Deploying Tiledesk

Introduction

Tiledesk is an open-source customer support platform that combines live chat, AI-powered chatbots, and multi-channel messaging. It enables businesses to engage customers across websites, mobile apps, and messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. With a visual chatbot builder and powerful automation features, Tiledesk helps teams deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Key features of Tiledesk include:

• Live Chat Widget: Embeddable chat for websites and mobile apps
• AI Chatbots: Build intelligent chatbots without coding
• Visual Bot Builder: Drag-and-drop conversation flow designer
• Multi-Channel: WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram integration
• Smart Routing: Assign conversations to the right agents
• Canned Responses: Quick replies for common questions
• Knowledge Base: Integrated help center and FAQs
• Analytics: Track support metrics and chatbot performance
• Ticketing: Convert chats to support tickets
• CRM Integration: Connect with existing customer systems
• Team Collaboration: Internal notes and chat transfers
• Open Source: Self-hosted for complete data control

This guide walks you through deploying Tiledesk on Klutch.sh, configuring the chat widget, and building your first chatbot.

Why Deploy Tiledesk on Klutch.sh

Deploying Tiledesk on Klutch.sh provides several advantages:

Always Available Support: Customer support requires 24/7 availability. Klutch.sh ensures your chat platform remains accessible.

Data Ownership: Self-hosting keeps customer conversations under your control.

Simplified Deployment: Klutch.sh handles container orchestration, letting you focus on customer engagement.

Scalable Resources: Adjust resources based on chat volume and agent count.

HTTPS by Default: Secure chat communications with automatic SSL certificates.

Prerequisites

Before deploying Tiledesk on Klutch.sh, ensure you have:

• A Klutch.sh account
• A GitHub account with a repository for your configuration
• MongoDB database (can be deployed on Klutch.sh)
• Basic familiarity with Docker and customer support concepts

Understanding Tiledesk Architecture

Tiledesk consists of several components:

Server (Backend): Node.js API handling conversations and business logic

Dashboard: Admin panel for managing agents and settings

Chat Widget: Embeddable JavaScript widget for websites

Chat21: Real-time messaging engine

MongoDB: Database for storing conversations and configuration

Preparing Your Repository

Create a GitHub repository with the following structure:

tiledesk-deploy/
├── Dockerfile
├── .dockerignore
└── .env.example

Creating the Dockerfile

FROM tiledesk/tiledesk-server:latest

# Environment configuration
ENV MONGODB_URI=${MONGODB_URI}
ENV EMAIL_BASEURL=${EMAIL_BASEURL}
ENV FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY=${FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY}
ENV FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL=${FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL}
ENV FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID=${FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID}

# Widget configuration
ENV WIDGET_LOCATION=${WIDGET_LOCATION}

# Email configuration
ENV EMAIL_HOST=${EMAIL_HOST}
ENV EMAIL_USERNAME=${EMAIL_USERNAME}
ENV EMAIL_PASSWORD=${EMAIL_PASSWORD}
ENV EMAIL_FROM_ADDRESS=${EMAIL_FROM_ADDRESS}

EXPOSE 3000

# The base image includes the default entrypoint

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Required	Default	Description
MONGODB_URI	Yes	-	MongoDB connection string
EMAIL_BASEURL	Yes	-	Your Tiledesk server URL
FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY	No	-	Firebase private key for push notifications
FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL	No	-	Firebase client email
FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID	No	-	Firebase project ID
EMAIL_HOST	No	-	SMTP server for notifications
EMAIL_USERNAME	No	-	SMTP username
EMAIL_PASSWORD	No	-	SMTP password
EMAIL_FROM_ADDRESS	No	-	Sender email address

Deploying on Klutch.sh

Set Up MongoDB

Tiledesk requires MongoDB. Deploy it as a separate app on Klutch.sh:

Mount Path	Size	Purpose
/data/db	20 GB	MongoDB data storage

Set Up Firebase (Optional)

For push notifications:

1. Create a Firebase project
2. Generate service account credentials
3. Note the project ID and private key

Push Your Repository to GitHub

Commit and push your Dockerfile and configuration.

Create a New Project on Klutch.sh

Navigate to the Klutch.sh dashboard and create a new project named “tiledesk” or “customer-support”.

Create the Tiledesk Server App

Within your project, create a new app and connect your GitHub repository.

Configure HTTP Traffic

Set the traffic type to HTTP with the internal port set to 3000.

Set Environment Variables

Configure the required variables:

Variable	Value
MONGODB_URI	mongodb://user:pass@host:27017/tiledesk
EMAIL_BASEURL	https://your-app-name.klutch.sh

Attach Persistent Volumes

Add persistent storage:

Mount Path	Size	Purpose
/app/uploads	10 GB	File attachments
/app/logs	2 GB	Application logs

Deploy Your Application

Click Deploy to build and launch Tiledesk.

