Feature Request: Enable Remote Access via Web UI, ideally through a Plugin System

[xavierliang]

Hello AionUI Team,

First, thank you for the excellent work on this project. It's incredibly powerful and a joy to use.

I am proposing a feature to allow remote/mobile access to the AionUI instance. This would enable users to start long-running tasks on a host machine and monitor them from anywhere.

I see two potential architectural approaches for this:

Approach 1: Integrated Web UI (The Simple Path)

The application could be launched with a flag like aionui --webui --port 7860, starting a built-in web server. This is a straightforward way to quickly deliver the feature to users.

Approach 2: A Plugin Architecture (The Scalable Path)

A more robust and forward-thinking solution would be to implement a plugin system.

Core Logic: The main AionUI application would expose a stable API (e.g., via REST or WebSockets) for interacting with its core functionalities (getting status, sending commands, etc.).

Web UI as a Plugin: The Web UI could then be developed as a first-party "official" plugin that consumes this API. It could even be installed separately, like aionui-plugin-install webui.

Benefits: This approach has significant advantages for long-term maintenance and growth, as you mentioned:

Decoupling: The core app and the Web UI can be developed, versioned, and updated independently. This makes maintenance much easier.

Extensibility: It opens the door for the community to create other plugins (e.g., Discord/Telegram notifiers, custom logging, alternative UIs) without needing to modify the core application.

Keeps the Core Lean: The core application remains focused and lightweight, with additional functionality being opt-in.

Recommendation:
While the integrated approach is faster to implement, a plugin architecture would be a strategic investment in the project's future, fostering a vibrant community ecosystem. Perhaps the integrated Web UI could be a first step, with a plan to refactor it into a plugin later on.

This feature, especially if implemented via a plugin system, would transform AionUI from a powerful tool into an extensible platform.

Thank you for your consideration!

[IceyLiu]

@xavierliang great suggestion! May I know more about the use cases (scenarios) about Aion Web UI? As you mentioned here "This would enable users to start long-running tasks on a host machine and monitor them from anywhere.", my feeling is that:

• as an engineer, I can use it to directly update something on the production environment.
• as a computer-base worker, I can work remotely (The computer is turned on 24 hours a day, running AionUi, and I can work at home)

Any more interesting cases? Welcome to communicate :)

[xavierliang]

Hello @IceyLiu,
Thank you so much for the positive feedback and for asking for more details on the use cases! I'm happy to expand on my vision for this, as it's a workflow I'm actively trying to build for myself and my clients.
You've captured the core ideas well. To clarify your points:

1. For Engineers: You're right. My primary thought wasn't for direct production updates, but more for the development and monitoring lifecycle. For example, I might start a complex AI agent task and a Web UI would allow me to check on its behavior from my phone to ensure it's on the right track, or I could do some easy tasks direct from the phone without the need to sit in front of the computer.
2. For Remote Workers: Exactly. This provides the ultimate flexibility to fully leverage a powerful, always-on machine from anywhere, on any device.
   But where I believe this feature truly becomes transformative is when we think beyond the traditional developer role. Here are a couple of powerful scenarios where a Web UI would be a game-changer:
   Use Case 1: The Personal AI Companion
   I believe AionUI is powerful enough to be more than a tool; it can be a personal assistant for journaling, brainstorming, or even coaching sessions.
   The interaction for these tasks is conversational, and being tied to a keyboard feels unnatural. To solve this now, I've been experimenting with tools like the Gemini CLI UI and Claude code UI on mobile, but honestly, they aren't very refined for this purpose. I've had to make a lot of my own modifications just to get them to work in this scenario. A native, polished Web UI in AionUI would be the perfect solution.
   Use Case 2: The Small Business "AI Team in a Box"
   This isn't just a hypothetical idea for me. I'm currently consulting for a small company and have been helping them build out AI agents using tools like Cursor. While it works, I see the immense potential for AionUI to be a far superior platform for them, especially if they could access and manage their agents from a Web UI.
   This would empower them to use agents as a virtual:
   • Marketing Team: Analyze their data and generate marketing approaches.
   • Sales Team: Following up on leads.
   • Content Team: Drafting blog posts.
   …
   A web interface would make this power accessible and manageable for them without needing deep technical expertise.
   In summary, my core vision is that AionUI is not just for coding. It's a platform for everyone. A Web UI is the crucial bridge to unlock this broader potential, solving real-world needs that people like me are already trying to hack together solutions for.
   Thanks again for engaging with this idea! I'm very excited about the future of this project.

[IceyLiu]

@xavierliang Thank you for sharing. As mentioned in the "Where We Are Going" section of the readme, my vision aligns closely with yours—I hope AionUI can go beyond coding and truly benefit individuals and businesses alike. These innovative scenarios have been incredibly helpful to me and have even directly influenced my roadmap. I feel truly honored to have a user like you who provides constructive suggestions. Let’s look forward to achieving the goals of the new version together!