How to Add an AI Chatbot to Joomla — Step by Step in 5 Minutes

↑ Part of AI chatbot for your website

In short: You create an AI agent in BotChata, let it index your website, and add a single script tag through a Joomla Custom HTML module. From then on, the chatbot answers visitor questions around the clock — using only your own site's content, in 40+ languages. No coding. GDPR-compliant, hosted in Germany (EU).

→ Start free — no credit card · Live in 5 minutes · Free plan forever

What You Need (Prerequisites)

• A Joomla site (4.x / 5.x recommended; works on 3.x too) with Super User / admin access.
• A BotChata account — the free start is enough (sign up with email, no credit card).
• 5 minutes. No code, no developer.

Part 1 — Set Up BotChata (about 3 minutes)

Step 1: Create an agent and add your site

Sign up at botchata.net and open the dashboard. On Add a new site, enter a Site name and your Website URL, then click Add & start indexing. The crawl begins automatically.

The free start needs no credit card — just your email.

Step 2: Let it finish indexing

BotChata reads every reachable page and turns it into the knowledge base. For ~50 pages this takes 1–3 minutes. On the Links tab you see every page it crawled with an Indexed status — wait until the site shows Ready.

Why this matters: the bot answers only from your indexed content. If an answer isn't on your site, it says so honestly — instead of making something up. That protects your credibility.

To add another source later (a second domain or a single page), click Add link and choose 🌐 Full site or 📄 Single page.

Step 3: Quick test

Open the Overview tab and ask the bot a few typical customer questions in the live preview (e.g. "How much is shipping?"). If the answers are accurate, you're ready to embed.

Step 4: Copy the embed code

Open the agent's Widget tab and switch to the Script section. Copy the snippet next to Embed code — it looks like this:

<script
  src="https://botchata.net/api/widget.js"
  data-api-key="YOUR_KEY"
  data-api-url="https://botchata.net/api"
  defer
></script>

The defer attribute makes the widget load asynchronously so it won't slow down your load time (Core Web Vitals). The widget runs in an isolated Shadow DOM — it can't interfere with your Joomla template's design.

Part 2 — Add the Code to Joomla (about 2 minutes)

You have two ways. Method A is best for most people — no code, survives template updates.

✅ Method A (recommended): a Custom HTML module on all pages

1. In the Joomla admin: Content → Site Modules → New.
2. Choose the module type Custom (Custom HTML).
3. In the editor, switch to code view (the < > / "Toggle editor" button) and paste the BotChata script.
4. On the right, set a Position in your template's footer area (e.g. footer, or any position that renders on every page).
5. Open the Menu Assignment tab and set On all pages.
6. Set Status → Published and Save.

Turn "Prepare Content" off for this module (Module → Advanced) so Joomla's editor plugins don't alter the script tag.

Method B: edit the template index.php (for developers)

Only if you deliberately edit template files:

1. System → Site Templates → Templates → [your template] → Edit.
2. Open index.php.
3. Paste the script directly before the closing </body> tag.
4. Save.

⚠️ Editing template files directly is lost when you switch or update the template. Prefer Method A.

Step 3 — Check That It Works (Verification)

1. Open your site in a new private/incognito window.
2. The BotChata bubble appears in the bottom-right.
3. Click it and ask a real question about your offering.
4. The bot should answer within seconds with content from your website.

See the widget? You're live. 🎉

GDPR Note

• Hosted in Germany (EU): BotChata runs on Hetzner servers in Germany; data does not leave the EU without consent, and there is no AI training on your data.
• Data processing: sign the DPA (Data Processing Agreement) with BotChata and list the tool in your privacy policy.
• Consent tool: if you use a Joomla cookie/consent extension, load the BotChata module only after consent — most consent extensions let you gate a module by category.
• EU AI Act ready: visitors see before the first chat that they're talking to an AI — the transparency duty under Art. 50 (from August 2026) is met by default.

Common Problems (Troubleshooting)

FAQ

Does BotChata need a Joomla extension? No. A single script tag is enough. A Custom HTML module (Method A) is just the built-in, code-free way to insert that tag — no third-party extension required.

Does it work on Joomla 3 as well as 4/5? Yes. The Custom HTML module exists in all current Joomla versions; only the menu labels differ slightly.

Is this GDPR-compliant? Yes. Hosted in Germany (Hetzner), DPA included, no AI training on your data, and controllable via your consent extension. See the GDPR note above.

Does the bot make up answers? No. It answers only from your indexed website content. If information is missing, it says so honestly instead of guessing.

What does it cost? The free start costs $0 (100 messages/month, sign up with no card). Paid plans start at $29/month — a fixed price per plan, no per-message credits.

Will the widget slow down my site? No. It loads asynchronously (defer) in an isolated Shadow DOM and doesn't block your page from rendering.

Start Now

Add an AI chatbot that knows your content to your Joomla site in 5 minutes.

→ Start free — no credit card

Set up in 5 minutes. 100 messages/month free. GDPR-compliant, hosted in Germany.