diff --git a/.changeset/component-refs-app.md b/.changeset/component-refs-app.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a7b6723bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/component-refs-app.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-app': patch
+---
+
+Default implementations of core components are now provided by this package.
diff --git a/.changeset/component-refs-breaking-app.md b/.changeset/component-refs-breaking-app.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ba6307f60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/component-refs-breaking-app.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-app': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING**: The `componentsApi` implementation has been removed from the plugin and replaced with the new `SwappableComponentsApi` instead.
+
+If you were overriding the `componentsApi` implementation, you can now use the new `SwappableComponentsApi` instead.
+
+```ts
+// old
+appPlugin.getExtension('api:app/components').override(...)
+
+// new
+appPlugin.getExtension('api:app/swappable-components').override(...)
+```
diff --git a/.changeset/component-refs-breaking-frontend-plugin-api.md b/.changeset/component-refs-breaking-frontend-plugin-api.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d43547d21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/component-refs-breaking-frontend-plugin-api.md
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+---
+'@backstage/frontend-plugin-api': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING**: The component system has been overhauled to use `SwappableComponent` instead of `ComponentRef`. Several APIs have been removed and replaced:
+
+- Removed: `createComponentRef`, `createComponentExtension`, `ComponentRef`, `ComponentsApi`, `componentsApiRef`, `useComponentRef`, `coreComponentRefs`
+- Added: `createSwappableComponent`, `SwappableComponentBlueprint`, `SwappableComponentRef`, `SwappableComponentsApi`, `swappableComponentsApiRef`
+
+**Migration for creating swappable components:**
+
+```tsx
+// OLD: Using createComponentRef and createComponentExtension
+import {
+  createComponentRef,
+  createComponentExtension,
+} from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
+
+const myComponentRef = createComponentRef<{ title: string }>({
+  id: 'my-plugin.my-component',
+});
+
+const myComponentExtension = createComponentExtension({
+  ref: myComponentRef,
+  loader: {
+    lazy: () => import('./MyComponent').then(m => m.MyComponent),
+  },
+});
+
+// NEW: Using createSwappableComponent and SwappableComponentBlueprint
+import {
+  createSwappableComponent,
+  SwappableComponentBlueprint,
+} from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
+
+const MySwappableComponent = createSwappableComponent({
+  id: 'my-plugin.my-component',
+  loader: () => import('./MyComponent').then(m => m.MyComponent),
+});
+
+const myComponentExtension = SwappableComponentBlueprint.make({
+  name: 'my-component',
+  params: {
+    component: MySwappableComponent,
+    loader: () => import('./MyComponent').then(m => m.MyComponent),
+  },
+});
+```
+
+**Migration for using components:**
+
+```tsx
+// OLD: Using ComponentsApi and useComponentRef
+import {
+  useComponentRef,
+  componentsApiRef,
+  useApi,
+  coreComponentRefs,
+} from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
+
+const MyComponent = useComponentRef(myComponentRef);
+const ProgressComponent = useComponentRef(coreComponentRefs.progress);
+
+
+// NEW: Direct component usage
+import { Progress } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
+
+// Use directly as React Component
+<Progress />
+<MySwappableComponent title="Hello World" />
+```
+
+**Migration for core component references:**
+
+```tsx
+// OLD: Core component refs
+import { coreComponentRefs } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
+
+coreComponentRefs.progress
+coreComponentRefs.notFoundErrorPage
+coreComponentRefs.errorBoundaryFallback
+
+// NEW: Direct swappable component imports
+import { Progress, NotFoundErrorPage, ErrorDisplay } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
+
+// Use directly as React components
+<Progress />
+<NotFoundErrorPage />
+<ErrorDisplay plugin={plugin} error={error} resetError={resetError} />
+```
+
+**BREAKING**: The `errorBoundaryFallback` component and `CoreErrorBoundaryFallbackProps` type have been replaced with `ErrorDisplay` swappable component and `CoreErrorDisplayProps` respectively.
diff --git a/.changeset/fuzzy-ducks-jump.md b/.changeset/fuzzy-ducks-jump.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5f5930a8dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fuzzy-ducks-jump.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-compat-api': patch
+---
+
+This is primarily an internal change that ensures legacy plugins continue to work with the new component system without requiring immediate migration.
diff --git a/.changeset/strong-dogs-raise.md b/.changeset/strong-dogs-raise.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76220474a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/strong-dogs-raise.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/frontend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+Added a default implementation of the `SwappableComponentsApi` and removing the legacy `ComponentsApi` implementation
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md
index d60ce91cb7..7a17e38f92 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/report.api.md
@@ -1862,7 +1862,7 @@ export const SwappableComponentBlueprint: ExtensionBlueprint<{
         | (() => (props: {}) => JSX.Element | null)
         | (() => Promise<(props: {}) => JSX.Element | null>);
     },
-    'core.component.component',
+    'core.swappableComponent',
     {}
   >;
   inputs: {};
@@ -1876,7 +1876,7 @@ export const SwappableComponentBlueprint: ExtensionBlueprint<{
           | (() => (props: {}) => JSX.Element | null)
           | (() => Promise<(props: {}) => JSX.Element | null>);
       },
-      'core.component.component',
+      'core.swappableComponent',
       {}
     >;
   };
diff --git a/plugins/app/report.api.md b/plugins/app/report.api.md
index c203990916..423da8ec89 100644
--- a/plugins/app/report.api.md
+++ b/plugins/app/report.api.md
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ const appPlugin: FrontendPlugin<
                 | (() => (props: {}) => JSX.Element | null)
                 | (() => Promise<(props: {}) => JSX.Element | null>);
             },
-            'core.component.component',
+            'core.swappableComponent',
             {}
           >,
           {
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ const appPlugin: FrontendPlugin<
             | (() => (props: {}) => JSX.Element | null)
             | (() => Promise<(props: {}) => JSX.Element | null>);
         },
-        'core.component.component',
+        'core.swappableComponent',
         {}
       >;
       inputs: {};
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ const appPlugin: FrontendPlugin<
             | (() => (props: {}) => JSX.Element | null)
             | (() => Promise<(props: {}) => JSX.Element | null>);
         },
-        'core.component.component',
+        'core.swappableComponent',
         {}
       >;
       inputs: {};
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ const appPlugin: FrontendPlugin<
             | (() => (props: {}) => JSX.Element | null)
             | (() => Promise<(props: {}) => JSX.Element | null>);
         },
-        'core.component.component',
+        'core.swappableComponent',
         {}
       >;
       inputs: {};