building-chat-widgets

Interactive chat widgets with server actions let you handle user interactions both client-side and server-side. Define widget templates with action handlers, configure server-driven updates via standard events, and orchestrate the widget lifecycle to respond to user clicks, @mentions, and form submissions across the full interaction flow.

Widget templates are reusable structures that define chat widget behavior and appearance. They drive interactions by specifying action handlers, entity tagging rules, and lifecycle hooks, enabling you to deploy consistent, composable widgets across multiple chat flows without rebuilding the same patterns.

Yes, entity tagging with @mentions is supported through the widget system. You can tag entities contextually within chat widgets, allowing users to reference and interact with specific objects or agents, and trigger corresponding server or client actions based on the tagged entity.

Client/server actions let you split logic: client handlers process immediate UI updates, while server handlers manage backend operations. Configure action handlers for each type within your widget template, and use standard event streams to coordinate bidirectional updates across the full widget lifecycle.

Client-handled actions update the UI immediately without a backend request, ideal for local state changes. Server-handled actions route to your backend for processing and return updates via streaming events, suitable for data mutations, validation, or complex business logic that requires server context.

Composer tools are optional components that enhance widget functionality by providing specialized interaction patterns within the chat composer. They work in synergy with widgets and actions to support agentic UIs, but core widget behavior—templates, actions, and entity tagging—functions independently.