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 endpoint="<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>" settings={{
    // all properties from TockSettings can be configured here, like:
    locale: navigator.language,
    network: {
      disableSse: true,
    },
}}>
    <ThemeProvider theme={createTheme({ /* ... */})}>
        <Chat
            /* All parameters are optional */
            afterInit={() => {}}
            openingMessage="Hi"
            referralParameter="referralParameter"
            widgets={{...}}
        />
    </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, there are two main ways to customize the interface rendering.

Configure custom renderers

Custom rendering can currently be defined for text, images, and buttons. Here are some examples of what this enables:

processing custom markup in the text of any component
stripping harmful HTML tags and attributes when the backend is untrustworthy
dynamically decorating text messages and buttons
automatically embedding SVG images into the DOM
implementing fallback behavior when an image fails to load
using metadata sent by the server to set image properties like width and height
setting up redirects for links

See the TockSettings API reference for the details of available renderers.

Use the chat components separately

The tock-react-kit exports its main components, so you can re-use them to build your own chat interface. This approach can be used alongside custom renderers to control more granular aspects of rendering.

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. It is available to custom renderers through the use of the useMessageMetadata hook, as well as 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()`

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

Until version 24.9.0 of the tock-react-kit, this function took the following arguments, which are now moved to TockSettings:

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`

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

`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`

The main source of configuration for the chatbot interface. Objects implementing this interface can be passed to renderChat or to TockContext.

Property name	Type	Description
`locale`	`string?`	Optional user language, as an RFC 5646 code
`localStorage`	`LocalStorageSettings?`	Configuration for use of localStorage by the library
`network`	`NetworkSettings?`	If `true`, disables any SSE connection attempt
`renderers`	`RendererSettings?`	Configuration for custom image and text renderers

`LocalStorageSettings`

Property name	Type	Description
`enableMessageHistory`	`boolean?`	If set to `true`, the most recent messages of a conversation will be persisted in the local storage. Defaults to `false`.
`maxMessageCount`	`number?`	When message history is enabled, sets the max number of messages to store. Defaults to 10.
`prefix`	`string?`	Prefix for local storage keys allowing communication with different bots from the same domain (used for both `userId` and message history).

`NetworkSettings`

Property name	type	Description
`disableSse`	`boolean?`	If `true`, disables any SSE connection attempt
`extraHeadersProvider`	`() => Promise<Record<string, string>>?`	Provides extra HTTP headers for outgoing requests

`RendererSettings`

Property name	Type	Description
`buttonRenderers`	`ButtonRenderers?`	Configuration of renderers for buttons displayed in the chat interface
`imageRenderers`	`ImageRenderers?`	Configuration of renderers for dynamic images displayed in the chat interface
`messageRenderers`	`MessageRenderers?`	Configuration of renderers for individual message components in the chat interface
`textRenderers`	`TextRenderers?`	Configuration of renderers for dynamic text displayed in the chat interface

`ButtonRenderers`

Button renderers all implement some specialization of the ButtonRenderer interface. They are tasked with rendering a graphical component using button-specific data, a class name, and other generic HTML attributes. The passed in class name provides the default style for the rendered component, as well as applicable overrides.

Property name	Type	Description
`default`	`ButtonRenderer`	The fallback renderer. By default, renders a single `button` component using the provided properties
`url`	`UrlButtonRenderer`	Renders an `UrlButton`. By default, renders a single `a` component using the provided properties
`postback`	`PostBackButtonRenderer?`	Renders a `PostBackButton`
`quickReply`	`QuickReplyButtonRenderer?`	Renders a `QuickReply`

`ImageRenderers`

Image renderers all implement the ImageRenderer interface. They are tasked with rendering a graphical component using a source URL, a description, a class name, and other generic HTML attributes. The passed in class name provides the default style for the rendered component, as well as applicable overrides.

