API Integration

Helper provides a comprehensive set of APIs that allow you to integrate chat capabilities directly into your applications without requiring the use of the widget. This enables you to create custom chat interfaces or automate interactions with Helper.

Integration Flow

When integrating Helper directly using the API, follow this general flow:

This API-first approach gives you complete control over the user experience while leveraging Helper's powerful AI capabilities.

Key Benefits

• Custom UI: Build your own chat interface to match your application's look and feel
• Headless Implementation: Use Helper as a backend service without any UI components
• Programmatic Control: Automate interactions for specific use cases
• Deep Integration: Embed Helper's capabilities directly within your product workflow

API Endpoints

Authentication

Helper uses a two-step authentication process:

1. Session Creation (HMAC Authentication):

   • The initial session creation requires HMAC authentication
   • This involves creating an HMAC hash using your secret and the user's email
   • Passing this hash along with other required parameters
   • You'll receive a session token in response

2. Subsequent Requests (Token Authentication):

   • For creating conversations and sending messages, you use the session token
   • Include the token in the request header
   • No HMAC signature is required for these subsequent operations

This approach provides secure authentication while simplifying the ongoing API usage.

API Versioning

The current version of the API is v1. All API endpoints are prefixed with /api.

https://helper.ai/api/...

We maintain backward compatibility for all non-beta API endpoints. When we introduce breaking changes, we will provide a new API version.

OpenAPI Specification

We provide an OpenAPI specification file that describes our API in a standardized format. This specification can be used with tools like Swagger UI, Postman, or other API clients to explore and test the API.

The OpenAPI specification is available at:

https://docs.helper.ai/openapi.json

You can use this specification to:

• Generate client libraries in various programming languages
• Set up automated testing for your integrations
• Document your Helper API implementation
• Explore the API using interactive tools