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Context variables allow you to pass additional information from your web application to the embedded web chat and make it accessible to your agent during conversations. This feature enables more personalized and context-aware interactions by providing the agent with relevant data about the user or the environment. To use context variables:
  1. Enable context_access_enabled: true in your agent definition.
  2. Add variables like channel to the context_variables in your agent definition file.
  3. Reimport the agent.
  4. Include context variables in the JWT payload.
spec_version: v1
style: react
name: hello_agent
llm: groq/openai/gpt-oss-120b
description:  'Agent description'
instructions: |
  You are a helpful agent that must answer user questions in a clean and concise manner. Be polite and do not perform harmful behavior.
collaborators: []
tools: []
context_access_enabled: true
context_variables:
  - channel     # Use it to get access to context variables on the embedded chat
You can add context variables to a JWT token using a JavaScript script. The following script shows how to include context variables inside a JWT token in your server:
createJWT
/**
 * JWT Creation Service for watsonx Orchestrate Secure Embed Chat
 *
 * This module handles the server-side creation of JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) for secure
 * authentication with IBM watsonx Orchestrate embed chat. It demonstrates:
 *
 * 1. RS256 JWT signing using your private key
 * 2. Optional user payload encryption using IBM's public key
 * 3. Cookie-based anonymous user tracking
 * 4. Session-based user information enrichment
 *
 * Security Notes:
 * - Never expose your private key to the client side
 * - Always generate JWTs server-side only
 * - Use HTTPS in production environments
 * - Adjust token expiration times based on your security requirements
 */

const fs = require("fs");
const path = require("path");
const express = require("express");
const { v4: uuid } = require("uuid");
const jwtLib = require("jsonwebtoken");
const NodeRSA = require("node-rsa");

const router = express.Router();

/**
 * Load your server-side RSA private key (PEM format)
 *
 * This key is used to sign JWTs with the RS256 algorithm. The corresponding public key
 * must be uploaded to your watsonx Orchestrate instance security settings.
 *
 * IMPORTANT: Keep this file secure and never expose it to clients!
 *
 * Generate a new key pair using either method:
 *
 * Method 1 - Using ssh-keygen:
 *   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -m PEM -f example-jwtRS256.key
 *   openssl rsa -in example-jwtRS256.key -pubout -outform PEM -out example-jwtRS256.key.pub
 *
 * Method 2 - Using openssl directly:
 *   openssl genrsa -out example-jwtRS256.key 4096
 *   openssl rsa -in example-jwtRS256.key -pubout -out example-jwtRS256.key.pub
 */
const PRIVATE_KEY_PATH = path.join(__dirname, "../keys/example-jwtRS256.key");
if (!fs.existsSync(PRIVATE_KEY_PATH)) {
  throw new Error(`Private key not found at ${PRIVATE_KEY_PATH}`);
}
const PRIVATE_KEY = fs.readFileSync(PRIVATE_KEY_PATH);

/**
 * Load IBM's RSA public key (PEM format)
 *
 * This key is provided by IBM watsonx Orchestrate and is used to encrypt the user_payload
 * field in the JWT. This ensures that sensitive user information cannot be read by clients,
 * as only IBM's servers can decrypt it.
 *
 * You can obtain this key by:
 * 1. Running the wxo-embed-security-v4.sh script (recommended)
 * 2. Calling the generate-key-pair API endpoint manually
 *
 * The encrypted payload will be decrypted server-side by watsonx Orchestrate.
 */

const IBM_PUBLIC_KEY_PATH = path.join(__dirname, "../keys/ibmPublic.key.pub");
if (!fs.existsSync(IBM_PUBLIC_KEY_PATH)) {
  throw new Error(`IBM public key not found at ${IBM_PUBLIC_KEY_PATH}`);
}
const IBM_PUBLIC_KEY = fs.readFileSync(IBM_PUBLIC_KEY_PATH);

/**
 * Cookie lifetime configuration
 *
 * This defines how long the anonymous user ID cookie will persist.
 * Currently set to 60ms for demonstration purposes. For production, use a longer duration
 * such as 45 days (45 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 milliseconds).
 */

const TIME_45_DAYS = 60; // Value for demonstration. Replace with: 45 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 for production.

