If you would like an Heroku account to deploy and use this web application, go to this link (https://heroku.com) and you can Sign up for free, and use it for free.

When you deploy to Heroku, you will be prompted for an app name. The name needs to be unique. Example, use your name+hero (example: davidhero). Click Deploy app. Once the application is deployed, click Manage app. Set Heroku project environment variables by clicking Settings. Click Reveal Config Vars. Add the following key value pair:

TOKEN_HOST=your_Twilio_Functions_runtime_domain (example: about-time-1235.twil.io)

You can view your Your Runtime Domain from here:

https://www.twilio.com/console/runtime/overview

Chat Screen print:

• Twilio account. A free Trial account will work.
• To run locally on your computer using the include web server, install Node.JS and the Twilio Node.JS helper library.

• index.html : Chat client HTML
• chat.css : Chat client styles, CSS
• chat.js : Chat client JavaScript
• clientTokenGet.php : a program that calls your Twilio Function (generateToken.js). This is used when hosting the client remotely on a public PHP capable website.
• generateToken.js : generates and returns an access token.
• nodeHttpServer.js : a NodeJS HTTP Server that serves the Chat client files and calls your Twilio Function (generateToken.js). This is used to run the client locally on a computer.
• echoVars.php : Echo your environment variables that are used in clientTokenGet.php.
• app.json : Heroku deployment file to describe the application.
• composer.json : Heroku deployment file which sets the programming language used.

These are the steps to configure to use the Chat Web Application. No development or credit card information required to try Chat.

1. Create a Chat Service:

https://www.twilio.com/console/chat/dashboard

2. Create an API key and secret string:

https://www.twilio.com/console/chat/runtime/api-keys

3. Create a Twilio Function to generate access tokens:

https://www.twilio.com/console/runtime/functions/manage

Friendly name: Generate access token - Chat
Path: /tokenchat (This path name is used in other programs)

Code: use the code in this repository file: generateToken.js.

Note, the Function URL (https://Function-Runtime-Domain/tokenchat) is used in clientTokenGet.php and nodeHttpServer.js.

4. Configure your Twilio Function environment variables:

https://www.twilio.com/console/runtime/functions/configure

4.1 Enable ACCOUNT_SID and AUTH_TOKEN. This allows your Twilio Function to use your ACCOUNT_SID.

4.2 Add environment variables:

CHAT_SERVICE_SID    : your_value_as_created_above
CHAT_API_KEY        : your_value_as_created_above
CHAT_API_KEY_SECRET : your_value_as_created_above

Following are the steps to run the Chat Web Application on your localhost computer.

Download this repository's zip into a working directory and unzip it. Create an environment variable that is your Twilio Function Runtime Domain. Example:

$ export TOKEN_HOST about-time-1235.twil.io

You can view your Your Runtime Domain from here:

https://www.twilio.com/console/runtime/overview

Run the Node.JS server program:

$ node nodeHttpServer.js

Use your browser to run the chat client:
http://localhost:8000
Enter a username, example: stacy.
Enter a Channel name and description, example: "mychannel" and "My test channel".

In another browser tab, run another chat client using a , same channel name:
http://localhost:8000
Enter a username, example: david (different username).
Enter a Channel name, example: mychannel (same as the other client).

Send messages between your clients.

List members of a channel:

https://www.twilio.com/docs/chat/rest/members

Delete a channel of which you are not the creator:

https://www.twilio.com/docs/chat/rest/channels

Cheers...