To successfully build and start the HelixML Chat Widget project, follow these steps. This guide assumes familiarity with TypeScript and HTML.

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (version compatible with your project requirements)
• npm (or yarn)

Cloning the Repository

Start by cloning the HelixML chat-widget repository:

git clone https://github.com/helixml/chat-widget.git
cd chat-widget

Installing Dependencies

Next, navigate to the project directory and install necessary dependencies:

npm install

If you prefer using yarn:

yarn install

This command will read the package.json file and install all required packages listed under dependencies.

Building the Project

Once the dependencies are installed, you can build the project. The build process will compile TypeScript code into JavaScript. Use the following command:

npm run build

Alternatively, if you are using yarn:

yarn build

This command will invoke the build script defined in the package.json, which typically uses a tool like TypeScript Compiler (tsc).

Running the Application

After a successful build, you can run the application. To start the development server, use:

npm start

If using yarn:

yarn start

This command should start the development environment, allowing you to see the chat widget in action, typically served on http://localhost:3000 or a specified port in your configuration.

Configuration

Before running the application, ensure any necessary configurations are set. This typically involves modifying a configuration file such as .env or any specific settings in config.js. For example:

const config = {
    chatApiUrl: 'https://api.helixml.com/chat',
    theme: 'default'
};

Ensure the chatApiUrl points to the correct backend service.

Building for Production

For a production build, you may need to specify an environment flag.

npm run build -- --prod

For yarn:

yarn build --prod

This production build will typically minimize assets and optimize performance.

Testing

To ensure that your application works correctly, run the tests included in the repository:

npm test

Or with yarn:

yarn test

These commands will execute the predefined test suite to confirm the application’s functionality.

Conclusion

Following these steps, you should be able to successfully build and start the HelixML Chat Widget project. Make sure to check the specific requirements outlined in the project’s repository for any additional setup that may be necessary.

Source:

• Refer to the official documentation for the HelixML Chat Widget for more detailed configurations and advanced usage.