Build a chatbot with an AI agent before you sign up

With agent-first onboarding, an AI agent builds a temporary chatbot from a website URL. No SiteGPT account or login is needed. When the chatbot is ready, you preview it on one onboarding page and claim it into an account. If you already have an account, use Install the CLI and log in instead.

Before you start

An AI agent that can run terminal commands, or a terminal of your own.
Node.js 18 or later, with npm.
The URL of the website the chatbot should learn from.
No SiteGPT account or plan is needed to start. To claim the chatbot, you choose a plan at checkout.
Until it is claimed, the temporary chatbot gives 50 AI answers in total. Tests by the agent count too. See Temporary chatbots.
The chatbot must be claimed within 7 days of onboarding start. SiteGPT deletes a chatbot that nobody claimed after 30 more days. See If nobody claims the chatbot.

Install the CLI

npm install -g @sitegpt/cli

Start onboarding from the website URL

sitegpt onboarding start https://example.com --json

This command does not need a login. SiteGPT limits how many onboarding workspaces start from one network and in total. Over the limit, the command fails with RATE_LIMITED and, for example, “Too many onboarding workspaces were started. Try again in 3 minutes.” Wait that long, then run it again. Do not start more workspaces than you need.

Save the values from the response

Field	What it is
`data.workspace.id`	The onboarding workspace ID.
`data.workspace.chatbotId`	The temporary chatbot ID.
`data.apiToken`	A temporary token that works only for this chatbot.
`data.onboardingUrl`	The page where the person previews and claims the chatbot.
`data.statusUrl`	The API status URL, for automation.

Use the temporary token

Set the token in the shell where the agent works:

export SITEGPT_API_TOKEN=YOUR_TEMPORARY_TOKEN

The CLI now uses this token for every command in this shell.

Set up the chatbot

Use the normal CLI commands to add content, a persona, instructions, appearance, conversation starters, follow-up suggestions, and icons. For example:

sitegpt knowledge sitemap add --chatbot YOUR_CHATBOT_ID https://example.com/sitemap.xml --json

For a full setup sequence, see New customer onboarding.

Check setup progress

sitegpt onboarding status YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID --json

Look at data.setupChecklist. Fix items that are PENDING or WARNING before you share the chatbot. The states are listed in Setup checklist states.

Share the onboarding URL

Give the person the data.onboardingUrl value. On that page they can test the chatbot and claim it.

Check that it works

sitegpt onboarding status YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID shows a Setup checklist with the items marked Done.
The onboarding URL opens a page where you can chat with the chatbot.

If the chatbot stops answering

After 50 AI answers, the temporary chatbot stops answering until someone claims it. In the chat widget, for example on the onboarding page, the chat shows “You have exceeded the allowed usage for your plan. If you are the owner of this chatbot, please upgrade to continue chatting.” instead of an answer. CLI commands that need an answer, such as sitegpt messages send, fail with TRIAL_MESSAGE_LIMIT_REACHED and “This trial workspace has used its 50 messages. Claim the workspace to keep chatting.” Claim the chatbot to continue. See Claim the chatbot. After the claim, the plan of the account sets the message limits.

Claim the chatbot

After the person tests the chatbot, ask if they want to keep it. If yes, ask for these values:

Value	Accepted values
Email	The email that should own the SiteGPT account.
Plan	`STARTER`, `GROWTH`, or `SCALE`.
Interval	`MONTH` or `YEAR`.

Then run:

sitegpt onboarding claim YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID \
  --email visitor@example.com \
  --plan GROWTH \
  --interval MONTH \
  --json

For a new customer, the response has a checkout URL. The checkout opens on the SiteGPT pricing page. After checkout, SiteGPT moves the chatbot into the account for that email. If the email already has an active SiteGPT subscription, do not use the CLI claim. The person opens the onboarding URL while signed in and claims the chatbot on that page. SiteGPT adds the chatbot to the account if the account has a free chatbot slot.

Delete an unclaimed chatbot

If the setup is wrong or the person does not want the chatbot, run:

sitegpt onboarding delete YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID --yes

This deletes the temporary chatbot and revokes the temporary token. The command fails without --yes.

If nobody claims the chatbot

After 7 days, the time to claim ends. The chatbot can no longer be claimed, and the temporary token stops working. The onboarding page shows “This onboarding workspace has expired or is no longer available.” To try again, start a new onboarding workspace.
After 30 more days, SiteGPT deletes the temporary chatbot with its content, conversations, and leads, and the temporary account. SiteGPT sends no warning before it deletes them. The onboarding URL then no longer opens.

A claimed chatbot belongs to the claiming account and is not deleted by this rule.

Reference

Setup checklist states

The checklist covers content, persona, instructions, conversation starters, follow-up suggestions, and brand styling.

JSON state	Text output	Meaning
`DONE`	Done	The item is set up.
`PENDING`	Pending	The item is not set up yet. Set it up before handoff when you can.
`WARNING`	Needs review	The item exists but may need a check.
`UNKNOWN`	Unknown	SiteGPT could not confirm the item. Check it yourself.

Temporary token

Event	What happens to the token
Created	It works only for the onboarding chatbot. It has an expiry time.
Chatbot claimed	SiteGPT gives the token to the new owner. It still works only for that chatbot and keeps its expiry, so the agent can finish setup.
Expiry time reached (7 days after `onboarding start`)	The token stops working.
Workspace deleted	SiteGPT revokes the token at once.

Agent discovery

Agents that read https://sitegpt.ai/auth.md find the same no-account flow there. See Agent discovery reference.

Get started

Chatbot setup

Operations

Agent playbooks

Reference

Build a chatbot with an AI agent before you sign up

Before you start

Check that it works

If the chatbot stops answering

Claim the chatbot

Delete an unclaimed chatbot

If nobody claims the chatbot

Reference

Setup checklist states

Temporary token

Agent discovery

​Before you start

​Build and share the chatbot

​Check that it works

​If the chatbot stops answering

​Claim the chatbot

​Delete an unclaimed chatbot

​If nobody claims the chatbot

​Reference

​Setup checklist states

​Temporary token

​Agent discovery

Before you start

Build and share the chatbot

Check that it works

If the chatbot stops answering

Claim the chatbot

Delete an unclaimed chatbot

If nobody claims the chatbot

Reference

Setup checklist states

Temporary token

Agent discovery