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

# Hosted Links

> Generate a public, shareable link to run a scenario as a full live avatar conversation

A **Hosted Link** is a public URL that runs your scenario as a **full live avatar conversation** (voice and video), hosted by Akapulu. Anyone you share the link with can open it and click **Start Call**. No SDK, backend, or API key required.

Unlike [Testing Mode](/guides/scenarios/llm-test-mode), which is a text-only simulation, a hosted link starts a **real conversation** with a real avatar, so it consumes your voice/video **conversation minutes**.

## What you can configure

Each hosted link stores its own connection settings, so you can create several links for the same scenario:

* **Avatar**: the avatar that will appear on the call.
* **Label**: the title shown above **Start Call** in the hosted UI, and how the link appears in your list of hosted links on the scenario page.
* **Runtime variables**: a JSON object passed as `runtime_vars` when the call starts.
* **STT keywords**: optional speech-to-text keyword hints.
* **Record conversation**: whether the conversation is recorded.
* **Redirect URL**: where the visitor is sent after the call ends (optional).

## Create a hosted link

1. Open a scenario in the editor (Make sure visual mode is toggled)
2. Open the **Scenario Menu** (side panel on left hand side) and select the **Hosted Link** tab.
3. Click **+ Add hosted link** and fill in the connect settings above.
4. Click **Add Link**. Then to persist your changes - click "save" in the upper right hand corder
5. Copy the **url** and paste into a browser to start your live conversation

## Runtime variables

A hosted link must provide a value for **every** [runtime](/guides/scenarios/role-and-task-instructions#variables-in-instructions) variable your scenario declares (the ones referenced as `{{runtime.*}}` in your role instruction, task instructions, and endpoint templates). Values may be **blank**, but the keys must be present.

Example:

```json theme={null}
{
  "company_name": "Northwind Labs",
  "display_name": "Sam Rivera",
  "account_id": "acct_99102"
}
```

## The generated link

Hosted links use the format:

```
https://live.akapulu.com/session/<token>
```

Open the link, click **Start Call**, and the conversation starts with the avatar and settings you configured. Anyone with the link can start a conversation.

## Redirects and tracking parameters

When you create a hosted link, you can set an optional **Redirect URL**. After the call ends, the visitor is sent there.

For example, set the redirect URL to:

```
https://your-site.com/thanks
```

Then share your hosted link with your own query parameters attached (CRM IDs, UTM tags, or anything else you use for tracking):

```
https://live.akapulu.com/session/<token>?crm_id=abc123&utm_source=email
```

When the call ends, those query parameters are carried over onto your redirect URL. Akapulu Labs also appends a **`conversation_session_id`** so you can sync the hosted conversation with your own systems and fetch the [transcript](/api-reference/conversations/detail) or [recording](/api-reference/conversations/recording):

```
https://your-site.com/thanks?crm_id=abc123&utm_source=email&conversation_session_id=<uuid>
```

If your redirect URL already includes query parameters, those are preserved. Incoming parameters with the same name do not overwrite them.

## Manage hosted links

Every hosted link appears as a card in the **Hosted Link** tab. Expand a card to view its full settings, copy the link, or delete it. Deleting a scenario also deletes its hosted links.

## When to use a hosted link vs. the Web SDK

Hosted links are built for **quick integrations, demos, and testing**. They are the fastest way to put a scenario in front of someone.

For **production and enterprise use cases** where you need maximum security and full control (your own domain, authentication, and UI, with no publicly shareable token), we recommend using the Web SDK instead. See the [Web SDK Overview](/web-sdk/overview) and [Customize Conversation UI](/guides/conversations/customize-conversation-ui).

## See also

* [Scenarios overview](/guides/scenarios/overview): how nodes, tools, and context fit together
* [Testing Mode](/guides/scenarios/llm-test-mode): text-only simulation of your scenario
* [Templates and variables](/guides/endpoints/templates-and-variables): `runtime`, `secret`, and `llm` placeholders
* [Web SDK Overview](/web-sdk/overview): build your own integration