Widget
A widget is an embeddable mini-module on a website that delivers a self-contained function — a live-chat button, a newsletter signup, a review banner. It loads via a single code snippet and works independently of the rest of your site.
What is a widget?
A widget is a self-contained functional building block that you embed into your website via a small code snippet (usually 1–3 lines of JavaScript). The widget handles its own rendering, logic, and data transport — you don't have to build your own components.
The term comes from software development (small UI building blocks) and today refers most often to external, embeddable functions on the web: live chat, cookie banners, newsletter forms, review carousels, booking calendars.
Common widget types at SendSeven
| Widget | Function | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat widget | Chat bubble bottom-right; incoming messages land in the unified inbox | Service, sales assist |
| Newsletter widget | Signup form for WhatsApp/email lists with double opt-in | Marketing pages, blog |
| Click-to-chat widget | Direct jump into WhatsApp/Telegram/Messenger | Product pages, contact pages |
Mobile-specific behavior
On mobile, a well-built widget behaves differently than on desktop. The SendSeven live-chat widget has two mobile-specific toggles:
- Fullscreen on Mobile (default on) — tapping the bubble opens chat as a full-viewport panel, not a tiny overlay. Uses
100dvhso the iOS keyboard doesn't clip the input field. - Pop-out to New Tab (default off) — adds an icon that lets visitors open chat in a dedicated tab. Both tabs stay in sync, the visitor can keep browsing on the main site without losing the conversation.
How a widget works technically
- Embed the snippet: One line of JavaScript in your site footer. Loads asynchronously, doesn't block rendering.
- Load configuration: The widget fetches its settings (colors, position, translations) from your SendSeven account on first load.
- Render UI: Inside an isolated container (often a Shadow DOM) so there are no CSS conflicts with your site.
- Handle interaction: Click the bubble → chat opens → messages are exchanged via the REST API.
- Persistence: A cookie/localStorage session keeps the visitor's conversation alive across page reloads.
Widget vs. iframe
An iframe is an embedded webpage — full sandbox, hard to integrate responsively. A widget is a native part of your page, feels more seamless, integrates stylistically, and performs better.
Privacy and widgets
- Consent: The widget may only load after the visitor has consented to marketing — otherwise it's a privacy violation.
- Cookie-free usable: Pure functional widgets (live chat) can operate without tracking cookies — only session storage for active conversations.
- EU hosting: Make sure the widget CDN and backend are in the EU. SendSeven widgets are served from Frankfurt.
Customization
SendSeven widgets can be customized in the widget editor: colors (Onyx + Photon Lime out of the box), position, greeting text, avatar, business hours, language (all 11 locales). The rendered snippet pulls this configuration live from the backend — changes are active without a new deploy.