tock-react-kit

v23.9.2

Published

22 days ago

React UI library for Tock Node chatbots

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Tock React Kit

A toolkit to easily embed Tock chatbots into Web pages.

The toolkit provides:

simple integration, as a script or React module
connection/dialog with a Tock bot using Bot API (using SSE if available)
user interface for conversations, including default widgets and animations
customizable styles

The toolkit is currently used in production by various conversational assistants from SNCF, Enedis and more (see Tock showcase).

🏠 Home: https://doc.tock.ai

▶️ Live demo: Web frontend / bot backend

💬 Contact: https://gitter.im/tockchat/Lobby

Prerequisites

Run a Tock Bot in API mode (NodeJS alternative)

Quick Start

If you do not use a package manager, you can include the standalone bundle for the tock-react-kit in an HTML page. Note that this bundle includes its own copy of React - if you have an existing React application, please refer to the module instructions below.

<script
  crossorigin
  src="https://unpkg.com/tock-react-kit@latest/build/tock-react-kit-standalone.umd.js"
></script>

Render your app in an element:

<body>
  <div id="chat"></div>
  <script>
    TockReact.renderChat(document.getElementById('chat'), '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>');
  </script>
</body>

Use as a module

You can install this package alongside its peer dependencies using the package manager of your choice, and then bundle it with the rest of your web application. For example with NPM:

npm i react@18 react-dom@18 @emotion/react@11 @emotion/styled@11 tock-react-kit

Your bundler must support ESM modules, which is the case for Webpack, Rollup and Vite among others.

Use in a React app

import { ThemeProvider } from "@emotion/react";
import { TockContext, Chat, createTheme } from 'tock-react-kit';

<TockContext settings={ /* ... */ }>
    <ThemeProvider theme={createTheme({ /* ... */})}>
        <Chat
            endPoint="<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>"
            /* The following parameters are optional */
            referralParameter="referralParameter"
            // also accepts all properties from TockOptions, like:
            disableSse
            openingMessage="Hi"
        />
    </ThemeProvider>
</TockContext>

Note that unmounting TockContext at any point may cause bugs in the chat due to live data being lost. Therefore, in apps where the Chat component is susceptible to being unmounted and remounted (e.g. Single Page Applications), TockContext should go at the root of the page (hoisting out of render). ThemeProvider should also be hoisted out of render for performance reasons, as noted in the Emotion docs.

Use in a non-React app

When working in a non-React app, you can once again use renderChat to render the app in an existing element:

import { renderChat } from 'tock-react-kit';

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'),
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>',
    /* The following parameters are optional */
    'referralParameter',
    { /* ... */ },
    { /* ... */ },
);

Styling your chat

Use the third argument of renderChat to style your app:

renderChat(document.getElementById('chat'), '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>', 'referralParameter', {
  palette: {
    text: {
      user: 'limegreen',
      bot: 'rebeccapurple',
      card: 'black',
      input: 'black',
    },
    background: {
      user: 'red',
      bot: 'orange',
      card: 'lightgreen',
      input: 'lightblue',
      inputDisabled: '#b6b4b4',
    },
  },
  sizing: {
    loaderSize: '8px',
    borderRadius: '8px',
    conversation: {
      width: '720px',
    },
  },
  typography: {
    fontFamily: 'monospace',
    fontSize: '24px',
  },
  overrides: {
    chat: `background: #fff;`,
  },
});

You can use createTheme function to init a valid theme.

renderChat(document.getElementById('chat'), '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>', 'referralParameter', createTheme({}));

Customize interface

If the chat does not suit your needs you can also use the components separately.

Message Metadata

TOCK's backend supports sending metadata alongside messages. This metadata takes the form of key-value pairs of arbitrary strings. The tock-react-kit supports customization of the interface based on said metadata at two levels:

Chat metadata

The metadata from the last processed response is made available globally in TockContext. This can be used to implement global effects on the chat interface, like showing status messages. This metadata is not persistent; it is therefore the responsibility of either the backend or a customized frontend to ensure data stays available if required.

Message metadata

The metadata from each response is also attached to the corresponding messages. This metadata is persisted with the messages, including through page reloads if local storage history is enabled. At the current time, it is only available to custom React-based frontends that handle message rendering themselves.

