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GIF Search

Status: Complete

Send animated GIFs in your messages using Chatalot's built-in GIF search, powered by the GIPHY API.

Opening the GIF Picker

Click the GIF button in the message input area (visible on screens wider than mobile). The GIF picker panel appears above the message input with a search bar and a grid of GIFs.

When the picker first opens, it displays trending GIFs from GIPHY. You can browse these or type a search query to find something specific.

Searching for GIFs

  1. Click the GIF button to open the picker.
  2. Type a search term in the Search for GIFs... field.
  3. Results update automatically as you type (with a debounce to avoid excessive requests).
  4. Browse the results grid and click a GIF to select it.

If your search returns no results, the picker shows a "No GIFs found" message.

Tip: Clear the search field to return to trending GIFs.

Sending a GIF

Click a GIF in the results grid to send it. The selected GIF's URL is placed in the message input and sent automatically -- no need to press Send.

The GIF is sent as a regular message containing the image URL. Other users see the GIF rendered inline as an animated image.

Closing the GIF Picker

  • Click the X button in the top-right corner of the picker panel.
  • Press Escape to dismiss it.
  • Selecting a GIF also closes the picker automatically.

Content Rating

All GIF search results are filtered to the G rating (appropriate for all audiences) by the GIPHY API.

Search Details

Parameter Value
Default results per search 20
Maximum results per search 50
Results cache duration 5 minutes

The server caches GIF search results for 5 minutes to reduce redundant GIPHY API calls. Up to 200 cached search queries are retained before older entries expire.

GIPHY Attribution

The GIF picker displays a "Powered by GIPHY" attribution footer as required by the GIPHY API terms of service.

Self-Hosting Requirement: API Key

GIF search requires a GIPHY API key configured on the server. If the server does not have a GIPHY API key set, the GIF picker will display an error message: "GIF search is not configured on this server."

To enable GIF search on your Chatalot instance:

  1. Create a free GIPHY API account at developers.giphy.com.
  2. Create an app and obtain an API key.
  3. Set the GIPHY_API_KEY environment variable on the Chatalot server.
# In your docker-compose.yml or .env file:
GIPHY_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Tip: GIPHY's free tier includes generous API limits suitable for most self-hosted deployments.