/**
 * Create a signed JWT string for the Orchestrate embedded chat client.
 *
 * This function constructs a JWT with the following structure:
 *
 * @param {string} anonymousUserID - A stable identifier for anonymous users (from cookie)
 * @param {object|null} sessionInfo - Optional authenticated user session data
 *
 * JWT Claims:
 * - sub: Subject (user identifier) - should be a stable, unique ID for the user
 * - user_payload: Encrypted user data that will be decrypted by watsonx Orchestrate
 *   - name: User's display name
 *   - custom_message: Any custom message or metadata
 *   - custom_user_id: Your application's internal user ID
 *   - sso_token: Single sign-on token if applicable
 * - context: Additional context data accessible by the agent
 *   - wxo_clientID: Your client/organization identifier
 *   - wxo_name: User's name for display in chat
 *   - wxo_role: User's role (e.g., Admin, User, Guest)
 *
 * @returns {string} A signed JWT token string
 */
function createJWTString(anonymousUserID, sessionInfo) {
  // Base JWT claims structure
  // Customize these fields based on your application's requirements
  const jwtContent = {
    // Subject: Unique identifier for the user
    // In production, use a real user ID from your authentication system
    sub: "FHY1234DD5", // Example value. Replace with actual user ID.

    // User payload: It will be encrypted with IBM's public key
    // This data is sensitive and will only be readable by watsonx Orchestrate servers
    // Optional
    user_payload: {
      sso_token: "sso_token",
    },

    // Context: Additional metadata accessible by the agent
    // This data is NOT encrypted and can be read by the client
    context: {
      wxo_clientID: "865511",      // Your client/organization ID
      wxo_name: "Ava",             // Display name in chat
      wxo_role: "Admin",           // User role
    },
  };

  // Enrich the JWT with authenticated session data if available
  // In production, this would come from your authentication system
  if (sessionInfo) {
    jwtContent.user_payload.name = sessionInfo.userName;
    jwtContent.user_payload.custom_user_id = sessionInfo.customUserID;
  }

  // Encrypt the user_payload using IBM's RSA public key
  // This ensures sensitive user data cannot be read by clients
  // Only watsonx Orchestrate servers can decrypt this data
  if (jwtContent.user_payload) {
    const rsaKey = new NodeRSA(IBM_PUBLIC_KEY);
    const dataString = JSON.stringify(jwtContent.user_payload);
    const utf8Data = Buffer.from(dataString, "utf-8");
    // Encrypt and encode as base64 string
    jwtContent.user_payload = rsaKey.encrypt(utf8Data, "base64");
  }

  // Sign the JWT using RS256 algorithm with your private key
  // The token expiration should be set based on your security requirements
  // Common values: "1h" (1 hour), "6h" (6 hours), "1d" (1 day)
  const jwtString = jwtLib.sign(jwtContent, PRIVATE_KEY, {
    algorithm: "RS256",
    expiresIn: "7100s", // Value for demonstration. The maximum expiry time is 7100 seconds.
  });

  return jwtString;
}

/**
 * Retrieve or create a stable anonymous user ID stored in a cookie
 *
 * This function ensures that anonymous users maintain a consistent identity across
 * page refreshes and sessions. The ID is stored in a secure HTTP-only cookie.
 *
 * Benefits:
 * - Prevents user identity from changing mid-session
 * - Enables conversation continuity for anonymous users
 * - Provides basic user tracking without requiring authentication
 *
 * @param {object} request - Express request object
 * @param {object} response - Express response object
 * @returns {string} The anonymous user ID
 */
function getOrSetAnonymousID(request, response) {
  // Check if an anonymous ID already exists in cookies
  let anonymousID = request.cookies["ANONYMOUS-USER-ID"];

  // Generate a new ID if none exists
  if (!anonymousID) {
    // Create a short, readable ID using UUID (first 5 characters for demonstration)
    // In production, you might want to use the full UUID for better uniqueness
    anonymousID = `anon-${uuid().slice(0, 5)}`;
  }

  // Set or refresh the cookie with each request to maintain the session
  response.cookie("ANONYMOUS-USER-ID", anonymousID, {
    expires: new Date(Date.now() + TIME_45_DAYS),
    httpOnly: true,  // Prevents client-side JavaScript from accessing the cookie (security)
    sameSite: "Lax", // Provides CSRF protection while allowing normal navigation
    secure: false,   // Set to true in production when using HTTPS
  });

  return anonymousID;
}

/**
 * Parse authenticated session information from cookies
 *
 * This function retrieves user session data if the user is authenticated.
 * In a production application, you would:
 * 1. Verify the session token/cookie
 * 2. Fetch user information from your database or identity provider
 * 3. Validate user permissions
 *
 * For this demonstration, we simply parse a JSON string from a cookie.
 *
 * @param {object} request - Express request object
 * @returns {object|null} Session info object or null if not authenticated
 */
function getSessionInfo(request) {
  const sessionInfo = request.cookies?.SESSION_INFO;
  if (!sessionInfo) return null;

  try {
    // Parse the JSON session data
    return JSON.parse(sessionInfo);
  } catch {
    // Return null if parsing fails (invalid JSON)
    return null;
  }
}

