Starter app to build with OpenAI ChatKit + Agent Builder.

This repository offers a streamlined starter application designed for developers to rapidly integrate OpenAI's ChatKit, a powerful web component for building conversational AI interfaces, into their projects. It targets engineers and product teams looking to quickly prototype or deploy AI-powered chat experiences, providing a minimal Next.js UI, the ChatKit web component, and a ready-to-use session endpoint for experimenting with OpenAI-hosted workflows orchestrated via Agent Builder. The primary benefit is accelerated development and reduced boilerplate for AI chat integrations.

How It Works

The core architecture consists of a Next.js frontend that embeds the <openai-chatkit> web component, offering built-in theming capabilities. A crucial backend element is the provided API endpoint (app/api/create-session/route.ts), which facilitates the creation of user sessions with OpenAI's backend services. This design abstracts away much of the complexity associated with managing chat state and OpenAI API interactions, allowing developers to focus on customizing the user experience, defining conversational flows through Agent Builder, and integrating the chat component within their existing product architecture.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Primary Install: npm install
• Prerequisites: Node.js and npm are required. An OpenAI API key is essential for authentication.
• Configuration: Users must create a .env.local file by copying .env.example and populate it with their OPENAI_API_KEY. The NEXT_PUBLIC_CHATKIT_WORKFLOW_ID (pointing to an Agent Builder workflow) and CHATKIT_API_BASE are optional but recommended for specific setups.
• Run: Execute npm run dev to start the development server, accessible at http://localhost:3000.
• Documentation: Links to the ChatKit JavaScript Library and [Advanced Self-Hosting Examples](link not provided in README) are referenced.

Highlighted Details

• Features a functional Next.js UI with integrated theming controls for the ChatKit web component, allowing for UI customization.
• Includes a pre-built API endpoint for session creation, simplifying the connection to OpenAI's backend.
• Provides easily modifiable starter prompts, placeholder text, and greeting messages located in lib/config.ts.

Maintenance & Community

The provided README does not contain specific information regarding maintainers, community support channels (e.g., Discord, Slack), or a public roadmap.

Licensing & Compatibility

The license under which this starter application is distributed is not explicitly stated in the README. Consequently, details regarding compatibility for commercial use or integration within closed-source projects are not available.

Limitations & Caveats

As a starter template, this repository is intended for rapid prototyping and experimentation. It may require substantial modifications and further development to meet the demands of a production environment. Specific limitations of the ChatKit component or advanced self-hosting scenarios are not detailed within this README.