# Chatbots## OverviewChatbots are the user-facing AI interfaces you create in OpenRails. They can be text-only, voice-enabled, or multimodal, and can use RAG to answer questions from your Data Lakes.## Key Concepts### ModalityHow users interact with the chatbot:* Text: Traditional text-based chat
- Voice: Speech-to-text and text-to-speech enabled
- Multimodal: Supports text, voice, and images### RAG IntegrationConnect a chatbot to a Data Lake or Project to enable knowledge-based responses. The chatbot retrieves relevant information before generating answers.## Chatbot CardsThe dashboard displays chatbots as cards showing:* Bot name and status (active/inactive)
- Model being used
- Modality icons
- RAG status
- Connected Data Lake## Creating a Chatbot1) Click New Chatbot
- Select a template (or start from scratch)
- Configure:
- Name and description
- Model selection
- RAG settings (enable and select Data Lake/Project)
- Click Create## Managing ChatbotsEach chatbot card provides action buttons:| Action | Description |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Edit | Full configuration page with all settings |
| Test | Interactive chat interface to test your bot |
| Embed | Generate code for website integration |
| Logs | View user feedback and conversation history |
| Add to Role | Assign to roles for Company Chat access |
| Delete | Permanently remove the chatbot |## The Chatbot Lifecycle```
Create → Configure → Test → Deploy → Monitor
2) **Configure**: Set up model, RAG, appearance, and behavior
3) **Test**: Have conversations in the test interface, verify responses
4) **Deploy**: Embed on your website or assign to Company Chat roles
5) **Monitor**: Review feedback and logs, make improvements## Configuration Options### General Settings* Bot name and description
* Active/inactive status### Model Settings* Base model selection
* API key management### Knowledge Base (RAG)* Enable/disable RAG
* Select Data Lake or Project### Appearance* Chat template selection
* Primary color
* Welcome message
* Placeholder text
* Avatar settings### Agents* Attach agents to the chatbot
* Configure agent behavior---**Related:** [Chatbot Options](./06-chatbot-options.md) | [Company Chat](./07-company-chat.md) | [Widget](./12-widget.md) | [Data Lakes](./04-data-lakes.md)