Assistant Context API

Read and update assistant state to build custom React components in your chat UI — composable context API for thread, message, and runtime data via assistant-ui.

The Context API provides direct access to assistant-ui's state management system, enabling you to build custom components that integrate seamlessly with the assistant runtime.

Introduction

The Context API is assistant-ui's powerful state management system that enables you to build custom components with full access to the assistant's state and capabilities. It provides:

  • Reactive state access - Subscribe to state changes with automatic re-renders
  • Action execution - Trigger operations like sending messages or reloading responses
  • Event listening - React to user interactions and system events
  • Scope-aware design - Components automatically know their context (message, thread, etc.)

It's the foundation that powers all assistant-ui primitives. When the built-in components don't meet your needs, you can use the Context API to create custom components with the same capabilities.

The Context API is backed by the runtime you provide to <AssistantRuntimeProvider>. This runtime acts as a unified store that manages all assistant state, handles actions, and dispatches events across your entire application.

Core Concepts

Scopes and Hierarchy

assistant-ui organizes state into scopes - logical boundaries that provide access to relevant data and actions. Each scope corresponds to a specific part of the chat interface and automatically provides context-aware functionality.

🗂️  ThreadList (threads) - Manages the list of conversations
    ├── 📄 ThreadListItem (threadListItem) - Individual thread in the list
    └── 💬 Thread (thread) - Active conversation with messages
        ├── 🔵 Message (message) - User or assistant message
        │   ├── 📝 Part (part) - Content within a message (text, tool calls, etc.)
        │   ├── 🧠 ChainOfThought (chainOfThought) - Reasoning steps within a message
        │   │   └── 📝 Part (part) - Individual reasoning/tool-call step
        │   ├── 📎 Attachment (attachment) - Files attached to messages
        │   └── ✏️  Composer (composer) - Edit mode for existing messages
        │       └── 📎 Attachment (attachment) - Files in edit mode
        └── ✏️  Composer (composer) - New message input
            └── 📎 Attachment (attachment) - Files being added

💡 Suggestions (suggestions) - Follow-up message suggestions
    └── 💬 Suggestion (suggestion) - Individual suggestion item
🔧 Tools (tools) - Custom UI components for tool calls
🧩 ModelContext (modelContext) - Model context and tool registration

How scopes work:

  • Scopes are automatically determined by where your component is rendered
  • A button inside a <ThreadPrimitive.Messages> automatically gets message scope
  • A button inside a <ComposerPrimitive.Attachments> automatically gets attachment scope
  • Child scopes can access parent scope data (e.g., a message component can access thread data)
// Inside a message component
function MessageButton() {
  // ✅ Available: message scope (current message)
  const role = useAuiState((s) => s.message.role);

  // ✅ Available: thread scope (parent)
  const isRunning = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.isRunning);
}

State Management Model

The Context API follows a predictable state management pattern:

  1. State is immutable and flows down through scopes
  2. Actions are methods that trigger state changes
  3. Events notify components of state changes and user interactions
  4. Subscriptions let components react to changes

Essential Hooks

useAuiState

Read state reactively with automatic re-renders when values change. This hook works like Zustand's selector pattern - you provide a function that extracts the specific data you need, and your component only re-renders when that data changes.

import { useAuiState } from "@assistant-ui/react";

// Basic usage - extract a single property
const role = useAuiState((s) => s.message.role); // "user" | "assistant"
const isRunning = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.isRunning); // boolean

// Access nested data
const attachmentCount = useAuiState(
  (s) => s.composer.attachments.length,
);
const lastMessage = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.messages.at(-1));

The selector function receives all available scopes for your component's location and should return a specific value. The component re-renders only when that returned value changes.

Common patterns:

// Access multiple scopes
const canSend = useAuiState(
  (s) => !s.thread.isRunning && s.composer.text.length > 0,
);

// Compute derived state
const messageCount = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.messages.length);

Important: Never create new objects in selectors. Return primitive values or stable references to avoid infinite re-renders.

// ❌ Bad - creates new object every time
const data = useAuiState((s) => ({
  role: s.message.role,
  content: s.message.content,
}));

// ✅ Good - returns stable values
const role = useAuiState((s) => s.message.role);
const content = useAuiState((s) => s.message.content);

useAui

Access the API instance for imperative operations and actions. Unlike useAuiState, this hook does not subscribe to state updates: the client's identity only changes on structural changes (a scope resolving to a different instance), making it well suited for event handlers and imperative operations.

import { useAui } from "@assistant-ui/react";

function CustomMessageActions() {
  const aui = useAui();

  // Perform actions in event handlers
  const handleSend = () => {
    aui.composer.send();
  };

  const handleReload = () => {
    aui.message.reload();
  };

