Build a Floating AI Chat Widget with HTML, Tailwind & Vanilla JS (Intercom-Style)
In this walkthrough, we build a clean, modern AI chat widget from scratch — the kind you see on SaaS landing pages from Intercom, Crisp, and Drift. Everything is plain HTML, Tailwind CSS, and vanilla JavaScript. No React. No build step. Just drop it on any page.
By the end of this video, you'll have:
✅ A floating gradient chat bubble with a subtle pulse ring
✅ Smooth pop-in / pop-out panel animation
✅ Branded gradient header with online status
✅ Quick-reply suggestion chips
✅ Animated typing dots while the assistant "responds"
✅ Auto-resizing composer + paperclip attach button
✅ Unread red dot when a reply lands while the panel is closed
✅ Esc to close, click bubble to toggle
🛠️ Stack
• HTML
• Tailwind CSS (CDN, with custom keyframes for animations)
• Vanilla JavaScript
📂 Chapters
00:00 Set up document head — Defines HTML head elements and Tailwind CSS configuration.
01:38 Build chat widget structure — Lays out the chat panel and bubble with semantic HTML.
02:27 Design panel header — Creates a gradient header with an assistant avatar and status.
03:24 Add conversation area — Sets up an area for chat bubbles and suggestion chips.
04:48 Implement chat composer — Includes a textarea for user input and a send button.
05:17 Create chat bubble button — Designs an interactive button to open or close the chat panel.
06:23 Load chat widget script — Ensures the JavaScript is loaded after the HTML is in place.
06:36 Initialize the widget — Sets up the IIFE to encapsulate the widget logic.
06:46 Cache DOM references — Stores references to all interactive elements for reuse.
07:27 Define widget state — Sets initial state including a greeting message.
07:49 Implement open/close logic — Handles animations and icon swaps for panel visibility.
08:54 Render chat messages — Updates the UI based on the current conversation state.
10:40 Control textarea behavior — Auto-resizes input and toggles send button state.
11:02 Send a message — Adds user input to the state and simulates an assistant reply.
11:45 Craft mock replies — Provides placeholder responses based on input keywords.
12:30 Connect event handlers — Links UI events to corresponding JavaScript functions.
13:33 First paint logic — Conducts initial rendering and sets correct textarea size.
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