Create Admin Account

Access the dashboard to create your first admin account.

Initial Configuration

Creating Your First Project

1. Log in to the Tiledesk dashboard
2. Click “Create Project”
3. Enter project name and details
4. Configure project settings

Adding Team Members

Invite support agents:

1. Navigate to Settings > Team
2. Click “Add Team Member”
3. Enter email address
4. Assign role (Admin, Agent, etc.)

Configuring the Chat Widget

Customize the widget appearance:

1. Go to Widget Settings
2. Configure colors and branding
3. Set welcome messages
4. Configure pre-chat form

Installing the Chat Widget

Website Integration

Add the widget to your website:

<script type="text/javascript">
    window.tiledeskSettings = {
        projectid: "YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
    };
    (function(d, s, id) {
        var w = window;
        var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
        if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
        js = d.createElement(s);
        js.id = id;
        js.src = "https://your-tiledesk-server/widget/launch.js";
        fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
    }(document, 'script', 'tiledesk-jssdk'));
</script>

React Integration

import { useEffect } from 'react';

function App() {
    useEffect(() => {
        window.tiledeskSettings = {
            projectid: "YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
        };

        const script = document.createElement('script');
        script.src = "https://your-tiledesk-server/widget/launch.js";
        script.async = true;
        document.body.appendChild(script);
    }, []);

    return <div>Your App</div>;
}

Building Chatbots

Using the Visual Bot Builder

Create chatbots without coding:

1. Navigate to Bots section
2. Click “Create Bot”
3. Use drag-and-drop blocks:
   • Message blocks
   • Question blocks
   • Action blocks
   • Intent recognition

Bot Block Types

Block Type	Purpose
Send Message	Display text to user
Ask Question	Collect user input
Go To	Navigate to another block
Set Attribute	Store user data
Web Request	Call external APIs
Transfer	Hand off to human agent

Intent Recognition

Configure AI-based intent matching:

1. Define intents with example phrases
2. Map intents to conversation flows
3. Train the bot with sample conversations
4. Test and refine accuracy

Multi-Channel Integration

WhatsApp Business

Connect WhatsApp:

1. Set up WhatsApp Business API
2. Configure webhook in Tiledesk
3. Link phone number to project
4. Test message routing

Facebook Messenger

Integrate Facebook:

1. Create Facebook App
2. Configure Messenger webhook
3. Link Facebook Page
4. Verify integration

Telegram

Add Telegram bot:

1. Create bot via BotFather
2. Get bot token
3. Configure in Tiledesk
4. Test messaging

Agent Features

Managing Conversations

Agents can:

• View assigned conversations
• Send replies and attachments
• Add internal notes
• Transfer to other agents
• Convert to tickets

Canned Responses

Create quick replies:

1. Go to Settings > Canned Responses
2. Add response with shortcut
3. Use in conversations with /shortcut

Working Hours

Configure availability:

1. Set business hours
2. Configure offline messages
3. Set up auto-responses

Production Best Practices

Security Recommendations

• Strong Passwords: Enforce strong passwords for all agents
• Role-Based Access: Use appropriate roles for team members
• Secure Widget: Configure allowed domains for widget embedding
• Data Retention: Configure conversation data retention policies

Performance Optimization

• MongoDB Indexes: Ensure proper database indexing
• Resource Allocation: Scale based on concurrent conversation count
• CDN for Widget: Consider CDN for widget assets
• Connection Pooling: Optimize MongoDB connections

Backup Strategy

Protect your customer data:

1. Regular MongoDB backups
2. Export conversation history
3. Back up bot configurations
4. Document integrations

Troubleshooting

Widget Not Loading

• Verify project ID in widget code
• Check for JavaScript errors
• Confirm server is accessible
• Test in incognito mode

Chatbot Not Responding

• Verify bot is active and assigned
• Check intent training
• Review conversation flow
• Test with debug mode

Messages Not Syncing

• Check MongoDB connectivity
• Verify real-time connections
• Review server logs
• Check network connectivity

Notification Issues

• Verify email configuration
• Check Firebase credentials
• Review notification settings
• Test with debug notifications

Additional Resources

• Tiledesk Documentation
• Tiledesk GitHub Organization
• Tiledesk Community
• Tiledesk Developer Portal
• Klutch.sh Persistent Volumes
• Klutch.sh Deployments

Conclusion

Deploying Tiledesk on Klutch.sh provides a comprehensive customer support platform with live chat, AI chatbots, and multi-channel capabilities. With self-hosting, you maintain complete control over customer conversations while delivering exceptional support experiences. The combination of Tiledesk’s feature-rich platform and Klutch.sh’s reliable infrastructure ensures your support team can engage customers effectively across all channels.