From f400e91ededbfed35e526c9b327fa5a2ffa04e96 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Nicolas Mowen <nickmowen213@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:36:52 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Add a starting state for chat

---
 web/public/locales/en/views/chat.json         |  13 +-
 web/src/components/chat/ChatStartingState.tsx |  89 +++++++++
 web/src/pages/Chat.tsx                        | 172 ++++++++++--------
 web/src/types/chat.ts                         |   5 +
 4 files changed, 199 insertions(+), 80 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 web/src/components/chat/ChatStartingState.tsx

diff --git a/web/public/locales/en/views/chat.json b/web/public/locales/en/views/chat.json
index 3bd79a9b7..ec9e65e6e 100644
--- a/web/public/locales/en/views/chat.json
+++ b/web/public/locales/en/views/chat.json
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 {
+  "title": "Frigate Chat",
+  "subtitle": "Your AI assistant for camera management and insights",
   "placeholder": "Ask anything...",
   "error": "Something went wrong. Please try again.",
   "processing": "Processing...",
@@ -9,5 +11,14 @@
   "result": "Result",
   "arguments": "Arguments:",
   "response": "Response:",
-  "send": "Send"
+  "send": "Send",
+  "suggested_requests": "Try asking:",
+  "starting_requests": {
+    "show_recent_events": "Show recent events",
+    "show_camera_status": "Show camera status"
+  },
+  "starting_requests_prompts": {
+    "show_recent_events": "Show me the recent events from the last hour",
+    "show_camera_status": "What is the current status of my cameras?"
+  }
 }
diff --git a/web/src/components/chat/ChatStartingState.tsx b/web/src/components/chat/ChatStartingState.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2d0adaa2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/components/chat/ChatStartingState.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
+import { FaArrowUpLong } from "react-icons/fa6";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useState } from "react";
+import type { StartingRequest } from "@/types/chat";
+
+type ChatStartingStateProps = {
+  onSendMessage: (message: string) => void;
+};
+
+export function ChatStartingState({ onSendMessage }: ChatStartingStateProps) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation(["views/chat"]);
+  const [input, setInput] = useState("");
+
+  const defaultRequests: StartingRequest[] = [
+    {
+      label: t("starting_requests.show_recent_events"),
+      prompt: t("starting_requests_prompts.show_recent_events"),
+    },
+    {
+      label: t("starting_requests.show_camera_status"),
+      prompt: t("starting_requests_prompts.show_camera_status"),
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const handleRequestClick = (prompt: string) => {
+    onSendMessage(prompt);
+  };
+
+  const handleSubmit = () => {
+    const text = input.trim();
+    if (!text) return;
+    onSendMessage(text);
+    setInput("");
+  };
+
+  const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    if (e.key === "Enter" && !e.shiftKey) {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      handleSubmit();
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex size-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-6 p-8">
+      <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-2">
+        <h1 className="text-4xl font-bold text-foreground">{t("title")}</h1>
+        <p className="text-muted-foreground">{t("subtitle")}</p>
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="flex w-full max-w-2xl flex-col items-center gap-4">
+        <p className="text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+          {t("suggested_requests")}
+        </p>
+        <div className="flex w-full flex-wrap justify-center gap-2">
+          {defaultRequests.map((request, idx) => (
+            <Button
+              key={idx}
+              variant="outline"
+              className="max-w-sm text-sm"
+              onClick={() => handleRequestClick(request.prompt)}
+            >
+              {request.label}
+            </Button>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="flex w-full max-w-2xl flex-row items-center gap-2 rounded-xl bg-secondary p-4">
+        <Input
+          className="h-12 w-full flex-1 border-transparent bg-transparent text-base shadow-none focus-visible:ring-0 dark:bg-transparent"
+          placeholder={t("placeholder")}
+          value={input}
+          onChange={(e) => setInput(e.target.value)}
+          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
+        />
+        <Button
+          variant="select"
+          className="size-10 shrink-0 rounded-full"
+          disabled={!input.trim()}
+          onClick={handleSubmit}
+        >
+          <FaArrowUpLong size="18" />
+        </Button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/web/src/pages/Chat.tsx b/web/src/pages/Chat.tsx
index ac812b58e..4acfc96de 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/Chat.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/Chat.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import axios from "axios";
 import { ChatEventThumbnailsRow } from "@/components/chat/ChatEventThumbnailsRow";
 import { MessageBubble } from "@/components/chat/ChatMessage";
 import { ToolCallBubble } from "@/components/chat/ToolCallBubble";
+import { ChatStartingState } from "@/components/chat/ChatStartingState";
 import type { ChatMessage } from "@/types/chat";
 import {
   getEventIdsFromSearchObjectsToolCalls,
@@ -78,88 +79,101 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
   return (
     <div className="flex size-full justify-center p-2">
       <div className="flex size-full flex-col xl:w-[50%] 3xl:w-[35%]">
-        <div className="scrollbar-container flex min-h-0 w-full flex-1 flex-col gap-2 overflow-y-auto">
-          {messages.map((msg, i) => {
-            const isStreamingPlaceholder =
-              i === messages.length - 1 &&
-              msg.role === "assistant" &&
-              isLoading &&
-              !msg.content?.trim() &&
-              !(msg.toolCalls && msg.toolCalls.length > 0);
-            if (isStreamingPlaceholder) {
-              return <div key={i} />;
-            }
-            return (
-              <div key={i} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-                {msg.role === "assistant" && msg.toolCalls && (
-                  <>
-                    {msg.toolCalls.map((tc, tcIdx) => (
