# Help Widget (Notchset): prompt.md (v1.0.0)

- id: `help-widget` · version 1.0.0 · block · pro (Pro)
- category: Application UI
- build: Base UI (one set of files; its dependencies follow the build)
- install (this build): `npx shadcn@latest add @beautiful-ui-pro/help-widget`
- npm dependencies: class-variance-authority@^0.7
- registry dependencies: utils, https://beautiful-ui.dev/r/notchset-foundation.json
- docs: https://beautiful-ui.dev/components/help-widget
- The install command carries everything this item needs (files, CSS, tokens, npm and registry dependencies). Prefer it to copying source by hand.

An in-app help launcher: a 56px square that opens a panel from its corner, with HOME (greeting, live search, articles for this page, message support, system status), ARTICLE (lead, numbered steps, did this answer it, ask a person) and CHAT (a context chip, messages, typing), views that slide in the direction of travel, Esc and Back stepping out, an unread badge when a reply lands while closed, and a handle your app uses to open it to an article or a chat.

## Build it
- Stack: React 19 (`ref` is a plain prop), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS v4 utilities, a shadcn-initialised project with the `@/*` alias.
- Packages: `class-variance-authority@^0.7`.
- Files: `components/ui/notchset/blocks/help-widget.tsx`; shared code: `lib/beautiful-ui/notchset/instrument.tsx`, `lib/beautiful-ui/notchset/root.ts`, `lib/beautiful-ui/notchset/button-variants.ts`, `lib/beautiful-ui/notchset/field-classes.ts`.
- Registry dependencies, installed with it automatically: shadcn `utils` (cn), `notchset-foundation`.
- Builds: one set of files for both, but its dependencies come in Base UI and Radix builds. Install the one that matches the project (see Install): a free item's bare URL installs the Base UI build of it and its dependencies.
- Exports to keep: `HelpWidget`, and every exported type.
- CSS: the install adds the notchset foundation (tokens, keyframes, motion levels) to your global stylesheet once. Nothing to import by hand.
- Re-running `add` (or `--overwrite`) re-applies those rules: put overrides in your own CSS, never in the installed rules.
- Tokens: retheme with the `--notchset-*` custom properties (`--notchset-check`, `--notchset-control-edge`, `--notchset-draw-from`, `--notchset-ease-bloom`, `--notchset-ease-glide`, `--notchset-ease-key-down`, `--notchset-ease-key-up`, `--notchset-ease-travel`, `--notchset-fade`, `--notchset-focus-color`, `--notchset-focus-inset`, `--notchset-grow-to`, `--notchset-key-down`, `--notchset-key-up`, `--notchset-life-from`, `--notchset-life-ms`, `--notchset-node-blink`, `--notchset-node-bloom`, `--notchset-node-delay`, `--notchset-plate-color`, `--notchset-rise-from`, `--notchset-rule`, `--notchset-scan-to`, `--notchset-scroll`, `--notchset-signal`, `--notchset-sweep-to`, `--notchset-travel`). Never add Tailwind colour classes inside the component.

```tsx
import { HelpWidget, type HelpArticle, type HelpWidgetHandle } from "@/components/ui/notchset/blocks/help-widget";
```

## Parts

| Part | data-slot | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| `HelpWidget` | `help-widget` | The launcher and the HOME / ARTICLE / CHAT panel. |

Style a part with `[data-slot="<slot>"]` selectors or its `className`; keep the attributes when editing.

## Sound
- Keep every `data-slot` and `data-sound` attribute: the sound layer reads them.
- Installing this item adds no audio. Nothing plays until the app mounts `SoundProvider` once (install: `npx shadcn@latest add https://beautiful-ui.dev/r/notchset-sound.json`, import from `@/components/ui/notchset/sound-provider`); `useSound()` gives `muted` and `setMuted` for a mute control. Without a provider the audio engine never loads.

