Frontend Fixes Summary

Issues Fixed

1. ✅ Old Chat History with Errors

Problem: localStorage had old failed messages showing “Failed to fetch”

Solution:

• Modified loadChatHistory() to filter out error messages automatically
• Cleans up localStorage on page load
• Created /templates/clear_history.html page for manual clearing

How to clear manually: Visit http://localhost:8000/clear_history

2. ✅ No Markdown Rendering

Problem: Bot responses showed raw markdown syntax (bold, lists, etc.)

Solution:

• Added marked.js library (CDN) in index.html
• Modified appendMessage() function to parse markdown for bot messages
• Configured marked.js for RTL Persian text

Result: Now properly renders:

• Bold text
• Italic text
• Headers (###)
• Lists (numbered and bullet points)
• Links
• Code blocks

3. ✅ Poor UI Layout

Problem: All messages in one row, not properly aligned

Solution:

• Fixed CSS flexbox layout in .message-user and .message-bot
• User messages now on the RIGHT (flex-end)
• Bot messages now on the LEFT (flex-start)
• Added proper message bubbles with:
  • Icons (user/robot)
  • Copy button
  • Better styling
  • Rounded corners
  • Shadows

New Structure:

.message (flex container)
  └── .message-content (bubble)
      ├── .message-header (icon + copy button)
      └── .message-text (content with markdown)

4. ✅ Enhanced Markdown Styling

Added CSS for:

• Headers (h1, h2, h3) with university colors
• Lists with proper RTL alignment
• Bold text highlighted in university blue
• Links with hover effects
• Code blocks with background
• Blockquotes with border
• Proper spacing and line height

Files Modified

1. static/script.js

   • Added markdown rendering with marked.js
   • New message structure with header and copy button
   • Auto-cleanup of error messages
   • Copy to clipboard functionality
   • Notification system

2. static/styles.css

   • Fixed message flex layout (user right, bot left)
   • Added markdown element styling
   • Enhanced message bubbles
   • Copy button styles
   • Notification animations
   • RTL-friendly layout

3. templates/index.html

   • Added marked.js CDN link

4. templates/clear_history.html (new)

   • Manual history clearing page

New Features

Copy Button

• Every message now has a copy button
• Click to copy message text (markdown-free)
• Shows success/error notification
• Works for both user and bot messages

Notification System

• Slide-in animations
• Auto-dismiss after 2 seconds
• Success (green) and error (red) states

Auto-cleanup

• Removes old error messages on page load
• Keeps chat history clean

Testing Checklist

• Start backend: python app.py
• Open browser: http://localhost:8000
• Clear old history: http://localhost:8000/clear_history
• Send test message
• Verify markdown renders (bold, lists, headers)
• Check message alignment (user right, bot left)
• Test copy button
• Refresh page and check history loads correctly

Known Issues to Test

1. Backend Connection: Make sure app.py runs with correct Python environment
2. API Endpoint: Verify /api/chat is working
3. CORS: Check if CORS is properly configured (should be OK for localhost)

Next Steps

1. Test the backend with new RAG system V2
2. Verify responses are better with structure-aware chunking
3. Check if query types are detected correctly
4. Ensure article numbers are properly extracted and displayed