Chatwoot

Chatwoot is an open-source, self-hosted customer communication platform that centralizes customer communication. It functions as an omnichannel support desk, allowing businesses to manage interactions from a single inbox. The software is deployed as a server-side web application and can be hosted via Docker, Heroku, or DigitalOcean Kubernetes.

The platform integrates multiple communication channels including live chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and SMS. It provides tools for both agent-led support and automated customer self-service through a built-in help center portal. Users can deploy the chat widget on their own websites to capture incoming queries and collect user information via pre-chat forms.

Key features

• Omnichannel inbox for live chat, email, and social media platforms
• AI agent for automating responses and handling common queries
• Built-in help center portal for publishing FAQs and guides
• Private notes and @mentions for internal team collaboration
• Canned responses and keyboard shortcuts for faster replying
• Contact management with custom attributes and interaction history
• Auto-assignment and agent capacity management for workload balancing
• Integrations with Slack, Shopify, Dialogflow, and Linear
• CSAT reports and operational visibility for agent performance

Built with Ruby on Rails and Vue.js, the architecture supports scaling for teams through the use of teams, automation tools, and custom views. It includes a translation system managed via Crowdin to support multi-lingual customer service. The system allows for the embedding of internal tools through dashboard apps and offers real-time message translation via Google Translate. For organizational purposes, the platform uses labels to categorize conversations and provides a command bar for quick navigation across the interface.

Chatwoot serves as a data-sovereign solution for businesses that require full control over their customer communication data and interaction history.