  // Read state imperatively when needed
  const handleConditionalAction = () => {
    const { isRunning } = aui.thread.getState();
    const { text } = aui.composer.getState();

    if (!isRunning && text.length > 0) {
      aui.composer.send();
    }
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <button onClick={handleSend}>Send</button>
      <button onClick={handleReload}>Reload</button>
      <button onClick={handleConditionalAction}>Smart Send</button>
    </div>
  );
}

The API object doesn't cause re-renders on state updates. Use it for:

  • Triggering actions in event handlers and callbacks
  • Reading current state imperatively when you don't need subscriptions
  • Accessing nested scopes programmatically
  • Checking scope availability before performing actions

Available actions by scope:

// Thread actions
aui.thread.append(message);
aui.thread.startRun(config);
aui.thread.resumeRun(config);
aui.thread.cancelRun();
aui.thread.getState();
aui.thread.message({ index: idx });
aui.thread.message({ id: messageId });
aui.thread.composer();

// Message actions
aui.message.reload();
aui.message.speak();
aui.message.stopSpeaking();
aui.message.submitFeedback({ type: "positive" | "negative" });
aui.message.switchToBranch({ position, branchId });
aui.message.getState();
aui.message.part({ index: idx });
aui.message.part({ toolCallId });
aui.message.composer();

// Part actions
aui.part.addToolResult(result);
aui.part.resumeToolCall(result);
aui.part.getState();

// Composer actions
aui.composer.send();
aui.composer.setText(text);
aui.composer.setRole(role);
aui.composer.addAttachment(file); // File object
aui.composer.addAttachment({ name, content }); // external source
await aui.composer.clearAttachments();
await aui.composer.reset();
aui.composer.getState();

// Attachment actions
aui.attachment.remove();
aui.attachment.getState();

// ThreadList actions
aui.threads.switchToNewThread();
aui.threads.switchToThread(threadId);
aui.threads.reload();
await aui.threads.getLoadThreadsPromise();
aui.threads.getState();

// ThreadListItem actions
aui.threadListItem.switchTo();
aui.threadListItem.rename(title);
aui.threadListItem.updateCustom(custom);
aui.threadListItem.archive();
aui.threadListItem.unarchive();
aui.threadListItem.delete();
aui.threadListItem.getState();

// Suggestions actions
aui.suggestions.getState();
aui.suggestions.suggestion({ index: 0 });

// Suggestion actions
aui.suggestion.getState();

// ChainOfThought actions
aui.chainOfThought.getState();
aui.chainOfThought.setCollapsed(collapsed);
aui.chainOfThought.part({ index: 0 });

// ModelContext actions — see /docs/copilots/model-context for full usage
aui.modelContext.register(provider);
aui.modelContext.getState();

// Tools actions
aui.tools.setToolUI(toolName, render);
aui.tools.getState();

useAuiEvent

Subscribe to events with automatic cleanup on unmount. This hook is perfect for reacting to user interactions, system events, or integrating with external analytics.

import { useAuiEvent } from "@assistant-ui/react";

// Listen to current scope events (most common)
useAuiEvent("composer.send", (event) => {
  console.log("Composer sent message in thread:", event.threadId);
});

// Listen to thread events
useAuiEvent("thread.modelContextUpdate", (event) => {
  console.log("Model context updated in thread:", event.threadId);
});

// Listen to all events of a type across all scopes
useAuiEvent({ event: "composer.send", scope: "*" }, (event) => {
  console.log("Any composer sent a message:", event.threadId);
});

// Listen to ALL events (useful for debugging or analytics)
useAuiEvent("*", (event) => {
  console.log("Event occurred:", event.event, event.payload);
});

// Practical example: Track user interactions
function AnalyticsTracker() {
  useAuiEvent("composer.send", (event) => {
    analytics.track("message_sent", {
      threadId: event.threadId,
    });
  });

  return null; // This component only tracks events
}

Event name patterns:

  • Event names follow source.action format in camelCase (e.g., composer.send, thread.runStart)
  • Use "*" as the event name to listen to all events
  • The scope parameter controls which instances trigger the event

Working with Scopes

Available Scopes

Each scope provides access to specific state and actions:

  • ThreadList (threads): Collection and management of threads
  • ThreadListItem (threadListItem): Individual thread in the list
  • Thread (thread): Conversation with messages
  • Message (message): Individual message (user or assistant)
  • Part (part): Content part within a message (text, tool calls, etc.)
  • ChainOfThought (chainOfThought): Reasoning steps grouped within a message
  • Composer (composer): Text input for sending or editing messages
  • Attachment (attachment): File or media attached to a message or composer
  • Suggestions (suggestions): Collection of follow-up message suggestions
  • Suggestion (suggestion): Individual follow-up suggestion
  • Tools (tools): Tool UI components
  • ModelContext (modelContext): Model context and tool registration