API Reference

`renderChat(element, tockBotApiUrl, referralParameter, theme, options)`

Renders an entire chat in a target element.

| Argument name | Type | Description | | ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | element | Element | Target element where the chat will be rendered | | tockBotApiUrl | string | URL to the Tock Bot REST API | | referralParameter | string | Optional referal parameter | | theme | TockTheme | Optional theme object | | options | TockOptions | Optional options object |

`useTock(tockBotApiUrl, extraHeadersProvider, disableSse, localStorageHistory)`

Hook that provides chat history and methods to communicate with the Tock Bot. It must be used alongside with TockContext. Returns a useTock interface.

| Argument name | Type | Description | | ---------------------- | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | tockBotApiUrl | string | URL to the Tock Bot REST API | | extraHeadersProvider | () => Promise<Record<string, string>> | Optional Provider of extra HTTP headers for outgoing requests | | disableSse | boolean | Optional Force-disabling of SSE mode | | localStorageHistory | TockLocalStorage | Optional Configuration for LocalStorage history |

`TockTheme`

A TockTheme can be used as a value of a ThemeProvider of emotion-theming (bundled with the library) or as a third argument of renderChat.

| Property name | Type | Description | |---------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | palette | Palette | Object for customising colors (see below) | | sizing | Sizing | Object for customising elements sizing (see below) | | typography | Typography | Object for customising typographies (see below) | | overrides | Overrides? | Object allowing further styling (see below) | | inlineQuickReplies| boolean? | Displaying quick replies inline (by default false) |

`Palette`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | background | BackgroundPalette | Object for customising background colors (see below) | | text | TextPalette? | Object for customising text colors (see below) |

`BackgroundPalette`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | user | string? | CSS color used mainly for the user's chat speech balloons | | bot | string? | CSS color used mainly for the bot's chat speech balloons | | card | string? | CSS background color for cards | | input | string? | CSS background color for the main user text input | | inputDisabled | string? | CSS background color for the main user text input disabled |

`TextPalette`

`Sizing`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | loaderSize | string? | Loader component size | | borderRadius | string? | Border radius used in various chat components | | conversation | Shape | Object for customising chat size (see below) |

`Shape`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | width | string? | CSS max-width of the chat interface |

`Typography`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | fontFamily | string? | CSS font-family used in the chat | | fontSize | string? | CSS base font-size used in the chat |

`Overrides`

| Property name | Type | Description | |---------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | buttons | TockThemeButtonStyle | Object for adding CSS styles on button components (see below) | | card | TockThemeCardStyle | Object for adding CSS styles on card component (see below) | | chatInput | TockThemeInputStyle? | Object for adding CSS styles on chat input component (see below) | | carouselContainer | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards container (overrides base styles) | | carouselItem | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards container (overrides base styles) | | carouselArrow | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel scrolling arrows (overrides base styles) | | messageBot | string? | Additional CSS styles for the bot's speech balloons (overrides base styles) | | messageUser | string? | Additional CSS styles for the user's speech balloons (overrides base styles) | | quickReply | string? | Additional CSS styles for the quick reply buttons (overrides base styles) | | chat | string? | Additional CSS styles for the chat container (overrides base styles) | | quickReplyArrow | string? | Additional CSS styles for quick replies scrolling arrows (overrides base styles) |

`TockThemeButtonStyle`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| | urlButton | string? | Additional CSS styles for URL buttons (overrides base styles) | | postbackButton | string? | Additional CSS styles for postback buttons (overrides base styles) | | buttonList | string? | Additional CSS styles for button lists (overrides base styles) | | buttonContainer | string? | Additional CSS styles for button list container (overrides base styles) |

`TockThemeCardStyle`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-------------------|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | cardContainer | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards container (overrides base styles) | | cardTitle | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards title (overrides base styles) | | cardSubTitle | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards subtitle (overrides base styles) | | cardImage | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards image (overrides base styles) | | cardButton | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards button (overrides base styles and button overrides) | | buttonList | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel cards button list (overrides base styles and button overrides) | | buttonContainer | string? | Additional CSS styles for carousel button list container (overrides base styles and button overrides) |

