WordPress Plugin: Simple Ajax Chat

Updated July 27, 2022 • 70 comments

[ Simple Ajax Chat ] Simple Ajax Chat displays a fully customizable Ajax-powered chat box anywhere on your site. SAC makes it easy for your visitors to chat with each other on your website. There already are a number of decent chat plugins, but I wanted one that is simple yet fully customizable with all the features AND outputs clean HTML markup for easy styling.

Go Pro! Create unlimited chat forms with more features. Check out SAC Pro »

Simple Ajax Chat is based on Jalenack’s Wordspew (aka AJAX Shoutbox), which I’ve been using on my sites since the plugin was released back in 2005 (ish). Wordspew works great even today, but it hasn’t been updated in seven years, so I decided to adopt and improve the plugin with fresh code, clean markup, better control, and more features. Here’s a screenshot showing the plugin used for an imaginary, rather egocentric chat:

Screenshot of chat-box display (view more screenshots)

Features

Simple Ajax Chat uses Ajax to enable new chats to appear without refreshing the page. The form works great even without JavaScript, but the page is refreshed for each new message. Here is an overview of the plugin’s main features:

Plug-n-play functionality, no configuration required
Display on any post or page with the shortcode
Display anywhere in your theme template with the template tag
Includes default CSS styles and enables custom CSS from the settings
JavaScript/Ajax goodness loads new chats without refreshing the page
Also works when JavaScript is not available on the user’s browser
Clean markup makes it easy to style the appearance as you please
New chat messages fade-in with custom duration and color
Includes manage-chats panel for editing and deleting chats
Links included in chats include `_blank` target attributes
Includes complete map of all available CSS hooks
Includes built-in banned-phrases list
Automatic smileys supported :)
On-demand restoration of all default settings
Super-slick toggling settings page

One of my favorite new features is the built-in chat blacklist, where you can add any phrase from the settings page and have it magically disappear from the username, chat input, or URL (if enabled). With the old plugin, I had to modify the source code to block stuff, but now it’s all handled from the comfort of the WP Admin.

Customize everything

The Wordspew plugin included a minimal set of options, which is one of the reasons I found it so useful. So I wanted to keep that simplicity while adding some much-needed features. It’s a balance that I think stays true to the original. Here’s a list of things you can customize with Simple Ajax Chat:

Customize the update interval for the Ajax-requests
Customize the fade-duration for new chat messages
Customize the intro and outro colors for new chats
Option to require login/registration to participate
Option to enable/disable URL field for usernames
Option to use textarea for larger input field
Customize the default message and admin name
Customize the appearance with your own CSS
Option to enable/disable custom styles
Option to load the JavaScript only when the chat box is displayed
Add custom content to the chat box and chat form
Built-in control panel to edit and delete chats
Built-in blacklist to ban specific phrases from the chat

Installation & Usage

Activate the plugin and visit the SAC settings page to customize your options. Once everything is customized as you like it, display the form anywhere using the shortcode or template tag.

Shortcode & Template Tag

Use this shortcode to display the chat box on a post or page:

[sac_happens]

Use this template tag to display the chat box anywhere in your theme template:

<?php if (function_exists('simple_ajax_chat')) simple_ajax_chat(); ?>

Screenshots

Here are some screenshots of Simple Ajax Chat in action (using default settings):

Demo

Online demo available at WP-Mix: Simple Ajax Chat DEMO »

Download

Download Simple Ajax Chat via the WordPress.org Plugin Directory:

Download Simple Ajax Chat »

About the Author

Jeff Starr = Creative thinker. Passionate about free and open Web.

70 responses to “WordPress Plugin: Simple Ajax Chat”

Serge 2012/12/13 8:02 pm

Since 3.5 im getting this Warning:

Warning: Missing argument 2 for wpdb::prepare(), called in /wp-content/plugins/simple-ajax-chat/simple-ajax-chat.php on line 353 and defined in /wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 990

Serge 2012/12/14 8:11 am

i fixed it, on that line by adding an empty argument

,""

Fábio 2012/12/26 4:18 pm

BTW Jeff, I’m getting a lot of bugs in latest version of WordPress. Most of them are that the options page doesnt save options i selected or wanted. Any news on when you are going to update those issues?

Jeff Starr 2012/12/26 10:40 pm • Post Author

I’m not getting any bugs with the plugin on WP 3.5. Which settings/options aren’t saving for you?
- Fábio 2012/12/27 2:44 am
  
  Might be something with PHP 5.4.3 then… It didnt save custom CSS and selected Options on “Options”
- Jeff Starr 2012/12/27 1:57 pm • Post Author
  
  Yes, it looks like several of my plugins will need updating because of new PHP rules.. will hopefully have time for that before the end of the year, or soon thereafter.