Scope Resolution

The Context API automatically resolves the current scope based on component location:

function MessageButton() {
  const aui = useAui();

  // Automatically uses the current message scope
  const handleReload = () => {
    aui.message.reload();
  };

  return <button onClick={handleReload}>Reload</button>;
}

Checking Scope Availability

Read scopes that may be unavailable through the optional view — they resolve to undefined instead of throwing:

const role = useAuiState((s) => s.optional.message?.role);

Accessing Nested Scopes

Navigate through the scope hierarchy programmatically:

const aui = useAui();

// Access specific message by ID or index
const messageById = aui.thread.message({ id: "msg_123" });
const messageByIndex = aui.thread.message({ index: 0 });

// Access part by index or tool call ID
const partByIndex = aui.message.part({ index: 0 });
const partByToolCall = aui.message.part({ toolCallId: "call_123" });

// Access attachment by index
const attachment = aui.composer.attachment({ index: 0 }).getState();

// Access thread list item by ID, index, or the "main" selector
const threadItem = aui.threads.item({ id: "thread_123" });
const threadByIndex = aui.threads.item({ index: 0 });
const archivedThread = aui.threads.item({ index: 0, archived: true });

// Traverse to the main thread directly
const mainThread = aui.threads.thread("main");
const message = aui.threads.thread("main").message({ id: "msg_123" });

Common Patterns

Conditional Rendering

function RunIndicator() {
  const isRunning = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.isRunning);

  if (!isRunning) return null;
  return <div>Assistant is thinking...</div>;
}

Custom Action Buttons

function CopyButton() {
  const aui = useAui();

  const handleCopy = () => {
    navigator.clipboard.writeText(aui.message.getCopyText());
  };

  return <button onClick={handleCopy}>Copy</button>;
}

State-Aware Components

function SmartComposer() {
  const aui = useAui();
  const isRunning = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.isRunning);
  const text = useAuiState((s) => s.composer.text);

  const canSend = !isRunning && text.length > 0;

  return (
    <div>
      <textarea
        value={text}
        onChange={(e) => aui.composer.setText(e.target.value)}
        disabled={isRunning}
      />
      <button onClick={() => aui.composer.send()} disabled={!canSend}>
        Send
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Event-Driven Updates

function MessageCounter() {
  const [sendCount, setSendCount] = useState(0);

  useAuiEvent("composer.send", () => {
    setSendCount((c) => c + 1);
  });

  return <div>Messages sent: {sendCount}</div>;
}

Advanced Topics

Resolution Dynamics

Scopes are resolved during render and bound into the client. State updates never change the client's identity; a structural change (for example, switching threads) produces a new client and re-renders consumers through React:

const aui = useAui();

// Bound to the thread current at this render
aui.thread.append({ role: "user", content: "Hello" });

// After a thread switch, the component re-renders with a new client.
// Accessors read from a previous render keep pointing at the old thread.

Performance Optimization

Selector optimization:

// ❌ Expensive computation in selector (runs on every store update)
const result = useAuiState(
  (s) => s.thread.messages.filter((m) => m.role === "user").length,
);

// ✅ Memoize expensive computations
const messages = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.messages);
const userCount = useMemo(
  () => messages.filter((m) => m.role === "user").length,
  [messages],
);

Minimize re-renders:

// ❌ Subscribes to entire thread state
const thread = useAuiState((s) => s.thread);

// ✅ Subscribe only to needed values
const isRunning = useAuiState((s) => s.thread.isRunning);

API Reference

Hooks

HookPurposeReturns
useAuiState(selector)Subscribe to state changesSelected value
useAui()Get API instanceAPI object
useAuiEvent(event, handler)Subscribe to eventsvoid

Scope States

ScopeKey State PropertiesDescription
ThreadListmainThreadId, newThreadId, threadIds, archivedThreadIds, isLoading, threadItems (readonly ThreadListItemState[])Manages all available conversation threads
ThreadListItemid, title, status, remoteId, externalId, custom?: Record<string, unknown>Individual thread metadata and status; custom carries arbitrary per-thread metadata set by remote runtimes
ThreadisRunning (may be explicitly set by the runtime rather than derived from last-message status), isLoading, isDisabled, isEmpty, messages, capabilities, suggestionsActive conversation state and message history
Messagerole, content, status, attachments, parts, parentId, branchNumber, branchCount, isLast, indexIndividual message content and metadata
Parttype, status, text, toolCallId, toolNameContent parts within messages (text, tool calls)
ChainOfThoughtparts, collapsed, statusReasoning steps grouped within a message
Composertext, role, attachments, isEmpty, canCancel, type, isEditingText input state for new/edited messages
Attachmentid, type, name, contentType, statusFile attachments metadata and content
SuggestionssuggestionsCollection of follow-up message suggestions
Suggestiontitle, label, promptIndividual suggestion with title, label, and prompt
ModelContext(empty — use register() / getToolCallParams() methods; see Model Context)System instructions, tools, and context providers

Available Actions by Scope

The table below covers the most commonly used actions. For the full catalog, see the API Reference.

