") ## Basic Character Examples ### Example 1: Document-Based Support Bot Create a support bot that learns from your documentation: ```typescript title="characters/support-bot.ts" theme={null} import { type Character } from '@elizaos/core'; export const supportBot: Character = { name: 'SupportBot', plugins: [ '@elizaos/plugin-openai', // Required for embeddings '@elizaos/plugin-knowledge', // Add knowledge capabilities ], system: 'You are a friendly customer support agent. Answer questions using the support documentation you have learned. Always search your knowledge base before responding.', bio: [ 'Expert in product features and troubleshooting', 'Answers based on official documentation', 'Always polite and helpful', ], }; ``` **Setup your support docs:** ``` your-project/ ├── docs/ # Create this folder │ ├── product-manual.pdf # Your actual product docs │ ├── troubleshooting-guide.md # Support procedures │ ├── faq.txt # Common questions │ └── policies/ # Organize with subfolders │ ├── refund-policy.pdf │ └── terms-of-service.md ├── .env │ OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... │ LOAD_DOCS_ON_STARTUP=true # Auto-load all docs └── src/ └── character.ts ``` When you start the agent, it will automatically: 1. Load all documents from the `docs` folder 2. Process them into searchable chunks 3. Use this knowledge to answer questions ### Example 2: API Documentation Assistant For technical documentation: ```typescript title="characters/api-assistant.ts" theme={null} export const apiAssistant: Character = { name: 'APIHelper', plugins: [ '@elizaos/plugin-openai', '@elizaos/plugin-knowledge', ], system: 'You are a technical documentation assistant. Help developers by searching your knowledge base for API documentation, code examples, and best practices.', topics: [ 'API endpoints and methods', 'Authentication and security', 'Code examples and best practices', 'Error handling and debugging', ], }; ``` **Organize your API docs:** ``` docs/ ├── api-reference/ │ ├── authentication.md │ ├── endpoints.json │ └── error-codes.csv ├── tutorials/ │ ├── getting-started.md │ ├── advanced-usage.md │ └── examples.ts └── changelog.md ``` ### Example 3: Simple Info Bot (Hello World Example) For very basic, hardcoded information only: ```json title="characters/info-bot.json" theme={null} { "name": "InfoBot", "plugins": [ "@elizaos/plugin-openai", "@elizaos/plugin-knowledge" ], "knowledge": [ "Our office is located at 123 Main St", "Business hours: 9 AM to 5 PM EST", "Contact: support@example.com" ], "system": "You are a simple information bot. Answer questions using your basic knowledge." } ``` **Note:** The `knowledge` array is only for tiny snippets. For real documents, use the `docs` folder! ## Real-World Setup Guide ### Step 1: Prepare Your Documents Create a well-organized `docs` folder: ``` docs/ ├── products/ │ ├── product-overview.pdf │ ├── pricing-tiers.md │ └── feature-comparison.xlsx ├── support/ │ ├── installation-guide.pdf │ ├── troubleshooting.md │ └── common-issues.txt ├── legal/ │ ├── terms-of-service.pdf │ ├── privacy-policy.md │ └── data-processing.txt └── README.md # Optional: describe folder structure ``` ### Step 2: Configure Auto-Loading ```env title=".env" theme={null} # Required: Your AI provider OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... # Auto-load documents on startup LOAD_DOCS_ON_STARTUP=true # Optional: Custom docs path (default is ./docs) KNOWLEDGE_PATH=/path/to/your/documents ``` ### Step 3: Start Your Agent ```bash theme={null} elizaos start ``` The agent will: * Automatically find and load all documents * Process PDFs, text files, markdown, etc. * Create searchable embeddings * Log progress: "Loaded 23 documents from docs folder on startup" ## Using the Web Interface ### Uploading Documents 1. Start your agent: `elizaos start` 2. Open browser: `http://localhost:3000` 3. Select your agent 4. Click the **Knowledge** tab 5. Drag and drop files or click to upload **Best for:** * Adding documents while the agent is running * Uploading user-specific content * Testing with different documents * Managing (view/delete) existing documents ### What Happens When You Upload When you upload a document via the web interface: 1. The file is processed immediately 2. It's converted to searchable chunks 3. The agent can use it right away 4. You'll see it listed in the Knowledge tab ## How Agents Use Knowledge ### Automatic Knowledge Search When users ask questions, the agent automatically: ```typescript theme={null} // User asks: "What's your refund policy?" // Agent automatically: // 1. Searches knowledge base for "refund policy" // 2. Finds relevant chunks from refund-policy.pdf // 3. Uses this information to answer // User asks: "How do I install the software?" // Agent automatically: // 1. Searches for "install software" // 2. Finds installation-guide.pdf content // 3. Provides step-by-step instructions ``` ### The Knowledge Provider The knowledge plugin includes a provider that automatically injects relevant knowledge into the agent's context: ```typescript theme={null} // This happens behind the scenes: // 1. User sends message // 2. Knowledge provider searches for relevant info // 3. Found knowledge is added to agent's context // 4. Agent generates response using this knowledge ``` ## Configuration Examples ### Production Support Bot ```env title=".env" theme={null} # AI Configuration OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... # Knowledge Configuration LOAD_DOCS_ON_STARTUP=true KNOWLEDGE_PATH=/var/app/support-docs # Optional: For better processing CTX_KNOWLEDGE_ENABLED=true OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-... # For enhanced context ``` ### Development Setup ```env title=".env" theme={null} # Minimal setup for testing OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... LOAD_DOCS_ON_STARTUP=true # Docs in default ./docs folder ``` ## Best Practices ### DO: Use the Docs Folder ✅ **Recommended approach for most use cases:** ``` 1. Put your documents in the docs folder 2. Set LOAD_DOCS_ON_STARTUP=true 3. Start your agent 4. Documents are automatically loaded ``` ### DO: Use Web Upload for Dynamic Content ✅ **When to use the web interface:** * User-uploaded content * Frequently changing documents * Testing different documents * One-off documents ### DON'T: Hardcode Large Content ❌ **Avoid this:** ```json theme={null} { "knowledge": [ "Chapter 1: Introduction... (500 lines)", "Chapter 2: Getting Started... (1000 lines)", // Don't do this! ] } ``` ✅ **Instead, use files:** ``` docs/ ├── chapter-1-introduction.md ├── chapter-2-getting-started.md └── ... ``` ## Testing Your Setup ### Quick Verification 1. Check the logs when starting: ``` [INFO] Loaded 15 documents from docs folder on startup ``` 2. Ask the agent about your documents: ``` You: "What documents do you have about pricing?" Agent: "I have information about pricing from pricing-tiers.md and product-overview.pdf..." ``` 3. Use the Knowledge tab to see all loaded documents ### Troubleshooting **No documents loading?** * Check `LOAD_DOCS_ON_STARTUP=true` is set * Verify `docs` folder exists and has files * Check file permissions **Agent not finding information?** * Ensure documents contain the information * Try more specific questions * Check the Knowledge tab to verify documents are loaded ## Summary 1. **For production**: Use the `docs` folder with auto-loading 2. **For dynamic content**: Use the web interface 3. **For tiny snippets only**: Use the knowledge array 4. **The agent automatically searches knowledge** - no special commands needed Get started in 5 minutes