Getting Started with the KendoReact Conversational UI

This guide provides essential information about using the KendoReact Conversational UI package and Chat component—you will learn how to install the Conversational UI package, add a Chat component to your project, style the component, and activate your license.

After completing this guide, you will be able to reproduce the following example.

Setting Up Your React Project

Before you install the KendoReact Conversational UI, make sure that you have a running React project. The easiest way to set up a React project is to use the Create React App approach that is described in the Get Started with KendoReact article.

Installing the Conversational UI Package

All KendoReact packages are distributed through npm and offer a similar installation experience. To use the Chat component, start with the installation of the Conversational UI npm package and its dependencies. Use Node.js v5.0.0 or later.

Copy Codenpm install --save @progress/kendo-react-conversational-ui @progress/kendo-react-buttons @progress/kendo-react-intl @progress/kendo-svg-icons @progress/kendo-licensing

Importing the Component

After installing the package, import the Chat component in the React App. To enable the sending of messages, also import the Message entity and the ChatMessageSendEvent.

In the src/App.js file of your React project, import the Chat component from the Conversational UI package.

Copy Code// ES2015 module syntax
import { Chat } from "@progress/kendo-react-conversational-ui";

Copy Code// CommonJS format
const { Chat } = require('@progress/kendo-react-conversational-ui');

Using the Component

1. Add the required Chat entities: a user, bot, and initialMessages.

Copy Codeconst user = {
  id: 1,
  avatarUrl: "https://demos.telerik.com/kendo-ui/content/web/Customers/RICSU.jpg",
  avatarAltText: "KendoReact Conversational UI RICSU"
};

const bot = { id: 0 };

const initialMessages = [
  {
    author: bot,
    timestamp: new Date(),
    text: "Hello, This is the KendoReact Chat component.",
  },
];

For more information about the available entities and binding them to data, see the Data Binding article.

1. Set the component messages and configure the updating of the messages collection in the state.

Copy Codeconst App = () => {
  const [messages, setMessages] = React.useState(initialMessages);

  const addNewMessage = (event) => {
    setMessages([...messages, event.message]);
  };
  ...

1. Add the component's markup to the src/App.js file in your project and set the user, messages, and the adding of messages. Optionally, configure a placeholder text and the width of the Chat component.

Copy Codereturn (
  <div>
    <Chat
      user={user}
      messages={messages}
      onMessageSend={addNewMessage}
      placeholder={"Type a message..."}
      width={400}
    />
  </div>
);

1. To style the Chat, install and import the Default theme, which is one of the three beautiful themes for KendoReact.

   2.1. Install the Default theme package.

   Copy Codenpm install --save @progress/kendo-theme-default

   2.2. Import the CSS file from the package in src/App.js. Add this import before your existing App.css import.

   Copy Codeimport '@progress/kendo-theme-default/dist/all.css';

2. Build and run the application by typing the following command in the root folder of your project:

   Copy Codenpm start

3. Navigate to http://localhost:3000 to see the KendoReact Chat component on the page.

Activating Your License Key

Using any of the UI components in the KendoReact library requires either a commercial license key or an active trial license key.

Follow the instructions on the KendoReact My License page to activate your trial or commercial license. You can skip this step if your application already contains a KendoReact license file.

Dependencies

The Conversational UI package requires you to install the following peer dependencies in your application:

Suggested Links

• Binding the Chat to data
• Using the Chat with Google DialogFlow
• Using the Chat with Microsoft Bot Framework
• Displaying suggested actions in the Chat
• Customizing messages by using Templates
• API Reference of the Chat

Learning Resources

• Getting Started with KendoReact
• Virtual Classroom (Introductory Course Available to Trial and Commercial License Holders)
• Explore the Finance Portfolio Sample Application
• Explore the Coffee Warehouse Sample Application
• Explore the Github Issues Grid Sample Application