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Headless-app aliases + motion service reference migration (viamrobotics#4976)
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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‎docs/build-apps/overview.md‎

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type: "docs"
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description: "Build software that uses a Viam SDK to talk to your machines and the Viam cloud, from web dashboards to long-running backend services."
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date: "2026-04-10"
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aliases:
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- /operate/control/headless-app/
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- /product-overviews/sdk-as-client/
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- /program/sdk-as-client/
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- /program/sdks/
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- /program/
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- /program/run/
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- /program/debug/
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- /how-tos/develop-app/
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- /use-cases/develop-app/
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---
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A Viam app is software that uses a Viam SDK to talk to a machine or to the Viam cloud. It runs outside `viam-server`: in a browser, on a phone, on a server, or on a laptop. Viam apps come in many shapes: a browser dashboard, a Flutter app on a kiosk, a Python service that polls sensors, a Go program that orchestrates a fleet.

‎docs/reference/services/_index.md‎

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date: "2026-04-14"
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---
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Configuration reference for Viam built-in services. For API method reference, see [APIs](/reference/apis/).
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Configuration reference for Viam built-in services. Each page covers available models, configuration attributes, and JSON templates. For API method reference, see [Service APIs](/reference/apis/services/).
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{{< cards >}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/base-rc/" %}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/discovery/" %}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/frame-system/" %}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/generic/" %}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/motion/" %}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/navigation/" %}}
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{{% card link="/reference/services/vision/" %}}
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{{< /cards >}}

‎docs/reference/services/base-rc/_index.md‎

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---
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title: "Base remote control service"
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linkTitle: "Base remote control"
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weight: 70
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layout: "docs"
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type: "docs"
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description: "The base remote control service allows you to remotely control a base with an input controller like a gamepad."
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date: "2026-04-18"
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aliases:
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- /reference/services/base-rc/
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- /services/base-rc/
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- /mobility/base-rc/
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---
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The base remote control service implements an [input controller](/reference/components/input-controller/) as a remote control for a [base](/reference/components/base/).
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This uses the [`input` API](/reference/components/input-controller/#api) to make it easy to add remote drive controls for your rover or other mobile robot with a controller like a gamepad.
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Add the base remote control service after configuring your machine with a base and input controller to control the linear and angular velocity of the base with the controller's button or joystick controls.
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Control mode is determined by the configuration attribute `"control_mode"`, for which there are five options:
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1. `"arrowControl"`: Arrow buttons control speed and angle
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2. `"triggerSpeedControl"`: Trigger button controls speed and joystick controls angle
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3. `"buttonControl"`: Four buttons (usually X, Y, A, B) control speed and angle
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4. `"joystickControl"`: One joystick controls speed and angle
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5. `"droneControl"`: Two joysticks control speed and angle
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You can monitor the input from these controls in the **CONTROL** tab.
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## Used with
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{{< cards >}}
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{{< relatedcard link="/reference/components/base/" required="yes" >}}
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{{< relatedcard link="/reference/components/input-controller/" required="yes" >}}
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{{< relatedcard link="/reference/components/movement-sensor/" >}}
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{{< /cards >}}
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{{% snippet "required-legend.md" %}}
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## Configuration
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You must configure a [base](/reference/components/base/) with a [movement sensor](/reference/components/movement-sensor/) as part of your machine to be able to use a base remote control service.
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First, make sure your base is physically assembled and powered on.
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Then, configure the service:
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{{< tabs >}}
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{{% tab name="Builder" %}}
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Navigate to the **CONFIGURE** tab of your machine's page.
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Click the **+** icon next to your machine part in the left-hand menu and select **Configuration block**.
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Select the `base remote control` type.
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Enter a name or use the suggested name for your service and click **Create**.
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In your base remote control service's configuration panel, copy and paste the following JSON object into the attributes field:
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```json {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
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{
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"base": "<your-base-name>",
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"input_controller": "<your-controller-name>"
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}
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```
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Edit the attributes as applicable to your machine, according to the table below.
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For example:
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![An example configuration for a base remote control service.](/services/base-rc/base-rc-ui-config.png)
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{{% /tab %}}
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{{% tab name="JSON Template" %}}
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```json {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
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{
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"name": "<your-base-remote-control-service>",
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"api": "rdk:service:base_remote_control",
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"model": "rdk:builtin:builtin",
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"attributes": {
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"base": "<your-base-name>",
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"input_controller": "<your-controller-name>"
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}
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}
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```
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{{% /tab %}}
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{{% tab name="JSON Example" %}}
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```json {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
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{
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"name": "gamepad_service",
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"api": "rdk:service:base_remote_control",
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"model": "rdk:builtin:builtin",
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"attributes": {
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"base": "my-base",
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"input_controller": "my-input-controller",
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"control_mode": "arrowControl"
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}
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}
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```
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{{% /tab %}}
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{{< /tabs >}}
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Edit and fill in the attributes as applicable.
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The following attributes are available for base remote control services:
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<!-- prettier-ignore -->
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| Name | Type | Required? | Description |
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| ---- | ---- | --------- | ----------- |
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| `base` | string | **Required** | The `name` of the [base](/reference/components/base/) you have configured for the base you are operating with this service. |
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| `input_controller` | string | **Required** | The `name` of the [input controller](/reference/components/input-controller/) you have configured for the base you are operating with this service. |
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| `control_mode` | string | Optional | The mode of remote control you want to use. <br> Options: <ul><li>`"arrowControl"`</li><li>`"triggerSpeedControl"`</li><li>`"buttonControl"`</li><li>`"joystickControl"`</li> <li>`"droneControl"`</li></ul> <br> Default: `"arrowControl"` |
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| `max_angular_degs_per_sec` | float | Optional | The max angular velocity for the [base](/reference/components/base/) in degrees per second. |
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| `max_linear_mm_per_sec` | float | Optional | The max linear velocity for the [base](/reference/components/base/) in meters per second. |
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## API
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The base remote control service supports the following methods:
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{{< readfile "/static/include/services/apis/generated/base_remote_control-table.md" >}}
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{{% alert title="Tip" color="tip" %}}
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The following code examples assume that you have a machine configured with a [base](/reference/components/base/) named `"my_base"`, [input controller](/reference/components/input-controller/) named `"my_controller"`, and base remote control service named `"my_base_rc_service"`.
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Make sure to add the required code to connect to your machine and import any required packages at the top of your code file.
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Go to your machine's **CONNECT** tab and select **API keys** to get your credentials, then use the code sample to connect to your machine.
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{{% /alert %}}
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{{< readfile "/static/include/services/apis/generated/base_remote_control.md" >}}

