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feat(chat): add initialMessages option #6978

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9ce3f94
feat(chat): add `initialMessages` option
aymeric-giraudet Apr 15, 2026
fbd0832
fix: address PR feedback from Copilot
aymeric-giraudet Apr 15, 2026
dd4fb8c
chore: bump development bundle size limit
aymeric-giraudet Apr 15, 2026
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26 changes: 21 additions & 5 deletions packages/instantsearch.js/src/connectors/chat/connectChat.ts
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -169,6 +169,17 @@ export type ChatConnectorParams<TUiMessage extends UIMessage = UIMessage> = (
* When `resume` is enabled, this message is not sent.
*/
initialUserMessage?: string;
/**
* Messages to pre-populate the chat with when it is initialized.
*
* These messages are set without triggering an AI response. They are only
* applied when the chat has no existing messages yet. If messages were
* restored or otherwise already exist when the widget starts, these messages
* are not applied.
*
* When `resume` is enabled, these messages are not applied.
*/
initialMessages?: TUiMessage[];
};

export type ChatWidgetDescription<TUiMessage extends UIMessage = UIMessage> = {
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -271,6 +282,7 @@ export default (function connectChat<TWidgetParams extends UnknownWidgetParams>(
tools = {},
type = 'chat',
initialUserMessage,
initialMessages,
...options
} = widgetParams || {};

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -554,6 +566,14 @@ export default (function connectChat<TWidgetParams extends UnknownWidgetParams>(
};
}

const hasExistingMessages = _chatInstance.messages.length > 0;

// Set initialMessages before registering callbacks to avoid
// triggering re-renders during init
if (initialMessages && !resume && !hasExistingMessages) {
_chatInstance.messages = initialMessages;
}
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_chatInstance['~registerErrorCallback'](render);
_chatInstance['~registerMessagesCallback'](render);
_chatInstance['~registerStatusCallback'](render);
Expand All @@ -562,11 +582,7 @@ export default (function connectChat<TWidgetParams extends UnknownWidgetParams>(
_chatInstance.resumeStream();
}

if (
initialUserMessage &&
!resume &&
_chatInstance.messages.length === 0
) {
if (initialUserMessage && !resume && !hasExistingMessages) {
_chatInstance.sendMessage({ text: initialUserMessage });
}

Expand Down
122 changes: 122 additions & 0 deletions tests/common/connectors/chat/options.ts
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -94,6 +94,128 @@ export function createOptionsTests(
expect(sendMessageSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
});

test('sets initialMessages on init', async () => {
const chat = new Chat({});

const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
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instantSearchOptions: {
indexName: 'indexName',
searchClient: createSearchClient(),
},
widgetParams: {
chat,
agentId: 'agentId',
initialMessages: [
{
id: '1',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
} as any,
};

await setup(options);

await act(async () => {
await wait(0);
});

expect(chat.messages).toHaveLength(1);
expect(chat.messages[0]).toEqual(
expect.objectContaining({
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
})
);
});

test('does not set initialMessages when messages already exist', async () => {
const chat = new Chat({
messages: [
{
id: '1',
role: 'user',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Previous message' }],
},
],
});

const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
instantSearchOptions: {
indexName: 'indexName',
searchClient: createSearchClient(),
},
widgetParams: {
chat,
agentId: 'agentId',
initialMessages: [
{
id: '2',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
} as any,
};

await setup(options);

await act(async () => {
await wait(0);
});

expect(chat.messages).toHaveLength(1);
expect(chat.messages[0]).toEqual(
expect.objectContaining({
role: 'user',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Previous message' }],
})
);
});

test('applies initialMessages and sends initialUserMessage together', async () => {
sessionStorage.clear();
const chat = new Chat({});
const sendMessageSpy = jest
.spyOn(chat, 'sendMessage')
.mockResolvedValue(undefined);

const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
instantSearchOptions: {
indexName: 'indexName',
searchClient: createSearchClient(),
},
widgetParams: {
chat,
agentId: 'agentId',
initialMessages: [
{
id: '1',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
} as any,
};

await setup(options);

await act(async () => {
await wait(0);
});

expect(chat.messages).toHaveLength(1);
expect(chat.messages[0]).toEqual(
expect.objectContaining({
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
})
);
expect(sendMessageSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'Hello, AI!' });
});

test('provides `input` state to persist text input', async () => {
const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
instantSearchOptions: {
Expand Down
105 changes: 105 additions & 0 deletions tests/common/widgets/chat/options.tsx
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -118,6 +118,111 @@ export function createOptionsTests(
expect(sendMessageSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
});

test('sets initialMessages on init', async () => {
sessionStorage.clear();
const searchClient = createSearchClient();

const chat = new Chat({});

await setup({
instantSearchOptions: {
indexName: 'indexName',
searchClient,
},
widgetParams: {
javascript: {
...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
initialMessages: [
{
id: '1',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
},
react: {
...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
initialMessages: [
{
id: '1',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
},
vue: {},
},
});

await act(async () => {
await wait(0);
});

expect(chat.messages).toHaveLength(1);
expect(chat.messages[0]).toEqual(
expect.objectContaining({
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
})
);
});

test('does not set initialMessages when messages already exist', async () => {
const searchClient = createSearchClient();

const chat = new Chat({
messages: [
{
id: '1',
role: 'user',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Previous message' }],
},
],
});

await setup({
instantSearchOptions: {
indexName: 'indexName',
searchClient,
},
widgetParams: {
javascript: {
...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
initialMessages: [
{
id: '2',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
},
react: {
...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
initialMessages: [
{
id: '2',
role: 'assistant',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Welcome! How can I help?' }],
},
],
},
vue: {},
},
});

await act(async () => {
await wait(0);
});

expect(chat.messages).toHaveLength(1);
expect(chat.messages[0]).toEqual(
expect.objectContaining({
role: 'user',
parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Previous message' }],
})
);
});

test('sends messages when prompt is submitted', async () => {
const searchClient = createSearchClient();

Expand Down
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