Noumaan 2012/12/29 10:10 am

This looks like an awesome plugin, thanks for sharing. Is it possible to use it as a livechat plugin for one to one chat, something like liveperson?

Jeff Starr 2012/12/29 2:23 pm • Post Author

My pleasure, Noumaan :) I’m not familiar with liveperson, but you can set up your WP theme for one-to-one chat using conditional statements and template tags.

Farshad 2013/01/15 3:43 am

hi, thanks for your great work. i just installed your plugin to my wordpress site, but it does not look like screenshots or the demo. would you please help me? here’s the screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmpsbow45t4hchu/Capture.PNG

Jeff Starr 2013/01/15 1:09 pm • Post Author

Hi Farshad, it looks like an issue with existing CSS and/or settings. I would double-check all plugin settings and then use a tool like Firebug to see which existing CSS styles are interfering with the form.

Ahmed 2013/02/12 2:28 pm

I think this plugin great. I love simplicity. Anyway? How to include smiliea?

Hekto 2013/02/15 10:44 am

Hi, it sounds like a great lugin, indeed! Would it be possible to use it through the admin? It would be great for authors, contributors to chat together within the admin. Plus, I don’t think such a live chat already exists. :)

Melanie 2013/02/25 8:09 pm

Thanks for making this! It really is beautifully simple… and when I say a tech thing is simple to use, boy, I mean it!!! One question: I notice that new messages always seem to appear at the top of the list. Is there a way to flip that around? I want to make a sort of collaborative online play, and so it would be great if the thing could read like a script, with newer things appearing at the bottom…

Hekto 2013/03/06 10:08 am

Hi! I don’t know if Jeff read my previous comment, but I still wonder if it would be possible to show the chat within the Admin instead of a new page since I use it only for the registered authors of my family blog.

I’m also interested by Melanie’s question, I’d also like the latest message to appear at the bottom.

I like this plugin a lot, and I’m still working with it, it’s so flexible. Neat job, thank you Jeff! :)

Jeff Starr 2013/03/06 2:19 pm • Post Author

I think it’s possible with WordPress, but the plugin is not set up to do that by default.

The ordering of the messages is set in the plugin core files and would require a modification to do it. Let me know if you’re interested in doing so and I’ll post a method.

Cheers :)

Hekto 2013/03/06 10:10 am

Me again, forgot to ask: would it be possible to send a message simply using the Enter key instead of clicking on the input button ‘Say it’? Thanks :)

Jeff Starr 2013/03/06 2:17 pm • Post Author

Yes, this is how the plugin works.. no need to click the button :)

Hekto 2013/03/06 2:44 pm

Hi Jeff. I’m interested in the method to do it, I’ll modify the plugin core file to do it (already had to do because of missing translation) :)

I use the textarea and when I type Enter, it does a carriage return, it doesn’t send the message. Just tried it.

As for the possibility to have the chat dedicated to registered users only, within the Admin, would that be possible? Because I don’t want non registered be able to see the chat messages.

PS: I managed to customize the CSS, that’s awesome. Only thing is the area to paste the CSS code in small… Couldn’t it be easier to call an external CSS from the current theme for example?

Jeff Starr 2013/03/06 2:51 pm • Post Author

Here is a live demo of the current version with “press enter to chat” working: https://wp-mix.com/chat/

I’ll look into the method for customizing chat order after I’m back in the office.

Yes, you may also include CSS for the plugin via any other method, including theme files, functions, etc.

Hekto 2013/03/06 3:45 pm

Enter sends the message in your chat, no in mine, do you know why?

Thanks for looking into the method for customizing chat order :)

About the CSS, how can I specify the path for the external CSS? In the plugin core file maybe?

Concerning the possibility to make the chat ‘private’ (only viewed by registered users), I guess I will have to password protect the page.

Thanks again!

Jeff Starr 2013/03/07 2:29 pm • Post Author

It sounds like maybe the JavaScript isn’t being included with the web page. If you search the source code of your chat page, you should find “sac.php” included via <script> tag..

Comments are closed for this post. Something to add? Let me know.

