---
title: CopilotSidebar
description: "Sidebar chat interface with slide-in animation"
---

`CopilotSidebar` is a React component that provides a slide-in sidebar chat interface. It wraps [CopilotChat](/reference/copilot-chat) with additional sidebar-specific behavior including a toggle button, slide-in animation, and automatic body margin adjustment.

## What is CopilotSidebar?

The CopilotSidebar component:

- Provides a fixed right-side panel with smooth slide-in animation
- Includes a toggle button for open/close
- Automatically adjusts body margin when open to prevent content overlap
- Responsive design (full width on mobile, custom width on desktop)
- Built on [CopilotChat](/reference/copilot-chat) - inherits all its features and customization options

## Component Architecture

CopilotSidebar extends [CopilotChat](/reference/copilot-chat#component-architecture) with additional slots:

```mermaid
graph LR
    CS[CopilotSidebar] --> header
    CS --> toggleButton
```

### Slot Descriptions

| Slot           | Description                               |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `header`       | Header bar with title and close button    |
| `toggleButton` | Floating button to open/close the sidebar |

CopilotSidebar also inherits all slots from CopilotChat: `messageView`, `scrollView`, `input`, `suggestionView`, and `welcomeScreen`.

See [Slot Customization](#slot-customization) for details on how to customize these slots.

## Basic Usage

```tsx
import { CopilotSidebar, CopilotKitProvider } from "@copilotkit/react-core";

function App() {
  return (
    <CopilotKitProvider runtimeUrl="/api/copilotkit">
      <CopilotSidebar />
    </CopilotKitProvider>
  );
}
```

## Props

### Sidebar-Specific Props

These props are unique to CopilotSidebar:

| Prop           | Type               | Default | Description                                         |
| -------------- | ------------------ | ------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| `defaultOpen`  | `boolean`          | `true`  | Whether the sidebar is open initially               |
| `width`        | `number \| string` | `480`   | Sidebar width in pixels or CSS unit                 |
| `header`       | `SlotValue`        | -       | Custom header component with title and close button |
| `toggleButton` | `SlotValue`        | -       | Custom toggle button to open/close the sidebar      |

### Shared Props

CopilotSidebar inherits all props from [CopilotChat](/reference/copilot-chat), including:

- `agentId` - The agent to connect to
- `threadId` - The conversation thread ID
- `labels` - Customize text labels
- `autoScroll` - Auto-scroll behavior
- `className` - CSS class for the root container

See [CopilotChat Props](/reference/copilot-chat#props) for the complete list.

## Header Customization

The sidebar includes a header with a title and close button. Customize it through the `header` prop:

```tsx
<CopilotSidebar
  header={{
    titleContent: "My Assistant",
    closeButton: "hidden",
  }}
/>
```

### Header Sub-Slots

| Sub-Slot       | Description                      |
| -------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `titleContent` | The title text or component      |
| `closeButton`  | The close button (can be hidden) |

### Custom Header Component

Replace the entire header with your own component:

```tsx
function CustomHeader() {
  return (
    <div className="flex items-center justify-between p-4 border-b">
      <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
        <BotIcon className="w-5 h-5" />
        <span className="font-semibold">My AI Assistant</span>
      </div>
      <button onClick={() => /* close sidebar */}>
        <XIcon className="w-5 h-5" />
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

<CopilotSidebar header={CustomHeader} />
```

## Toggle Button Customization

The sidebar includes a floating toggle button to open and close it. Customize it through the `toggleButton` prop:

```tsx
<CopilotSidebar
  toggleButton={{
    className: "bg-purple-500 hover:bg-purple-600",
    openIcon: "text-white",
    closeIcon: "text-white",
  }}
/>
```

### Toggle Button Sub-Slots

| Sub-Slot    | Description                                       |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `openIcon`  | Icon shown when sidebar is closed (click to open) |
| `closeIcon` | Icon shown when sidebar is open (click to close)  |

### Custom Toggle Button Component

Replace the toggle button entirely:

```tsx
function CustomToggleButton() {
  return (
    <button className="fixed bottom-4 right-4 p-3 bg-blue-500 rounded-full">
      <ChatIcon className="w-6 h-6 text-white" />
    </button>
  );
}

<CopilotSidebar toggleButton={CustomToggleButton} />;
```

## Slot Customization

CopilotSidebar uses the same [slot system](/reference/slot-system) as CopilotChat. Each slot accepts four types of values:

1. **Tailwind class string** - Add or override CSS classes
2. **Props object** - Pass additional props to the default component
3. **Custom component** - Replace the component entirely
4. **Nested sub-slots** - Drill down to customize child components

### Custom Width

```tsx
<CopilotSidebar width={600} />

// Or with CSS units
<CopilotSidebar width="50vw" />
```

### Custom Header Styling

```tsx
<CopilotSidebar
  header={{
    className: "bg-gradient-to-r from-blue-500 to-purple-500 text-white",
    titleContent: "AI Assistant",
  }}
/>
```

### Nested Slot Customization

```tsx
<CopilotSidebar
  messageView={{
    assistantMessage: {
      onThumbsUp: (msg) => console.log("Liked:", msg.id),
      onThumbsDown: (msg) => console.log("Disliked:", msg.id),
    },
  }}
  input={{
    className: "border-2 border-gray-200",
    sendButton: "bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-600",
  }}
/>
```

## Related

- [CopilotChat](/reference/copilot-chat) - Base chat component with full customization options
- [CopilotPopup](/reference/copilot-popup) - Floating popup chat dialog
- [Slot System](/reference/slot-system) - Deep dive into slot customization
- [CopilotKitProvider](/reference/copilotkit-provider) - Provider configuration