Client Methods

The Pipecat JavaScript client provides a comprehensive set of methods for managing bot interactions, media handling, and configuration. These core methods are documented below.

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Session connectivity

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connect()

Promise<void>

Connect to a real-time session with your bot. This method sends a web request baseUrl + endpoints.connect and passes the response your transport class.

A server-side connect endpoint will typically:

• Authenticate / configure the connect request.
• Initialize the bot process.
• Return a the necessary authentication tokens and configuration to the client’s transport class.

await rtviClient.connect();

This method can be try / catched to handle errors at startup:

try {
  await rtviClient.connect();
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}

​

disconnect()

Disconnects from the active session and reinitialzie the transport.

For most bots that implement the RTVI standard the bot will exit and cleanup when the client disconnects.

await rtviClient.disconnect();

​

disconnectBot()

Triggers the bot to disconnect from the session, leaving the client connected.

await rtviClient.disconnectBot();

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Bot configuration

Methods to query and update the configuration of the bot the client is connected to.

See: configuration.

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getBotConfig()

Promise<RTVIClientConfigOption[]>

Returns a Promise that resolves with the bot’s current configuration.

config = await rtvi.getBotConfig();

A typical config might look like this.

[
  {
    "service": "vad",
    "options": [{ "name": "params", "value": { "stop_secs": 3.0 } }]
  },
  {
    "service": "tts",
    "options": [
      { "name": "voice", "value": "79a125e8-cd45-4c13-8a67-188112f4dd22" }
    ]
  },
  {
    "service": "llm",
    "options": [
      {
        "name": "model",
        "value": "meta-llama/Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct-Turbo"
      },
      {
        "name": "initial_messages",
        "value": [
          {
            "role": "system",
            "content": `You are a assistant called ExampleBot. You can ask me anything.
              Keep responses brief and legible.
              Your responses will converted to audio. Please do not include any special characters in your response other than '!' or '?'.
              Start by briefly introducing yourself.`
          }
        ]
      },
      { "name": "run_on_config", "value": true }
    ]
  }
]

The client’s current config state can be accessed with rtviClient.getConfig. This property is hydrated with the bot’s config after connect() is called, and after any updateConfig request.

​

updateConfig()

Promise<RTVIMessage>

Update the bot’s config. Passing a partial config is fine. Only the individual options that are passed to the updateConfig() call will be updated. You can omit any services or options within a service that you don’t want to change.

Returns a Promise that resolves with the full updated configuration.

On resolve, will trigger the onConfigUpdate callback and ConfigUpdated event.

On reject, will trigger the onMessageError callback and MessageError event.

try {
  const new_config = await rtviClient.updateConfig(
    [{ service: "vad", options: [{ stop_secs: 0.5 }] }],
    true | false
  );
} catch (error) {
  console.error("Error updating bot config", error);
}

​

describeConfig()

Promise<unknown>

Describe the shape of available config options for the bot the client is connected to.

Returns a Promise that resolve’s with the bot’s configuration description.

const configDescription = await rtviClient.describeConfig();
console.log("Config shape", configDescription);

// e.g:
"config": [
  {
      "service": "llm",
      "options": [
        { "name": "model", "type": "string" },
        { "name": "messages", "type": "array" },
        ...
      ]
  },
  {
      "service": "tts",
      "options": [
        { "name": "voice", "type": "string" },
        ...
      ]
  },
  ...
]

​

getServiceOptionsFromConfig()

RTVIClientConfigOption | undefined

Config helper method that returns configuration options for specified service key.

If connected, this method will first call getConfig to get the latest config from the bot. If not connected, it will expect a config array to be passed.

const llmServiceConfig: RTVIClientConfigOption =
  rtviClient.getServiceOptionsFromConfig("llm");
// > [{ service: "llm", options: [ { name: "model", value: "GPT-4o" }, ... ] }]

Returns undefined when an invalid service key is provided.

​

getServiceOptionValueFromConfig()

unknown | undefined

Returns configuration option value (unknown) for specified service key and option name. As with getServiceOptionsFromConfig, this method will first call getConfig to get the latest config from the bot if connected, or expect a config array to be passed.

const llmModel = rtviClient.getServiceOptionsFromConfig("llm", "model");
// > "GPT-4o"

Returns undefined when an invalid service key or unknown option value is provided.

​

setServiceOptionInConfig()

Promise<RTVIClientConfigOption[] | undefined>

Config helper method that sets a new value for a service option in the config. Returns new instance of config with updated option(s) for specified service key and option name.

Note: does not update current config, only returns a new object (call updateConfig to apply changes).

