---
slug: "ai-elements"
source_type: "readme"
source_url: "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/vercel/ai-elements@main/README.md"
repo: "https://github.com/vercel/ai-elements"
source_file: "README.md"
branch: "main"
---
# ▲ AI Elements

[AI Elements](https://elements.ai-sdk.dev) is a component library built on top of [shadcn/ui](https://ui.shadcn.com/) to help you build AI-native applications faster.

## Overview

AI Elements provides pre-built, customizable React components specifically designed for AI applications, including conversations, messages, code blocks, reasoning displays, and more. The CLI makes it easy to add these components to your Next.js project.

## Installation

You can use the AI Elements CLI directly with npx, or install it globally:

```bash
# Use directly (recommended)
npx ai-elements@latest

# Or using shadcn cli
npx shadcn@latest add https://elements.ai-sdk.dev/api/registry/all.json
```

## Prerequisites

Before using AI Elements, ensure your project meets these requirements:

- **Node.js** 18 or later
- **Next.js** project with [AI SDK](https://ai-sdk.dev/) installed
- **shadcn/ui** initialized in your project (`npx shadcn@latest init`)
- **Tailwind CSS** configured (AI Elements supports CSS Variables mode only)

## Usage

### Install All Components

Install all available AI Elements components at once:

```bash
npx ai-elements@latest
```

This command will:

- Set up shadcn/ui if not already configured
- Install all AI Elements components to your configured components directory
- Add necessary dependencies to your project

### Install Specific Components

Install individual components using the `add` command:

```bash
npx ai-elements@latest add <component-name>
```

Examples:

```bash
# Install the message component
npx ai-elements@latest add message

# Install the conversation component
npx ai-elements@latest add conversation

# Install the code-block component
npx ai-elements@latest add code-block
```

### Alternative: Use with shadcn CLI

You can also install components using the standard shadcn/ui CLI:

```bash
# Install all components
npx shadcn@latest add https://elements.ai-sdk.dev/api/registry/all.json

# Install a specific component
npx shadcn@latest add https://elements.ai-sdk.dev/api/registry/message.json
```

## Quick Start Example

After installing components, you can use them in your React application:

```tsx
"use client";

import { useChat } from "@ai-sdk/react";
import {
  Conversation,
  ConversationContent,
} from "@/components/ai-elements/conversation";
import {
  Message,
  MessageContent,
  MessageResponse,
} from "@/components/ai-elements/message";

export default function Chat() {
  const { messages } = useChat();

  return (
    <Conversation>
      <ConversationContent>
        {messages.map((message, index) => (
          <Message key={index} from={message.role}>
            <MessageContent>
              <MessageResponse>{message.content}</MessageResponse>
            </MessageContent>
          </Message>
        ))}
      </ConversationContent>
    </Conversation>
  );
}
```

## How It Works

The AI Elements CLI:

1. **Detects your package manager** (npm, pnpm, yarn, or bun) automatically
2. **Fetches component registry** from `https://elements.ai-sdk.dev/api/registry/registry.json`
3. **Installs components** using the shadcn/ui CLI under the hood
4. **Adds dependencies** and integrates with your existing shadcn/ui setup

Components are installed to your configured shadcn/ui components directory (typically `@/components/ai-elements/`) and become part of your codebase, allowing for full customization.

## Configuration

AI Elements uses your existing shadcn/ui configuration. Components will be installed to the directory specified in your `components.json` file.

## Recommended Setup

For the best experience, we recommend:

1. **AI Gateway**: Set up [Vercel AI Gateway](https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway) and add `AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY` to your `.env.local`
2. **CSS Variables**: Use shadcn/ui's CSS Variables mode for theming
3. **TypeScript**: Enable TypeScript for better development experience

## Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to AI Elements, please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a new branch
3. Make your changes to the components in `packages/elements`.
4. Open a PR to the `main` branch.

---

Made with ❤️ by [Vercel](https://vercel.com)