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

# Overview

> Spin up live devices and interact with your app

Revyl can spin up live device instances that are streamed to your browser called **Sessions**. Start a session from the dashboard, CLI/API, or Agents to use a real iOS or Android device.

Use sessions to:

* explore your app directly on a real device without installing anything locally
* let agents [validate live changes](/guides/verify-agent-loop) on device
* power the [dev loop](/develop/dev-loop-overview) to validate local changes on a cloud device
* provide reviewers with live access to a specific build
* enable designers to confirm the implemented experience against the intended design

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/cognisim/fQuvYyuV8mxPZ97a/images/diagrams/sessions.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=fQuvYyuV8mxPZ97a&q=85&s=620d97572651c20902ca956aea2f3c79" alt="Sessions come from many sources and feed into one live device instance" width="1800" height="643" data-path="images/diagrams/sessions.png" />

## Starting a Session

Sessions can come from anywhere:

| Source       | How                                   |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------- |
| **UI**       | Start from the dashboard              |
| **CLI**      | `revyl device start`                  |
| **API**      | `POST /api/v1/execution/start_device` |
| **CI/CD**    | Triggered from a pipeline             |
| **Workflow** | Spawned by a workflow run             |

### From the Dashboard

1. Go to **Sessions** and click **Start session**
2. Pick a **platform** (iOS or Android), **device model**, and **OS version**
3. Optionally select an **App** and **Build** to pre-install
4. Set an **idle timeout** (5m, 15m, 30m, or 1h)
5. Click **Start**

The device boots and streams to your browser on both iOS and Android. Non-default device targets (specific models or OS versions) may take longer to provision. Tap, swipe, type, and interact with it like a real phone.

### From an Agent via the CLI

Install the [Agent Skill](/integrations/skills) and ask your agent to `Start a new session of your app using Revyl`

## Active Sessions

The sessions page shows all live sessions with real-time status, elapsed time, and an idle indicator. Sessions that sit idle for more than 2 minutes get flagged. You can stop any session from the list.

## Session History

Past sessions are listed with device info, duration, source, and user. From here you can:

* View the session recording and device logs
* [Compile the session into a test](/tests/creating-tests/recording) (if it has recorded actions)
* Copy the session ID for API/CLI use