Service Cloud Chat Developer Guide

About This Guide
Prerequisites
API Versions
Customize Deployments with the Deployment APIs
Use Pre-Chat to Gather Visitor Information and Set Context for the Agent
Implement a Custom Chat Window Using Visualforce
Use Post-Chat to Wrap Up the Chat Interaction with Your Customer
Set Up Direct-to-Agent Chat Routing with the Deployment APIs
Direct-to-Agent Routing with the Deployment APIs
Fallback Routing in Pre-Chat Forms
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Set Up Direct-to-Agent Chat Routing with the Deployment APIs

You can route chats that originate from a specific button or invite to a specific agent by editing a few parameters in the Chat Deployment API. You can set chats to fallback to another button or queue if the specified agent isn’t available.

The legacy chat product is scheduled for retirement on February 14, 2026, and is in maintenance mode until then. During this phase, you can continue to use chat, but we no longer recommend that you implement new chat channels. To avoid service interruptions to your customers, migrate to Messaging for In-App and Web before that date. Messaging offers many of the chat features that you love plus asynchronous conversations that can be picked back up at any time. Learn about chat retirement in Help.

Important

Direct-to-agent routing lets your agents provide visitors with a way to contact them directly. This is useful when a visitor’s issue requires a follow-up conversation, because the agent can provide a direct-to-agent link that ensures the visitor won’t have to start over with a new agent.