-                      <div key={tcIdx} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-                        <ToolCallBubble
-                          name={tc.name}
-                          arguments={tc.arguments}
-                          side="left"
-                        />
-                        {tc.response && (
+        {messages.length === 0 ? (
+          <ChatStartingState
+            onSendMessage={(message) => {
+              setInput("");
+              submitConversation([{ role: "user", content: message }]);
+            }}
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <div className="scrollbar-container flex min-h-0 w-full flex-1 flex-col gap-2 overflow-y-auto">
+            {messages.map((msg, i) => {
+              const isStreamingPlaceholder =
+                i === messages.length - 1 &&
+                msg.role === "assistant" &&
+                isLoading &&
+                !msg.content?.trim() &&
+                !(msg.toolCalls && msg.toolCalls.length > 0);
+              if (isStreamingPlaceholder) {
+                return <div key={i} />;
+              }
+              return (
+                <div key={i} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
+                  {msg.role === "assistant" && msg.toolCalls && (
+                    <>
+                      {msg.toolCalls.map((tc, tcIdx) => (
+                        <div key={tcIdx} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
                           <ToolCallBubble
                             name={tc.name}
-                            response={tc.response}
-                            side="right"
+                            arguments={tc.arguments}
+                            side="left"
                           />
-                        )}
-                      </div>
-                    ))}
-                  </>
-                )}
-                <MessageBubble
-                  role={msg.role}
-                  content={msg.content}
-                  messageIndex={i}
-                  onEditSubmit={
-                    msg.role === "user" ? handleEditSubmit : undefined
-                  }
-                  isComplete={
-                    msg.role === "user" || !isLoading || i < messages.length - 1
-                  }
-                />
-                {msg.role === "assistant" &&
-                  (() => {
-                    const isComplete = !isLoading || i < messages.length - 1;
-                    if (!isComplete) return null;
-                    const events = getEventIdsFromSearchObjectsToolCalls(
-                      msg.toolCalls,
-                    );
-                    return <ChatEventThumbnailsRow events={events} />;
-                  })()}
-              </div>
-            );
-          })}
-          {(() => {
-            const lastMsg = messages[messages.length - 1];
-            const showProcessing =
-              isLoading &&
-              lastMsg?.role === "assistant" &&
-              !lastMsg.content?.trim() &&
-              !(lastMsg.toolCalls && lastMsg.toolCalls.length > 0);
-            return showProcessing ? (
-              <div className="self-start rounded-lg bg-muted px-3 py-2 text-muted-foreground">
-                {t("processing")}
-              </div>
-            ) : null;
-          })()}
-          {error && (
-            <p className="self-start text-sm text-destructive" role="alert">
-              {error}
-            </p>
-          )}
-        </div>
-        <ChatEntry
-          input={input}
-          setInput={setInput}
-          sendMessage={sendMessage}
-          isLoading={isLoading}
-          placeholder={t("placeholder")}
-        />
+                          {tc.response && (
+                            <ToolCallBubble
+                              name={tc.name}
+                              response={tc.response}
+                              side="right"
+                            />
+                          )}
+                        </div>
+                      ))}
+                    </>
+                  )}
+                  <MessageBubble
+                    role={msg.role}
+                    content={msg.content}
+                    messageIndex={i}
+                    onEditSubmit={
+                      msg.role === "user" ? handleEditSubmit : undefined
+                    }
+                    isComplete={
+                      msg.role === "user" ||
+                      !isLoading ||
+                      i < messages.length - 1
+                    }
+                  />
+                  {msg.role === "assistant" &&
+                    (() => {
+                      const isComplete = !isLoading || i < messages.length - 1;
+                      if (!isComplete) return null;
+                      const events = getEventIdsFromSearchObjectsToolCalls(
+                        msg.toolCalls,
+                      );
+                      return <ChatEventThumbnailsRow events={events} />;
+                    })()}
+                </div>
+              );
+            })}
+            {(() => {
+              const lastMsg = messages[messages.length - 1];
+              const showProcessing =
+                isLoading &&
+                lastMsg?.role === "assistant" &&
+                !lastMsg.content?.trim() &&
+                !(lastMsg.toolCalls && lastMsg.toolCalls.length > 0);
+              return showProcessing ? (
+                <div className="self-start rounded-lg bg-muted px-3 py-2 text-muted-foreground">
+                  {t("processing")}
+                </div>
+              ) : null;
+            })()}
+            {error && (
+              <p className="self-start text-sm text-destructive" role="alert">
+                {error}
+              </p>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        )}
+        {messages.length > 0 && (
+          <ChatEntry
+            input={input}
+            setInput={setInput}
+            sendMessage={sendMessage}
+            isLoading={isLoading}
+            placeholder={t("placeholder")}
+          />
+        )}
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/web/src/types/chat.ts b/web/src/types/chat.ts
index b9217e1c2..8a1ea5443 100644
--- a/web/src/types/chat.ts
+++ b/web/src/types/chat.ts
@@ -9,3 +9,8 @@ export type ChatMessage = {
   content: string;
   toolCalls?: ToolCall[];
 };
+
+export type StartingRequest = {
+  label: string;
+  prompt: string;
+};