Flex Webchat 3.x.x is currently available as a public beta product and the information contained in this document is subject to change. This means that some features are not yet implemented and others may be changed before the product is declared as generally available. Public beta products are not covered by a Twilio SLA.
Not a HIPAA Eligible Service
Webchat 3.x.x is not a HIPAA Eligible Service and should not be used in workflows that are subject to HIPAA.
This page applies to Webchat 3.x.x. If you are using Webchat 2.0, see the Webchat 2.0 version of this page instead.
Flex Webchat 3.x.x persists some client-side data to create a better user experience. This can cause some issues when your customers have the Web Storage API disabled. This page discusses cookies, local storage, and session storage, and how Flex Webchat uses each one.
Flex Webchat uses each storage strategy in the following ways:
Used to persist chat after page reload and for error logging. Disabling local storage will cause a degraded experience, especially on page reloads, but Webchat should still function.
Required for the proper functioning of Webchat (e.g., opening and maintaining the WebSocket). Disabling session storage prevents Webchat from functioning.
| Storage Type | Definition | Max Size | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookies | Stores data that has to be sent back to the server with subsequent XHR requests | 4KB | Expires at a chosen expiration date, or when the session ends in the case of a session cookie |
| Local Storage | Stores data in the browser across sessions. Opening two tabs with the same URL will share local storage. Data is never sent to the backend | Up to 5 MB of data in the browser in key/value pairs | Data never expires but can be cleared by the user |
| Session Storage | Temporarily stores data in the browser. Data does not persist across sessions (i.e., two tabs with the same URL will have different session storage.) Data is never sent to the backend. | Stores up to 10 MB of data in the browser in key/value pairs | Data expires when the session ends, e.g., if the browser tab is closed |