You can pass a single ConfigOption object…

const newConfig = rtviClient.setServiceOptionInConfig("llm", {
  name: "model",
  value: "new-model",
});
// > [{ service: "llm", options: [ { name: "model", value: "new-model" }, ... ] }]

await rtviClient.updateConfig(newConfig);

…or an array of ConfigOption objects.

const newConfig = rtviClient.setServiceOptionInConfig("llm", [
  { name: "model", value: "new-model" },
  { name: "initial_messages", value: [...] },
]);

// > [{
// >    service: "llm", options: [
// >      { name: "model", value: "new-model" },
// >      { name: "initial_messages", value: [ ... ] },
// >      ...]
// > }]

await rtviClient.updateConfig(newConfig);

You can pass an optional config object to update, otherwise calls getConfig to get the latest config from the bot if in ready state. Returns new instance (copy) of the client config.

const workInProgressConfig = [...];
const newConfig = setServiceOptionInConfig("llm", [
  { name: "model", value: "new-model" },
  { name: "initial_messages", value: [...] },
], workInProgressConfig);

await rtviClient.updateConfig(newConfig);

​

setConfigOptions()

Promise<RTVIClientConfigOption[]>

Config helper method that sets new values for multiple service options in the config.

Convenience method for calling setServiceOptionInConfig multiple times.

You can pass an optional config object to update, otherwise calls getConfig to get the latest config from the bot if in ready state. Returns new instance (copy) of the client config.

Note: does not update current config, only returns a new object (call updateConfig to apply changes).

const newConfig = rtviClient.setConfigOptions([
  { service: "llm", options: [
    { name: "model", value: "new-model" },
    { name: "initial_messages", value: [...] },
  ] },
  { service: "tts", options: [
    { name: "voice", value: "new-voice" },
  ] },
]);

await updateConfig(newConfig);

​

Messages

Dispatches a RTVIMessage data object to the bot.

See: messages and events.

​

sendMessage()

Messages are sychronous events that are dispatched to the bot. They do not return a Promise and cannot be awaited.

See messages for more information.

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Actions

Dispatches a service-specific action to the bot.

See: actions.

​

describeActions()

Promise<unknown>

Describe the actions implemented by the bot that the client is connected to.

Returns a Promise that resolves with the bot’s actions description.

actions_metadescription = await rtviClient.describeActions();
console.log(actions_metadescription)

// >>>
{
  "label": "rtvi-ai",
  "type": "actions-available",
  "id": "UNIQUE_ID_FROM_REQUEST",
  "data": {
    "actions": [
      {
	      "service": "tts",
	      "action": "say",
	      "arguments": [
		      { "name": "text", "type": "string" },
		      { "name": "interrupt", "type": "bool" },
		      ...
	      ]
      },
      ...
    ]
  }
}

​

action()

Promise<RTVIActionResponse>

Dispatch an action message to the bot.

What actions a bot responds to depend on on how your bot has been configured. RTVI defines an actions protocol, but does not define any specific actions. Helper libraries will often install convenience methods that make it less verbose (and more type-safe) to call actions.

// send a tts:say action using RTVI primitives

response = await rtviClient.action({
  service: "tts",
  action: "say",
  arguments: [{ name: "text", value: "Say 'Hello world!'" }],
} as RTVIActionRequestData);

​

Devices

​

initDevices()

Initialize the media device selection machinery in the web browser. This method can be called before connect() to test and switch between camera and microphone sources.

await rtviClient.initDevices();

​

getAllMics()

Returns a list of available microphones in the form of MediaDeviceInfo[].

mic_device_list = rtviClient.getAllMics();

​

getAllCams()

Returns a list of available cameras in the form of MediaDeviceInfo[].

cam = rtviClient.getAllCams();

​

updateMic()

Switches to the microphone identified by the provided micId, which should map a deviceId in the list returned from getAllMics().

rtviClient.updateMic(deviceId);

​

updateCam()

Switches to the camera identified by the provided camId, which should map a deviceId in the list returned from getAllCams().

rtviClient.updateMic(deviceId);

​

enableMic(enable: boolean)

Turn on or off (unmute or mute) the client mic input.

rtviClient.enableMic(true);

​

enableCam(enable: boolean)

Turn on or off the client cam input.

rtviClient.enableCam(true);

​

Tracks (audio and video)

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tracks()

Returns available MediaStreamTrack objects for both the client and the bot.

live_tracks_list = rtviClient.tracks()

// return type is:
{
  local: {
    audio?: MediaStreamTrack;
    video?: MediaStreamTrack;
  },
  bot?: {
    audio?: MediaStreamTrack;
    video?: MediaStreamTrack;
  }
}