`TockThemeInputStyle`

| Property name | Type | Description | |---------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | container | string? | Additional CSS styles for input container (overrides base styles) | | input | string? | Additional CSS styles for input (overrides base styles) | | icon | string? | Additional CSS styles for input icon (overrides base styles) |

`TockSettings`

| Property name | Type | Description | |----------------|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | locale | string? | Optional user language, as an RFC 5646 code | | localStorage | LocalStorageSettings? | Configuration for use of localStorage by the library |

`LocalStorageSettings`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | storagePrefix | string? | Prefix for local storage keys allowing communication with different bots from the same domain |

`TockOptions`

Contains all the properties from TockSettings as well as the following:

| Property name | Type | Description | |-------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | afterInit | (PostInitContext) => Promise<void>? | Callback that will be executed after chat init and before openingMessage | | openingMessage | string? | Initial message to send to the bot to trigger a welcome sequence | | extraHeadersProvider | () => Promise<Record<string, string> | Provider of extra HTTP headers for outgoing requests | | timeoutBetweenMessage | number? | Timeout between message | | widgets | any? | Custom display component | | disableSse | boolean? | Disable SSE (not even trying) | | accessibility | TockAccessibility | Object for overriding role and label accessibility attributes | | localStorageHistory | TockLocalStorage? | Object for history local storage |

`TockAccessibility`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | input | InputAccessibility? | Object for adding accessibility labels on input component (see below) | | carousel | CarouselAccessibility? | Object for adding accessibility labels on carousel component (see below) | | qrCarousel | QRCarouselAccessibility? | Object for adding accessibility labels on QR inline carousel component component (see below) |

`InputAccessibility`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | sendButtonLabel | string? | Message of the send message button image aria-label attribute (overrides 'Send a message') | | clearButtonLabel | string? | Message of the clear messages button image aria-label attribute (overrides 'Clear messages') |

`TockLocalStorage`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-----------------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | enable | boolean? | Enable history local storage | | maxNumberMessages | number? | Max number of messages in the history local storage (default 10) |

`CarouselAccessibility`

| Property name | Type | Description | |---------------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | roleDescription | string? | Message of the carousel aria-roledescription attribute (overrides 'Carousel') | | slideRoleDescription | string? | Message of the slide carousel aria-roledescription attribute (overrides 'Slide') | | previousButtonLabel | string? | Message of the carousel previous button image aria-label attribute (overrides 'Previous slides') | | nextButtonLabel | string? | Message of the carousel next button image aria-label attribute (overrides 'Next slides') |

`QRCarouselAccessibility`

| Property name | Type | Description | |-------------------------|------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | previousButtonLabel | string? | Message of the quick replies carousel previous button image aria-label attribute (overrides 'Previous quick replies') | | nextButtonLabel | string? | Message of the quick replies carousel next button image aria-label attribute (overrides 'Next quick replies') |

Accessibility

The optional accessibility makes it possible to override default messages for some aria attributes.

Example :

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'),
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>',
    undefined,
    {},
    { accessibility: {
        carousel: {
          roleDescription: 'Carousel',
          slideRoleDescription: 'Result',
        },
      },
    },
);

Local storage history

The optional localStorageHistory makes it possible to provide a history session of messages. This history loads at the creation of the chat and is stored in the local storage of the browser.

The localStorageHistory parameter is an object, by default not set (enable then to false).

Example:

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'),
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>',
    undefined,
    {},
    { localStorageHistory: {
        enable: true,
        maxNumberMessages: 15, // by default 10 messages max
      }
    },
);

If sensitive information appear in conversation, do not use this option.
If browser disable or cannot handle local storage, the chat will not store messages.

Post-initialization behaviours

After Init callback

The optional afterInit is a callback function, called once the chat is ready to send payloads to the server. It takes a PostInitContext parameter, which allows the callback to interact with the chat (sending messages, clearing the chat, etc.). If it returns a promise, the chat will wait for the promise to resolve before performing other post-init tasks.