## Match the original
- Read `components/ui/notchset/blocks/help-widget.tsx` as the reference implementation before changing or recreating anything, and match it: sizes, colours per theme, motion timings, copy and behaviour.
- If you deviate (a prop you can't honour, a style you changed, a dependency you swapped), say so in your reply, part by part.
- Keep the accessibility contract, the keyboard map and the motion levels listed below.

## Use it when
- help widget, support launcher, intercom, chat bubble, in-app help, knowledge base, contextual help, Notchset
- Contextual help inside a product, with a person behind it
- Opening the right article from the place a user is stuck

### Not when
- A full help centre: use Help Search
- An agent's view of the ticket: use Support Console

## Mistakes
- Render it once per page, near the root
- Use position absolute only inside a positioned preview; apps want fixed

## Usage

```tsx
import * as React from "react";
import { HelpWidget, type HelpArticle, type HelpWidgetHandle } from "@/components/ui/notchset/blocks/help-widget";

export function Help({ articles }: { articles: HelpArticle[] }) {
  const help = React.useRef<HelpWidgetHandle>(null);
  return (
    <HelpWidget
      handle={help}
      greeting="Hi. What do you need?"
      articles={articles}
      agent={{ name: "Ava", initials: "AM", replies: "REPLIES IN ABOUT 5 MIN" }}
      onAsk={async (text: string, context: string | null) => {
        const res = await fetch("/api/support/messages", { method: "POST", body: JSON.stringify({ text, context }) });
        return ((await res.json()) as { reply: string }).reply;
      }}
    />
  );
}
```

## Props

| Prop | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| `articles` | `{ id, title, category, minutes, forPage?, lead, steps }[]` |  | forPage marks the ones listed on HOME before searching. |
| `agent / greeting / status` | `{ name, initials, replies } / string / { label, ok }` |  | Who answers, the HOME greeting and the system status line. |
| `onAsk` | `(text, context) => Promise<string>` |  | Send a message; resolve with the reply. |
| `position / handle` | `'fixed' \| 'absolute' / Ref<{ open, openArticle, openChat }>` |  | Pinned to the viewport or a positioned parent; open it from your UI. |

Full docs: https://beautiful-ui.dev/components/help-widget

## Customising
- Colours: the component reads your shadcn tokens (`--background`, `--foreground`, `--border` …), refined by the `--notchset-*` tokens. The signal colour is `--notchset-signal` (it falls back to `--destructive`). Set tokens on `:root`, or on any container to retheme one area.
- Dark mode follows the `.dark` class on an ancestor (the shadcn and next-themes convention).
- Update later by re-running the install with `--overwrite` (review the diff if you edited it). Changelog: https://beautiful-ui.dev/r/changelog.json

## Keyboard

| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Esc | Back, then close |
| Enter | Send a message |

## Performance

- Plain DOM; nothing runs while idle.

## Responsive

- The panel is 360×520 and never wider than the screen minus 40px.

## Motion inventory

| Interaction | What moves |
|---|---|
| Open | The panel unrolls from the launcher's corner (460ms); the launcher shrinks away |
| Close | Rolls back up (280ms) |
| Views | Slide in the direction of travel |
| Reply while closed | A badge pops on the launcher |

## Accessibility contract (preserve when editing)
- The panel is a labelled dialog; Esc steps back then closes, and focus returns to the launcher
- The launcher names its unread replies; the chat is a polite log with a labelled typing indicator
- Search filters live and reports the result count

## Install

```bash
npx shadcn@latest add @beautiful-ui-pro/help-widget
```

Pro item: needs the `@beautiful-ui-pro` registry in `components.json` and `BEAUTIFUL_UI_TOKEN` in `.env.local` (https://beautiful-ui.dev/account). Setup: https://beautiful-ui.dev/docs/pro. Your components.json `style` picks the build: radix-*, new-york and default get Radix, base-* gets Base UI.

## Credits
- Built on shadcn/ui (https://ui.shadcn.com)

The notchset foundation (the tokens listed above, keyframes and motion levels) installs once with the first component; its CSS is public at https://beautiful-ui.dev/r/notchset-foundation.json.