Live Helper Chat

Live Helper Chat (LHC) is an open‑source, PHP‑based live‑support platform that scales from small sites to enterprise deployments handling 10 000+ chats per day. Built on a classic LAMP stack, it exposes a REST API, webhooks, and a plugin architecture that allows developers to extend or replace core features without touching the kernel. The project is actively maintained on GitHub, with a robust community forum and Discord channel for rapid support.

Technical Stack

• Language & Framework: PHP 8.2+ (no framework core, but a modular architecture inspired by Laravel conventions).
• Database: MySQL/MariaDB for core data; optional ElasticSearch for full‑text search.
• Caching & Queue: Redis or Memcached; optional Node.js for real‑time features (WebSocket server).
• Front‑end: Vanilla JS with optional React/Vue components for widgets; themes are plain HTML/CSS.
• Mobile: Flutter SDK (lhc_messenger) for iOS/Android clients.
• Voice/Video: Integrations with Agora (paid) or Jitsi (free), both accessed via WebRTC APIs.

The codebase follows a service‑provider pattern: core services (chat engine, operator management, bot integration) are registered in a central container, making it straightforward to override or extend functionality.

Core Capabilities & APIs

• Real‑time chat engine: WebSocket (Node.js) or long‑polling fallback; supports operator queues, chat transfers, and file uploads.
• REST API (https://api.livehelperchat.com): CRUD for chats, operators, departments; webhook support for event notifications.
• Bot framework: Built‑in bot engine with pluggable AI backends (ChatGPT, Rasa, Gemini, etc.).
• Extensibility: PHP plugin system (drop a .php file into plugins/), JSON‑based theme overrides, and a public API for custom widgets.
• Security: Role‑based access control (operators, managers, admins), TLS support, GDPR‑compliant data handling.

Deployment & Infrastructure

• Self‑hosting: Requires PHP 8.2+, MySQL, and optional Redis/Node.js for real‑time features. Docker images are available (see GitHub Actions CI) and can be orchestrated via Docker‑Compose or Kubernetes.
• Scalability: Horizontal scaling is achieved by sharing the MySQL database and Redis instance; chat workers can be replicated across nodes.
• High‑availability: The Node.js WebSocket server is stateless; session data lives in Redis, enabling load‑balanced frontends.
• Monitoring: Built‑in metrics (Prometheus exporter) and optional ElasticSearch for log aggregation.

Integration & Extensibility

• Webhooks: Enable in settings.ini (webhook_enabled = 1) to push events (chat started, message sent) to external services.
• Third‑party APIs: REST endpoints let you pull or push chat data; SDKs for PHP, JavaScript, and Python are available in the community repo.
• Plugins: Example plugins include a Mattermost connector, custom AI bot adapters, and payment gateway hooks.
• Custom Widgets: Developers can embed the chat widget on any page; configuration is JSON‑based and supports multiple languages.

Developer Experience

• Documentation: Comprehensive docs on the official site, with API reference and integration guides.
• Community Support: Active GitHub discussions, Discord channel, and a dedicated forum for troubleshooting.
• Modular Code: Clear separation of concerns makes it easy to locate and modify specific features.
• Testing: PHPUnit test suite covers core modules; CI pipelines run tests on every pull request.

Use Cases

• Enterprise Customer Support: High‑volume ticketing with operator queues, analytics, and GDPR compliance.
• E‑commerce Platforms: Inline chat widget that integrates with product catalogs and order data.
• Education & Healthcare: Secure, self‑hosted chat for patient or student portals where data privacy is critical.
• AI‑Powered Assistance: Plug in ChatGPT or Rasa to provide instant answers before a live operator joins.

Advantages Over Alternatives

Developers looking for a customizable, self‑hosted live‑support solution will find LHC a compelling choice: it balances modern features (AI, video, mobile) with the flexibility and control that only an open‑source stack can provide.