‎docs/reference/services/discovery/_index.md‎

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---
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title: "Discovery service"
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linkTitle: "Discovery"
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description: "Use a discovery service to discover available resources on a machine."
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layout: "docs"
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type: "docs"
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weight: 50
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modulescript: true
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date: "2026-04-18"
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aliases:
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- /reference/services/discovery/
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---
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A discovery service allows you to return a list of physical hardware available on a machine, and suggest configurations for those components to integrate the hardware into the machine.
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If you are [creating a modular resource](/build-modules/write-a-driver-module/) that depends on other {{< glossary_tooltip term_id="resource" text="resources" >}} that are discoverable in a systematic way, you can create a discovery service as part of your module to discover those resources.
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## Example usage
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Imagine you are creating a vision service module that depends on a camera.
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To make it easier for users to configure the camera, you include a discovery service in your module.
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You implement the discovery service to report all the camera paths your computer or SBC finds.
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Users of your module can then:
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1. Configure both the vision service and the discovery service in their machine's configuration.
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1. Click the **Test** panel in the discovery service configuration to see all cameras recognized by the machine, presented as a list of configuration snippets.
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1. Create a camera with the copy-pasteable configuration snippet for the camera they want to use, with the camera path already filled in.
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1. Use the configured camera in their vision service configuration.
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To see this in action, see [webcam discovery](/reference/components/camera/webcam/#find-a-video-path-using-a-discovery-service) as an example.
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To interact with a discovery service programmatically, use the [discovery service API](/reference/apis/services/discovery/).
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## Configuration
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To use a discovery service, you need to add it to your machine's configuration.
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Go to your machine's **CONFIGURE** page, and add your discovery service.
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The following list shows the available discovery service models.
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For additional configuration information, click on the model name:
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{{< tabs >}}
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{{% tab name="viam-server" %}}
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{{<resources api="rdk:service:discovery" type="discovery" no-intro="true">}}
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{{< readfile "/static/include/create-your-own-mr.md" >}}
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{{% /tab %}}
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{{% tab name="Micro-RDK" %}}
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{{< alert title="Support Notice" color="note" >}}
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There is currently no support for this component compatible with the Micro-RDK.
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{{< /alert >}}
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{{% /tab %}}
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{{< /tabs >}}
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## API
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The [discovery service API](/reference/apis/services/discovery/) supports the following methods:
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{{< readfile "/static/include/services/apis/generated/discovery-table.md" >}}

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