Chatbot Smart Widget BFF (Node)

This is a Node.js backend service library to create a BFF service for the Chatbot Smart Widget. The widget provides a chat interface.

There is a demo service, see below for instructions on running it.

How to use

Installing

Copy the .npmrc file from this repo to your application's folder.

Then install (you will need to be on the digipolis network):

> npm install --save @acpaas-ui-widgets/nodejs-chatbot

Using

Express example:

const express = require('express');
const chatbotService = require('@acpaas-ui-widgets/nodejs-chatbot-service');

const app = express();

const controller = chatbotService.chatbot.createController({
  accessToken: <ACCESS_TOKEN> (you can find this in the chatbot interface under 'Instellingen'),
  chatbot: <CHATBOT> the Id of the chatbot you want to address,
  chatbotenv: <CHATBOT_ENV> test | production,
  serviceUrl: <SERVICEURL> endpoint (api-store),
  responseHandler: (optional) true(default) | false. The package needs to handle the http response or call 'next()'
  apikey: <APIKEY> the apikey from the api-store
});

app.post('/api/chatbot', controller);
app.listen(3000);

Typescript example:

import * as express from 'express';
import chatbotService from '@acpaas-ui-widgets/nodejs-chatbot';

const app = express();

const controller = chatbotService.createController({
  accessToken: <ACCESS_TOKEN> (you can find this in the chatbot interface under 'Instellingen'),
  chatbot: <CHATBOT> the Id of the chatbot you want to address,
  chatbotenv: <CHATBOT_ENV> test | production,
  serviceUrl: <SERVICEURL> endpoint (api-store),
  apikey: <APIKEY> the apikey from the api-store
});

app.post('/api/chatbot', controller);
app.listen(3000);

Run the demo app

Create a .env file containing:

ACCESS_TOKEN=
CHATBOT=
CHATBOT_ENV=
PORT=(optional, defaults to 3000)
SERVICEURL=
TOKEN=
APIKEY=

Obtain the APIKEY by taking out a contract on the chatbot-api service on api-store.antwerpen.be. The ACCESS_TOKEN value can be obtained at the bottom of the settings screen ("API token") on chatbots.antwerpen.be.

(Add -o or -a extensions where needed to the host names to access the development or acceptance environments.)

Run the service:

> npm install
> npm start

Service Specification

POST: /chats/{botId}/message?access_token={access_token}
{
  "message": "Hello World",
  "session_id": "<your session id>",
  "type": "message",
  "send": "true",
  "metadata": {
    "firstname": "Example",
    "lastname:": "name",
    "..." : "..."
  }
}

• message: Your message to the bot,
• session_id: The chatsession
• type: message
• send: true
• metadata:: Metadata to be passed along, this has to be an object.

ResponseHandler

If the responseHandler is set to false the package will not send the http response. Instead it will call the next function and put the response on req.chatbotResponse. This feature can be used if you would like to modify / filter the message before it's sent to the client.

An example swagger description is included.

Contributing

We welcome your bug reports and pull requests.

Please see our contribution guide.

Support

Olivier Van den Mooter (olivier.vandenmooter@digipolis.be)

License

This project is published under the MIT license.