Example:

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'), 
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>', 
    undefined,
    {},
    {
      localStorageHistory: { enable: true },
      afterInit: async (context) => {
        if (context.history) await context.sendMessage('I am back');
        else await context.sendPayload('greetings')
      }
    },
);

In this example, whenever the page is loaded:

If the user previously interacted with the bot, they will send the "I am back" message to the bot endpoint, triggering the corresponding story. Said message will be displayed as a user message.
Otherwise, a payload will be sent, which will trigger the intent with the ID greetings.

Opening message

The optional openingMessage is a sentence, automatically sent to the bot when the conversation starts. If an afterInit callback is also specified, it runs before the opening message gets sent. This is typically used to trigger a welcoming or onboarding story for the user, without requiring them to type a sentence first. Said story is configured in Tock Studio, or managed like any other Tock story,

The openingMessage parameter is a sentence from the user to the bot, albeit not actually displayed in conversation. It is not the configured answer from the bot.

Example:

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'), 
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>', 
    undefined,
    {},
    { openingMessage: 'hello my bot' },
);

In this example, when the user opens/loads the page embedding the tock-react-kit for the first time, the story corresponding to "hello my bot" (e.g. hello) will be triggered, starting the conversation.

Extra headers

The optional extraHeadersProvider makes it possible to provide additional HTTP headers, to message requests from the Web page (tock-react-kit component) to the Bot (Tock Bot API).

Example:

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'), 
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>', 
    undefined,
    {},
    { extraHeadersProvider: (async () => ({'my-custom-header': 'some value'})) },
);

This is typically used to pass tokens or custom values to the Bot backend.

Note that extra headers should be allowed by the backend's CORS setup for the application to work as intended.

Custom widgets

Tock web connector can send custom messages :

{
  data: {
    departure: 'Paris',
    arrival: 'Nice'
  },
  type: 'TrainCardWidget',
}

You can define your own display components for this custom message :

import React from 'react';
import { renderChat, MessageContainer, Message } from 'tock-react-kit';

const TrainCardWidget = ({departure, arrival}) => {
    return (
        <MessageContainer>
            <Message>
                <p>Departure: {departure}</p>
                <p>Arrival: {arrival}</p>
            </Message>
        </MessageContainer>
    );
};

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'),
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>',
    undefined,
    {}, 
    {
        widgets: {
            TrainCardWidget
        }
    }
);

SSE

By default, the tock-react-kit tries to connect to the Bot through Server-sent events. If an error occurs, it probably means the Bot's backend does not accept SSE, so the tock-react-kit switches to classic requests.

The optional disableSseparameter makes it possible to disable SSE before even trying, possibly preventing a 404 error from console (when the Bot does not accept SSE).

Example:

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'), 
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>', 
    undefined,
    {},
    { disableSse: true },
);

Published

Vulnerabilities

Links

Maintainers

Keywords

Readme

Tock React Kit

Prerequisites

Quick Start

Use as a module

Use in a React app

Use in a non-React app

Styling your chat

Customize interface

Message Metadata

Chat metadata

Message metadata

API Reference

renderChat(element, tockBotApiUrl, referralParameter, theme, options)

useTock(tockBotApiUrl, extraHeadersProvider, disableSse, localStorageHistory)

TockTheme

Palette

BackgroundPalette

TextPalette

Sizing

Shape

Typography

Overrides

TockThemeButtonStyle

TockThemeCardStyle

TockThemeInputStyle

TockSettings

LocalStorageSettings

TockOptions

TockAccessibility

InputAccessibility

TockLocalStorage

CarouselAccessibility

QRCarouselAccessibility

Accessibility

Local storage history

Post-initialization behaviours

After Init callback

Opening message

Extra headers

Custom widgets

SSE

`renderChat(element, tockBotApiUrl, referralParameter, theme, options)`

`useTock(tockBotApiUrl, extraHeadersProvider, disableSse, localStorageHistory)`

`TockTheme`

`Palette`

`BackgroundPalette`

`TextPalette`

`Sizing`

`Shape`

`Typography`

`Overrides`

`TockThemeButtonStyle`

`TockThemeCardStyle`

`TockThemeInputStyle`

`TockSettings`

`LocalStorageSettings`

`TockOptions`

`TockAccessibility`

`InputAccessibility`

`TockLocalStorage`

`CarouselAccessibility`

`QRCarouselAccessibility`