> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/getcompanion-ai/feynman/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Packages

> Core and optional Pi packages bundled with Feynman, and how to manage them.

Feynman is built on the Pi runtime and uses curated Pi packages for its capabilities. Core packages are installed by default to keep first-run setup fast. Optional packages can be added on demand with `feynman packages install`.

## Core packages

These packages are installed automatically with every Feynman installation. They provide the foundation for all research workflows and the REPL experience.

| Package                             | Purpose                                                                                                            |
| ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `@companion-ai/alpha-hub`           | alphaXiv integration for paper search, discussion threads, and citation metadata                                   |
| `pi-subagents`                      | Parallel agent spawning for literature gathering and task decomposition. Powers all multi-agent research workflows |
| `pi-btw`                            | Fast side-thread conversations without interrupting the main research run                                          |
| `pi-docparser`                      | Parse PDFs, Office documents, spreadsheets, and images for content extraction                                      |
| `pi-web-access`                     | Web browsing, GitHub access, PDF fetching, and media retrieval                                                     |
| `pi-markdown-preview`               | Render Markdown and LaTeX-heavy research documents as polished HTML/PDF                                            |
| `@walterra/pi-charts`               | Generate charts and quantitative visualizations from data                                                          |
| `pi-mermaid`                        | Render Mermaid diagrams in the terminal UI                                                                         |
| `@aliou/pi-processes`               | Manage long-running experiments, background tasks, and log tailing. Powers `/ps`                                   |
| `pi-zotero`                         | Integration with Zotero for citation library management                                                            |
| `@kaiserlich-dev/pi-session-search` | Indexed session recall with summarize and resume UI. Powers `/search`                                              |
| `pi-schedule-prompt`                | Schedule recurring and deferred research jobs. Powers the `/watch` workflow                                        |
| `@samfp/pi-memory`                  | Automatic preference and correction memory across sessions                                                         |
| `@tmustier/pi-ralph-wiggum`         | Long-running autonomous agent loops. Powers `/autoresearch`                                                        |

Core packages are updated together when you run `feynman update`. You do not need to manage them individually.

## Optional packages

Install these on demand with `feynman packages install <preset>`. They extend Feynman with capabilities that not every user needs.

| Preset          | Package            | Purpose                                                                |
| --------------- | ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `generative-ui` | `pi-generative-ui` | Interactive Glimpse UI widgets for rich, HTML-style output in the REPL |

<Note>
  The `generative-ui` preset can also be installed using the alias `ui`: `feynman packages install ui`.
</Note>

## Managing packages

### List packages

Show all available packages and their install status:

```bash theme={null}
feynman packages list
```

This displays core packages (always installed) and optional presets with an `(installed)` marker for any that are already active.

### Install optional packages

```bash theme={null}
feynman packages install generative-ui
```

### Update packages

Update all installed packages to their latest versions:

```bash theme={null}
feynman update
```

Update a specific package by name:

```bash theme={null}
feynman update pi-subagents
feynman update pi-web-access
```

Running `feynman update` without arguments updates everything. Updates are safe and preserve your configuration and session data.

## What packages enable

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Research workflows (pi-subagents)">
    The `pi-subagents` package enables Feynman to spawn and coordinate parallel research agents. Every multi-agent workflow — `/deepresearch`, `/lit`, `/review`, `/audit`, `/replicate`, `/compare`, and `/draft` — depends on this package to delegate work across `researcher`, `reviewer`, `writer`, and `verifier` subagents simultaneously.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Web access and paper retrieval (pi-web-access, @companion-ai/alpha-hub)">
    `pi-web-access` gives Feynman access to the web, GitHub repositories, and arbitrary PDFs during research. `@companion-ai/alpha-hub` adds alphaXiv-specific paper search, discussion thread access, and citation metadata. Together they form the primary source-gathering layer for all research workflows.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Document parsing (pi-docparser)">
    `pi-docparser` lets Feynman ingest PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, and images as input to research tasks. Drop a PDF into your working directory and Feynman can read and cite it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Preview and export (pi-markdown-preview)">
    `pi-markdown-preview` renders research artifacts — including LaTeX equations — as HTML or PDF directly from the REPL via the `/preview` command. Requires pandoc, which can be installed via `feynman --setup-preview`.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Session search (@kaiserlich-dev/pi-session-search)">
    Enables the `/search` command for indexed recall of prior session transcripts. Useful for finding past research, resuming context from previous sessions, or surfacing earlier findings without re-running a workflow.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Memory (@samfp/pi-memory)">
    Automatically records your preferences and corrections across sessions. If you consistently prefer a particular output format or correct the same terminology, memory surfaces those preferences in future sessions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Background processes (@aliou/pi-processes)">
    Provides the `/ps` command for inspecting active background tasks, running experiments, and scheduled follow-ups. Used by `/autoresearch` and `/watch` to manage long-running work.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Scheduled research (pi-schedule-prompt)">
    Powers the `/watch` workflow by creating durable scheduled or recurring prompts. When you set a watch on a topic, `pi-schedule-prompt` ensures follow-up sweeps happen at the configured frequency — not just when you remember to ask.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Autonomous loops (@tmustier/pi-ralph-wiggum)">
    Powers the `/autoresearch` command. Manages the iteration state, benchmark command execution, experiment logging, and keep/revert decisions across many optimization cycles.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Generative UI (pi-generative-ui) — optional">
    Adds interactive Glimpse UI widgets to REPL output. Useful when you want richer, HTML-style interactive displays rather than plain Markdown. Install with `feynman packages install generative-ui`.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>