README

Embedded chat widget for CodeIgniter 4

Quick Start

1. Install with Composer: > composer require tatter/chat
2. Update the database: > php spark migrate --all
3. Publish asset files: > php spark publish
4. Add Chat JS to your layout: <script><?= view('Tatter\Chat\Views\javascript') ?></script>
5. Add a chat to any view: <?= chat('my-first-chat') ?>

Features

Chat allows developers to add a lightweight Bootstrap-style chat client to any page.

Installation

Install easily via Composer to take advantage of CodeIgniter 4's autoloading capabilities and always be up-to-date:

> composer require tatter/chat

Or, install manually by downloading the source files and adding the directory to app/Config/Autoload.php.

Once the files are downloaded and included in the autoload, run any library migrations to ensure the database is setup correctly:

> php spark migrate --all

Assets

Chat has JavaScript code as well as asset dependencies that need to be included with any view that has a conversation on it. Assets are managed by the Tatter\Assets library; you can publish all files with CodeIgniter's Publisher: spark publish. Be sure to configure the Assets filter and apply it to routes (see docs).

Authentication

Chat uses Tatter\Users to determine participants username and display name. You must be sure to include a package that provides codeigniter4/authentication-implementation (like Shield) or make your own (see Authentication for framework requirements).

Usage

The easiest way to start a chat is with the helper. Load the helper file (helper('chat')) and then use the chat($uid, $title) command wherever you would use a partial view:

<div id="main">
	<h3>Yellow Widgets</h3>
	<p>Main product info here!</p>
	
	<aside>
		<?= chat('product-7', 'Live Chat') ?>
	</aside>
...

The parameters to chat() are optional, and excluding them will load a one-time chat with a random UID (e.g. for a one-time site visitor).

Extending

Conversations are stored and loaded from the database with the ConversationModel, and most of the logic is handled by the Entities. For example, a Conversation entity can $conversation->addUser($userId) to join or refresh a user and get back a Participant. A Participant can $participant->say('hello world') to add a Message.