CLI command to chat with an assistant using rasa webchat

[tmbo]

Proposed changes:

• add a new CLI command rasa chat to run the assistant using SocketIO and open webchat
• added HTML page to host the webchat, keeping everything on localhost

Example interaction:

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1098412/122185610-83178780-ce8d-11eb-9755-8e99cb922705.mov

If we want to add this, we'd need to update the documentation and I'd suggest recommending using the webchat rather than rasa shell.

The HTML surrounding the webchat currently is very basic. We'd at least need some background/design for it. (random idea in the future @TyDunn we could use the background to feature conferences or community events - just a random thought though). We could also use the space to show more state information about the conversation, e.g. grabbing the sidepanel we use in Rasa X:

[tmbo]

I can add necessary tests / documentation, but we should discuss first if this is the path we want to take.

[TyDunn]

@tmbo This super cool! Sorry for the delay on this one. It slipped through the cracks. Do you think we should continue to support rasa shell as well? If so, why?

[tmbo]

I don't think we should; do you think there is a use case that is specific to a cli-only interaction?

[TyDunn]

Hmm. Not really. What about users running Rasa Open Source on headless servers? For example, we are using a GCP VMs for user tests today and won't have access to a browser, so we'll use rasa shell (and would not be able to use rasa chat if it were available)

[amn41]

rasa shell --debug is pretty helpful

[tmbo]

you'll get the same information though talking through the webchat. the downside would be that it isn't "interleaved" with your interaction in the same way. (something we can fix though with better log messages)

[tmbo]

For example, we are using a GCP VMs for user tests today and won't have access to a browser, so we'll use rasa shell (and would not be able to use rasa chat if it were available)

@TyDunn that is a good point and something you can't get around without some tooling to expose the interface (e.g. ngrok OR rasa --share 😉 ).

I think this is a discussion we should also have with the community as there might be other hidden use cases for rasa shell.

[TyDunn]

I think this is a discussion we should also have with the community as there might be other hidden use cases for rasa shell.

Yeah, I was talking to a hero last week, and he said that he heavily uses the debug flag with rasa shell. It's how he resolves issues. For example, he will use it if he wants to check if the event tracker storing things matches their stories and things like that. He uses rasa shell often, although he is moving more towards using automated tests. He mentioned it would be nice if could get the debug information out of rasa tests because then he wouldn't necessarily need to use rasa shell so much

[tmbo]

@RasaHQ/enable-squad any plans to include this? otherwise I'd go ahead and close as it is going stale

[TyDunn]

I think we need to figure out a plan with rasa shell if we were to merge this. We don't have too many more urgent priorities right now, so I will close this

[tmbo]

@chandrikas not sure what to do with this one, I personally am using it but I am not sure what the status of the webchat UI is. I am checking in with the rest of the product team first