/**
 * Express route handler for JWT creation
 *
 * This endpoint is called by the client to obtain a fresh JWT token.
 * The token is required for secure authentication with watsonx Orchestrate embedded chat.
 *
 * Flow:
 * 1. Retrieve or create an anonymous user ID (stored in cookie)
 * 2. Check for authenticated session information
 * 3. Generate a signed JWT with user data
 * 4. Return the JWT as plain text response
 *
 * The client will include this JWT in the wxOConfiguration.token field
 * when initializing the embedded chat.
 *
 * @param {object} request - Express request object
 * @param {object} response - Express response object
 */
function createJWT(request, response) {
  // Ensure we have a stable user ID (anonymous or authenticated)
  const anonymousUserID = getOrSetAnonymousID(request, response);

  // Get authenticated session data if available
  const sessionInfo = getSessionInfo(request);

  // Create and sign the JWT
  const token = createJWTString(anonymousUserID, sessionInfo);

  // Return the JWT as plain text
  response.send(token);
}

// Define the GET endpoint that returns a signed JWT string
// This endpoint is called by the client before initializing the chat
router.get("/", createJWT);

module.exports = router;
You can check the examples for watsonx Assistant web chat that are mostly compatible with the watsonx Orchestrate embedded chat to see how to use this code example After generating the JWT token, pass it to the embedded web chat. The following example shows how to do that:
JavaScript
<script>
    function getUserId() {
        let embed_user_id = getCookie('embed_user_id');
        if (!embed_user_id) {
            embed_user_id = Math.trunc(Math.random() * 1000000);
            setCookie('embed_user_id', embed_user_id);
        }
        return embed_user_id;
    }

    function getCookie(name) {
        console.log('getCookie');
        const value = `; ${document.cookie}`;
        const parts = value.split(`; ${name}=`);
        if (parts.length === 2) return parts.pop().split(';').shift();
    }

    function setCookie(name, value) {
        document.cookie = `${name}=${value}; path=/`;
    }
    function preSendHandler(event) {
        if (event?.message?.content) {
            event.message.content = event.message.content.toUpperCase();
        }
    }

    function sendHandler(event) {
        console.log('send event', event);
    }

    function feedbackHandler(event) {
        console.log('feedback', event);
    }

    function preReceiveHandler(event) {
        event?.content?.map((element) => {
            element.type = 'date';
        });
    }

    function receiveHandler(event) {
        console.log('received event', event);
    }

    function userDefinedResponseHandler(event) {
        console.log('userDefinedResponse event', event);
        event.hostElement.innerHTML = `
                        <cds-code-snippet>
                            node -v Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Blanditiis,
                            veritatis voluptate id incidunt molestiae officia possimus, quasi itaque
                            alias, architecto hic, dicta fugit? Debitis delectus quidem explicabo vitae
                            laboriosam!
                        </cds-code-snippet>
                        <br><br>
                        <div style="background-color:orange;color:white;padding:10px;">
                            <p>${event.contentItem?.template || '[No message content]'}</p>
                        </div>`;
    }

    function onChatLoad(instance) {
        instance.on('chatstarted', (instance) => {
            window.wxoChatInstance = instance;
        });
        instance.on('pre:send', preSendHandler);
        instance.on('send', sendHandler);
        instance.on('pre:receive', preReceiveHandler);
        instance.on('receive', receiveHandler);
        instance.on('feedback', feedbackHandler);
        instance.on('userDefinedResponse', userDefinedResponseHandler);
    }
    async function getIdentityToken() {
        // This will make a call to your server to request a new JWT.
        const result = await fetch(
            "http://localhost:3000/createJWT?user_id=" + getUserId()
        );
        window.wxOConfiguration.token = await result.text();
    }

    window.wxOConfiguration = {
        orchestrationID: "20250430-0912-2925-309a-35c6bef54760_20250430-0949-0287-00f2-33dc583100c9",
        hostURL: "https://us-south.watson-orchestrate.cloud.ibm.com",
        rootElementID: "root",
        deploymentPlatform: "ibmcloud",
        crn: "crn:v1:bluemix:public:watsonx-orchestrate:us-south:a/123-456::",
        chatOptions: {
            agentId: "852431a8-32dd-4925-8cc3-9ea3d3162726",
            agentEnvironmentId: "5d769a04-9445-4768-a687-710d6e9a24cf",
            onLoad: onChatLoad
        },
    };
    getIdentityToken().then(() => {
        const script = document.createElement("script");
        script.src = `${window.wxOConfiguration.hostURL}/wxochat/wxoLoader.js?embed=true`;
        script.addEventListener("load", function () {
            wxoLoader.init();
        });
        document.head.appendChild(script);
    });
</script>