Property name	Description
`default`	The fallback renderer. By default, renders a single `img` component using the provided properties
`standalone`	Renders images in the dedicated image component, including the zoomed-in view
`card`	Renders images in the card component (including in carousels)
`buttonIcon`	Renders icons in quick replies, URL buttons, and postback buttons

`MessageRenderers`

Message renderers are tasked with rendering individual messages exchanged between the bot and the user. Currently, the only message renderer that can be defined here is for the error message - a special message that only appears after a network error (and disappears after a successful request).

Property name	Description
`error`	The error message renderer. If left unspecified, no error message is ever displayed.

`TextRenderers`

Text renderers all implement the TextRenderer interface. They are tasked with rendering a string into a text component.

A renderer can be restricted in the kind of HTML nodes it emits depending on the context in which it is invoked. Most text renderers should only emit phrasing content that is also non-interactive. However, some contexts allow interactive phrasing content, or even any flow content.

Some renderers are expected to handle rich text, that is text that already contains HTML formatting. Such rich text renderers may strip HTML tags or attributes that are deemed dangerous to add to the DOM.

Property name	Type of content	Description
`default`	non-interactive phrasing	The fallback renderer. By default, renders the whole string as a single text node
`html`	flow	The fallback renderer for rich text. By default, renders the string into a `div` with `innerHTML`
`htmlPhrase`	phrasing	The fallback renderer for inline rich text. By default, renders the string into a `span` with `innerHTML`
`userContent`	phrasing	Renders text in user messages. If unspecified, falls back to `default`

`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 localStorage.enableMessageHistory setting (disabled by default) 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 number of persisted messages can be configured with the localStorage.maxMessageCount setting.

Example:

renderChat(
    document.getElementById('chat'),
    '<TOCK_BOT_API_URL>',
    undefined,
    {},
    { localStorage: {
        enableMessageHistory: true,
        maxMessageCount: 15, // default is 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 },
);

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
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.github/workflows		.github/workflows
.husky		.husky
.storybook		.storybook
src		src
.auto-changelog		.auto-changelog
.eslintrc.js		.eslintrc.js
.gitignore		.gitignore
.npmrc		.npmrc
.prettierrc.js		.prettierrc.js
.swcrc		.swcrc
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
CONTRIBUTING.md		CONTRIBUTING.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
changelog-template.hbs		changelog-template.hbs
package.json		package.json
rollup.config.mjs		rollup.config.mjs
tsconfig.json		tsconfig.json
yarn.lock		yarn.lock

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theopenconversationkit/tock-react-kit

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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

Configure custom renderers

Use the chat components separately

Message Metadata

Chat metadata

Message metadata

API Reference

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

useTock()

TockTheme

Palette

BackgroundPalette

TextPalette

Sizing

Shape

Typography

Overrides

TockThemeButtonStyle

TockThemeCardStyle

TockThemeInputStyle

TockSettings

LocalStorageSettings

NetworkSettings

RendererSettings

ButtonRenderers

ImageRenderers

MessageRenderers

TextRenderers

TockOptions

TockAccessibility

InputAccessibility

TockLocalStorage

CarouselAccessibility

QRCarouselAccessibility

Accessibility

Local storage history

Post-initialization behaviours

After Init callback

Opening message

Extra headers

Custom widgets

SSE

About

Topics

Resources

License

Stars

Watchers

Forks

Releases 6

Packages 0

Contributors 16

Languages

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

`useTock()`

`TockTheme`

`Palette`

`BackgroundPalette`

`TextPalette`

`Sizing`

`Shape`

`Typography`

`Overrides`

`TockThemeButtonStyle`

`TockThemeCardStyle`

`TockThemeInputStyle`

`TockSettings`

`LocalStorageSettings`

`NetworkSettings`

`RendererSettings`

`ButtonRenderers`

`ImageRenderers`

`MessageRenderers`

`TextRenderers`

`TockOptions`

`TockAccessibility`

`InputAccessibility`

`TockLocalStorage`

`CarouselAccessibility`

`QRCarouselAccessibility`

Packages