Ferndesk
Self-serve widget

Self-Service widget overview

The Self-Service Widget is a lightweight, embeddable help center interface that lets your website visitors access self-service support resources, like articles and collections, without leaving the page.

It appears as a floating button visitors can click to open a searchable help panel, reducing support ticket volume by enabling users to resolve issues independently.

By embedding the Self-Service Widget, you provide instant access to your help center content right where your users are, improving their experience and reducing support load.

How it works

For your users

Website visitors see a floating button. Clicking this button opens a help panel where they can:

  • Search for articles using natural language

  • Browse featured articles or categories

  • Read articles directly in the widget

  • Contact your team via the configured contact method

  • Close the panel and return to browsing your site

For your team

You embed the widget by adding a simple script to your website. No technical configuration required—customize the appearance and behavior via the Ferndesk dashboard, then copy the embed code to your site.

Core features

Search functionality

Visitors can search your knowledge base using simple keyword queries. The widget displays matching articles with titles and excerpts, allowing users to find answers quickly.

Article browsing

When visitors click an article link (either from search results or a featured list), the article opens inside the widget. They can read the full content and navigate back to the list.

Collection organization

If your help center uses collections, the widget can display them as browsable categories, helping users explore topics by type (e.g., "Billing," "Getting Started," "Troubleshooting").

Surface up to 5 important links directly in the widget home screen. Each link opens in a new tab by default.

Multiple presentation modes

The widget supports different ways to display content:

  • Widget mode (default): Content opens inside the help panel.

  • Sidebar mode: Content slides in from the right edge of the page.

  • Modal mode: Content opens in a centered pop-up overlay.

  • Inline mode: Content expands near the element your visitor clicked (e.g., next to a "Learn More" button).

Responsive design

The widget automatically adapts to desktop, tablet, and mobile screens. On mobile, the button spans the full width at the bottom, and the help panel expands accordingly for easy interaction.

Programmatic triggering

You can trigger the widget programmatically via links or buttons on your site using the Ferndesk SDK. The SDK provides commands for opening the widget to specific views:

  • Open the widget home: Use Ferndesk('open') to open the widget to its default home view, where users can browse articles or search.

  • Open the AI assistant: Use Ferndesk('openAssistant') to open the widget directly to the AI assistant chat view, where users can ask questions and get AI-powered answers.

  • Open the contact form: Use Ferndesk('openContact') to open the widget directly to the contact view, where users can submit support requests.

For complete SDK documentation and additional commands, see the Ferndesk SDK Reference.

Key benefits

  • Reduced support tickets: Users find answers immediately without contacting support.

  • Improved user experience: Help is always one click away, no page navigation needed.

  • Lower operational costs: Self-service support scales without adding support staff.

  • Easy integration: No complex setup, just copy and paste a script into your site.

Supported browsers

The widget works on all modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If a visitor uses an older or unsupported browser (ex. Internet explorer), they may see a degraded experience or no widget at all.

The widget is hosted on Ferndesk's secure CDN and requires minimal JavaScript. It won't significantly impact your site's load time or performance.

What's next

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