WIP 🚀 feat: Add Custom Welcome Message Support in LibreChat

[rubentalstra]

Summary

This update introduces support for a customizable welcome message, allowing users to configure a greeting via the .env file. This enhancement improves branding and user experience.

Closes: #2967
Docs: LibreChat-AI/librechat.ai#236

Changes Made

• Environment Variable Update:
  • Added CUSTOM_WELCOME_MESSAGE in .env.example.
• Backend Update:
  • Updated api/server/routes/config.js to read CUSTOM_WELCOME_MESSAGE from the environment variables and include it in the startup config payload.
• Frontend Update:
  • Refactored client/src/components/Chat/Landing.tsx to use the new CUSTOM_WELCOME_MESSAGE from the startup config.
  • Improved logic for computing assistant/agent welcome messages.
  • Minor code optimizations in Landing.tsx for better readability.
• Type Update:
  • Updated TStartupConfig in packages/data-provider/src/config.ts to include customWelcomeMessage.

Motivation and Context

This change allows platform administrators to define a customized greeting that appears when users access the chat interface. The goal is to improve engagement and provide a tailored experience.

Dependencies

• No new dependencies introduced.

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Change Type

• New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
• This change requires a documentation update

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Testing

Test Process

1. Backend:

   • Start the server with a .env file including CUSTOM_WELCOME_MESSAGE="Welcome to LibreChat!".
   • Send a request to /api/startup-config and verify that customWelcomeMessage is included in the response.

2. Frontend:

   • Load the chat interface and confirm that the welcome message displays correctly.
   • Test scenarios where CUSTOM_WELCOME_MESSAGE is missing or empty to ensure fallback messages still work.
   • Check assistant and agent welcome messages to verify no regressions.

Test Configuration

• Local testing in Chrome & Safari

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Checklist

• My code adheres to this project's style guidelines.
• I have performed a self-review of my own code.
• I have commented in any complex areas of my code.
• My changes do not introduce new warnings.
• I have written tests demonstrating that my changes are effective.
• Local unit tests pass with my changes.
• Any dependent changes have been merged and published in downstream modules.
• A pull request for updating the documentation has been submitted.

[danny-avila]

Thanks! Small nitpick but this would be really nice as part of the librechat.yaml instead of .env. Forward thinking, this would allow setting custom greetings at the user/role level, as mappings for all those settings will be possible.

[rubentalstra]

for sure. going to update the code to do that. it's just a minor change.