ScopeActionsUse Cases
ThreadListswitchToNewThread(), switchToThread(id), reload(), getLoadThreadsPromise(), item(selector), thread("main"), getState()Thread navigation, creation, and sync
ThreadListItemswitchTo(), rename(title), updateCustom(custom), archive(), unarchive(), delete(), getState()Thread management operations
Threadappend(message), startRun(config), resumeRun(config), cancelRun(), reset(), export(), import(repository), message(selector), composer(), getState()Message handling and conversation control
Messagereload(), speak(), stopSpeaking(), submitFeedback(feedback), switchToBranch(options), getCopyText(), part(selector), attachment(selector), composer(), setIsCopied(value), setIsHovering(value), getState()Message interactions and regeneration
PartaddToolResult(result), resumeToolCall(result), getState()Tool call result handling
ChainOfThoughtsetCollapsed(collapsed), part({ index }), getState()Expand/collapse reasoning steps
Composersend(), setText(text), setRole(role), addAttachment(file | attachment), clearAttachments() (async), reset() (async), getState()Text input and message composition
Attachmentremove(), getState()File management
Suggestionssuggestion({ index }), getState()Access follow-up suggestions
SuggestiongetState()Read individual suggestion data
ModelContextregister(provider), getState()Register providers; full details in Model Context

Events vs State Observation

Use useAuiState to render the current value of something; use useAuiEvent to react to the moment something happens. Both are supported: many events mark a transition you could also observe in state, and subscribing to the event is the intended way to run a side effect at that transition.

The rule of thumb:

  1. Rendering a value? → use useAuiState.
  2. Are you the caller and want immediate feedback? → catch the rejection / read the return value.
  3. Running a side effect when something happens? → use useAuiEvent.

Available Events

EventWhen It Fires
threads.selectionChangedThe main thread selection changed. Payload carries threadId (newly selected) and previousThreadId. Does not fire for the initially selected thread on mount.
thread.runStart / runEndA run started / ended on the thread (also visible as isRunning flipping)
thread.initializeThe thread transitioned from new to initialized, before the first message is added
thread.modelContextUpdateThe model context provider notified a change. The model context lives in a provider, not in thread state, so this event has no state-derivable equivalent.
composer.sendThe user sent the composer contents; messageId is set for edit-composer sends
composer.attachmentAddAn attachment was added to the composer
composer.attachmentAddErrorAn addAttachment() call failed. Payload reason discriminates no-adapter / not-accepted / adapter-error. The event additionally surfaces a human-readable message (and the underlying Error instance via the low-level runtime.unstable_on("attachmentAddError") API; useAuiEvent payloads omit it because raw Error objects are not store-serializable).

Deprecated Events

Deprecated EventUse Instead
threadListItem.switchedTothreads.selectionChanged — its threadId is the newly selected thread
threadListItem.switchedAwaythreads.selectionChanged — its previousThreadId is the thread switched away from

Troubleshooting

Common Errors

"Cannot access [scope] outside of [scope] context"

// ❌ This will throw if not inside a message component
const role = useAuiState((s) => s.message.role);

// ✅ Read through the optional view — unavailable scopes resolve to undefined
const role = useAuiState((s) => s.optional.message?.role ?? "none");

"Maximum update depth exceeded" / Infinite re-renders

// ❌ Creating new objects in selectors causes infinite re-renders
const data = useAuiState((s) => ({
  role: s.message.role,
  content: s.message.content, // New object every time!
}));

// ✅ Return primitive values or use separate selectors
const role = useAuiState((s) => s.message.role);
const content = useAuiState((s) => s.message.content);

"Scope resolution failed" / Stale scope references

// ❌ Storing scope references can lead to stale data
const aui = useAui();
const thread = aui.thread; // This reference might become stale

useEffect(() => {
  // This might reference the wrong thread if user switched
  thread.cancelRun();
}, [thread]);

// ✅ Resolve scopes fresh each time
const aui = useAui();

useEffect(() => {
  // Always gets the current thread
  aui.thread.cancelRun();
}, [aui]);

Quick Reference

// Read state
const value = useAuiState((s) => s.scope.property);

// Perform action
const aui = useAui();
aui.scope.action();

// Listen to events
useAuiEvent("source.event", (e) => {});

// Read a scope that may be unavailable
const maybe = useAuiState((s) => s.optional.scope?.property);

// Get state imperatively
const state = aui.scope.getState();

// Navigate scopes
aui.thread.message({ id: "..." }).getState();