> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://aether.baimoqilin.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Aether: AI Agent for Android Explained

> Aether brings a full-featured, locally-run AI agent to your Android device. Learn what sets it apart from other AI chat apps.

**Aether** is a general-purpose AI Agent for Android built on the Pi framework. It pairs a minimalist, carefully polished UI with a powerful agentic execution engine that supports multiple LLM providers out of the box. Whether you want a capable AI chat companion or a fully autonomous on-device agent that can run shell commands and control your phone, Aether handles both.

## What Aether is NOT

Aether is **not** a cloud service, and it is not a wrapper around a single AI provider's app. Every LLM API key and credential you configure stays on your device inside Aether's private app directory — nothing is routed through an intermediary server. You choose your provider; you own your data.

## Key features

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Multi-Provider LLM Support" icon="brain" href="/features/models-providers">
    Connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, Groq, Mistral, Cloudflare, and more — all from a single app. Switch providers and models without leaving the chat screen.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Built-in Alpine Linux VM" icon="terminal" href="/features/alpine-runtime">
    A managed Alpine Linux environment is automatically installed on first use. Aether calls shell commands and CLI tools directly through this environment, giving the agent real compute power on your device.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Termux & Shizuku" icon="mobile" href="/features/termux-shizuku">
    Optionally integrate with Termux for direct Android shell access or Shizuku for privileged system operations — enabling deep device automation without root.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Extension System" icon="puzzle-piece" href="/extensions/overview">
    Extend Aether with hot-reload TypeScript mods for rapid iteration or compiled Kotlin/DEX native mods for full platform power. A single extension package can augment the Pi agent and inject native Compose or WebView UI into the app.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## The Pi Framework

Aether is built on top of the **Pi agent framework**, which serves as its core execution engine. Pi provides:

* **Broad LLM provider compatibility** — a unified interface across all supported providers so that switching models requires no code changes.
* **Lightweight agent execution** — an efficient harness that manages tool calls, context windows, and multi-step reasoning loops without excessive overhead.
* **Extensibility hooks** — the same extension points that Aether exposes to developers are built directly into Pi's architecture.

Because Aether delegates provider communication and agent orchestration to Pi, it stays lean while remaining highly capable.

## For Extension Developers

Aether's extension system lets you ship new tools, UI elements, and agent behaviors as self-contained packages. Extensions can be written as hot-reload TypeScript mods for quick prototyping, or as compiled Kotlin/DEX native mods when you need full access to Android APIs and native performance.

<Card title="Extension Developer Guide" icon="code" href="/extensions/overview">
  Learn how to build, package, and distribute your own Aether extensions.
</Card>