Add live chat to Docusaurus. DeskCrew support widget
DeskCrew adds AI live chat, a knowledge base, and ticketing to a Docusaurus site with one npm plugin. @deskcrew/docusaurus-plugin, one config entry, no swizzling.
A real plugin. Settings page, no code
Install the plugin on Docusaurus, paste your widget key on its settings page, and it registers your site's domain with DeskCrew automatically.
AI drafts, humans approve
The AI drafts replies grounded in the knowledge base you publish, and every draft waits in an approval queue until a human sends it.
Every conversation is a ticket
Widget chats, emails, and board posts land in one dashboard with full history; visitors who leave get their answer by email.
Free plan, no card
The free plan includes the chat widget, a public knowledge base, and ticketing. Start free and upgrade only when you outgrow it.
How to install DeskCrew on Docusaurus
Run npm install @deskcrew/docusaurus-plugin in your project.
In docusaurus.config.js, add ["@deskcrew/docusaurus-plugin", { widgetKey: "pub_…" }] to the plugins array. Your key is on the DeskCrew dashboard’s Install page.
Rebuild and deploy. The chat bubble appears on every page. Options for board, color, position, and greeting are documented on the npm page.
<script src="https://deskcrew.io/desk.js" data-key="pub_YOUR_KEY" data-board="your-board" defer></script>
pub_YOUR_KEY and your-board are placeholders. Your real widget key and board slug are in your DeskCrew dashboard under Install (free signup, no card).
DeskCrew vs the usual suspects
| DeskCrew | Tidio | Crisp | Zendesk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes. Free plan, no card | Yes (limited) | Yes (basic) | Free trial only |
| AI included | Yes. AI drafts on every plan, human-approved | Paid add-on | Higher plans | Paid add-on |
| Setup | About 2 minutes. One script tag or plugin | Minutes. Script tag | Minutes. Script tag | Longer. Full workspace setup |
| Price floor | $0 free plan · paid from $29/mo | Free plan; paid tiers above | Free plan; paid tiers above | Per-agent pricing, no free plan |
Competitor cells generalize their public pricing pages. Always check current plans.
DeskCrew has a free plan with no card. Chat widget, public knowledge base, and ticketing included. Every new workspace starts with full Team features free for 14 days, and paid plans start at $29/mo. Full details on the pricing page.
FAQ. add live chat to Docusaurus
How do I add live chat to a Docusaurus site?
Install @deskcrew/docusaurus-plugin from npm and add it to the plugins array in docusaurus.config.js with your widget key. One config entry. No theme swizzling, no component edits. Prefer zero dependencies? A one-object scripts entry pasting the widget tag works too.
Does the docusaurus.config.js scripts field support data attributes?
Yes. Each scripts entry takes src plus any other attributes with string or boolean values, so data-key and data-board pass straight through to the rendered <script> tag in the head.
Will the script slow down my Docusaurus pages?
No. Docusaurus notes that scripts entries are render-blocking by default, which is exactly why the DeskCrew entry sets defer: true. The tag loads after the page renders, and the widget draws in a Shadow DOM that can’t touch your docs theme.
Can I show the widget on only some docs pages?
The scripts field is global. Every page gets the tag, which is usually what you want for support. There is no per-page scripts option in the config; page-level control would need a custom client module instead.
Why add a support widget when I already have docs?
The widget catches what the docs miss: readers ask where they got stuck, the AI drafts an answer grounded in your DeskCrew knowledge base, a human approves it, and unanswered gaps become tickets you can turn into doc fixes.
Is the DeskCrew widget free for Docusaurus?
Yes. DeskCrew’s free plan includes the chat widget, a public knowledge base, and ticketing, no card required.
Where do chats from my docs site go?
Every conversation becomes a ticket in your DeskCrew dashboard. The AI drafts a reply grounded in your knowledge base, a human approves it, and readers who already left get the answer by email.