Why Build a Custom Widget?
Off-the-shelf chat widgets work for most teams, but sometimes you need full control over the design, behavior, and data flow. A custom widget lets you embed support deeply into your product experience.
Architecture Overview
Our widget has three tabs: Chat (real-time messaging via WebSocket), Help (knowledge base search), and Contact (ticket submission form). It sits in a fixed-position container in the bottom-right corner.
Setting Up the Project
Create a new React component library that can be built as a standalone widget. Use Vite for fast development and bundling. The final output is a single JavaScript file that any website can load.
Building the Chat Tab
Connect to your support platform's WebSocket API. Handle message sending, receiving, typing indicators, and file attachments. Use a message list component with auto-scrolling and timestamp grouping.
Building the Help Tab
Implement a search input that queries your knowledge base API. Display results as a list of article titles with excerpts. Clicking an article expands it inline so customers do not leave your site.
Building the Contact Tab
A simple form with name, email, subject, and message fields. Submit via your help desk's API to create a ticket. Show a confirmation message with the ticket ID.
Deploying Your Widget
Bundle your widget as a UMD module. Host it on a CDN. Provide a script tag that websites can paste to load the widget. Include configuration options for branding, default tab, and API endpoint.