Serge 2012/12/13 8:02 pm

Since 3.5 im getting this Warning:

Warning: Missing argument 2 for wpdb::prepare(), called in /wp-content/plugins/simple-ajax-chat/simple-ajax-chat.php on line 353 and defined in /wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 990
Serge 2012/12/14 8:11 am

i fixed it, on that line by adding an empty argument

,""
Fábio 2012/12/26 4:18 pm

BTW Jeff, I’m getting a lot of bugs in latest version of WordPress. Most of them are that the options page doesnt save options i selected or wanted. Any news on when you are going to update those issues?
- Jeff Starr 2012/12/26 10:40 pm • Post Author
  
  I’m not getting any bugs with the plugin on WP 3.5. Which settings/options aren’t saving for you?
  - Fábio 2012/12/27 2:44 am
    
    Might be something with PHP 5.4.3 then… It didnt save custom CSS and selected Options on “Options”
  - Jeff Starr 2012/12/27 1:57 pm • Post Author
    
    Yes, it looks like several of my plugins will need updating because of new PHP rules.. will hopefully have time for that before the end of the year, or soon thereafter.
Noumaan 2012/12/29 10:10 am

This looks like an awesome plugin, thanks for sharing. Is it possible to use it as a livechat plugin for one to one chat, something like liveperson?
- Jeff Starr 2012/12/29 2:23 pm • Post Author
  
  My pleasure, Noumaan :) I’m not familiar with liveperson, but you can set up your WP theme for one-to-one chat using conditional statements and template tags.
Farshad 2013/01/15 3:43 am

hi, thanks for your great work. i just installed your plugin to my wordpress site, but it does not look like screenshots or the demo. would you please help me? here’s the screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmpsbow45t4hchu/Capture.PNG
- Jeff Starr 2013/01/15 1:09 pm • Post Author
  
  Hi Farshad, it looks like an issue with existing CSS and/or settings. I would double-check all plugin settings and then use a tool like Firebug to see which existing CSS styles are interfering with the form.
Ahmed 2013/02/12 2:28 pm

I think this plugin great. I love simplicity. Anyway? How to include smiliea?
Hekto 2013/02/15 10:44 am

Hi, it sounds like a great lugin, indeed! Would it be possible to use it through the admin? It would be great for authors, contributors to chat together within the admin. Plus, I don’t think such a live chat already exists. :)
Melanie 2013/02/25 8:09 pm

Thanks for making this! It really is beautifully simple… and when I say a tech thing is simple to use, boy, I mean it!!! One question: I notice that new messages always seem to appear at the top of the list. Is there a way to flip that around? I want to make a sort of collaborative online play, and so it would be great if the thing could read like a script, with newer things appearing at the bottom…
Hekto 2013/03/06 10:08 am

Hi! I don’t know if Jeff read my previous comment, but I still wonder if it would be possible to show the chat within the Admin instead of a new page since I use it only for the registered authors of my family blog.

I’m also interested by Melanie’s question, I’d also like the latest message to appear at the bottom.

I like this plugin a lot, and I’m still working with it, it’s so flexible. Neat job, thank you Jeff! :)
- Jeff Starr 2013/03/06 2:19 pm • Post Author
  
  I think it’s possible with WordPress, but the plugin is not set up to do that by default.
  
  The ordering of the messages is set in the plugin core files and would require a modification to do it. Let me know if you’re interested in doing so and I’ll post a method.
  
  Cheers :)
Hekto 2013/03/06 10:10 am

Me again, forgot to ask: would it be possible to send a message simply using the Enter key instead of clicking on the input button ‘Say it’? Thanks :)
- Jeff Starr 2013/03/06 2:17 pm • Post Author
  
  Yes, this is how the plugin works.. no need to click the button :)
Hekto 2013/03/06 2:44 pm

Hi Jeff. I’m interested in the method to do it, I’ll modify the plugin core file to do it (already had to do because of missing translation) :)

I use the textarea and when I type Enter, it does a carriage return, it doesn’t send the message. Just tried it.

As for the possibility to have the chat dedicated to registered users only, within the Admin, would that be possible? Because I don’t want non registered be able to see the chat messages.

PS: I managed to customize the CSS, that’s awesome. Only thing is the area to paste the CSS code in small… Couldn’t it be easier to call an external CSS from the current theme for example?
- Jeff Starr 2013/03/06 2:51 pm • Post Author
  
  Here is a live demo of the current version with “press enter to chat” working: https://wp-mix.com/chat/
  
  I’ll look into the method for customizing chat order after I’m back in the office.
  
  Yes, you may also include CSS for the plugin via any other method, including theme files, functions, etc.
Hekto 2013/03/06 3:45 pm

Enter sends the message in your chat, no in mine, do you know why?

Thanks for looking into the method for customizing chat order :)

About the CSS, how can I specify the path for the external CSS? In the plugin core file maybe?

Concerning the possibility to make the chat ‘private’ (only viewed by registered users), I guess I will have to password protect the page.

Thanks again!
- Jeff Starr 2013/03/07 2:29 pm • Post Author
  
  It sounds like maybe the JavaScript isn’t being included with the web page. If you search the source code of your chat page, you should find “sac.php” included via <script> tag..

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