FAQ

Does this work outside Next.js?

Yes. The hook works in any React app — Remix, Vite, Create React App, or plain React. Only the API route examples are Next.js-specific. Use your framework's server handler to produce the SSE stream.

Do I need `@react-ai-stream/ui`?

No. @react-ai-stream/react has no UI dependency. You can use useAIChat and build your own components entirely. See the minimal example and custom UI example.

Can I use this with shadcn/ui?

Yes. The hook returns plain React state — you wire it to whatever components you want. See Custom UI for the pattern.

Does it work with React Server Components?

useAIChat is a client hook — it requires 'use client'. Your API route can run at the edge or as a server function. The hook itself must be in a Client Component.

How do I persist chat history?

Save messages in onComplete and pass them to sendMessage on mount. The hook doesn't handle persistence — that's intentional. Store messages in your database, localStorage, or state management layer.

const chat = useAIChat({
  endpoint: '/api/chat',
  onComplete: (message) => {
    localStorage.setItem('chat', JSON.stringify([...chat.messages, message]))
  },
})

Can I run multiple chats on the same page?

Yes — each useAIChat call has a completely isolated store. No context needed. See hook architecture.

How do I switch models at runtime?

Use React's key prop to remount the component with a fresh hook instance:

<ChatPanel key={selectedModel} model={selectedModel} />

This gives each model an isolated message history and a fresh client. See Custom UI for a complete example.

Why not use the Vercel AI SDK?

Both are MIT and well-maintained. Choose based on your architecture:

Vercel AI SDK: best for tight Next.js integration, RSC streaming, server actions
react-ai-stream: better for portable hooks, multiple isolated chats, custom UI, non-Next.js apps

Is the API stable?

The project is at v0.1.x — useAIChat options and return values may have minor changes before v1.0. Breaking changes will be documented in CHANGELOG (opens in a new tab) and will follow semver.

How do I report a bug?

Open an issue on GitHub (opens in a new tab) with a minimal reproduction.

Persist chat state

FAQ