Once you have a working, configured system, you can explore optional enhancements to add additional capabilities. This page includes both production-tested features and experimental ideas to inspire your own extensions.
Optional Enhancements
These features have been successfully implemented in real deployments but are not required for core functionality. Consider adding them as your needs evolve.
Full-Screen Chat Toggle
What it does: Provides a way to hide UI elements (like conversation navigation) to maximize chat area when students are actively working.
Why it's useful: On devices with limited screen real estate (Chromebooks, tablets), maximizing the conversation area improves readability and reduces distraction.
Implementation approach: Add a toggle control that hides non-essential UI elements. The specific elements to hide depend on your UI design—might be a sidebar, a dropdown menu, or other navigation components.
Configuration Interface Access Control
What it does: Use .htaccess and .htpasswd to restrict configuration interface access to authorized users only.
Why it's useful: Prevents unauthorized modification of system configuration. Simple to implement without databases or authentication systems.
Key advantage: A single .htpasswd file can be stored above the web root and referenced by multiple .htaccess files across different installations, simplifying credential management.
Implementation approach: Work with your AI coding assistant to set up .htaccess file protection for your configuration interface. The AI can help generate the .htaccess rules and create the .htpasswd file.
Installation Management Interface
What it does: Manage multiple installations from one administrative interface.
Why it's useful: If running multiple installations (different classes, subjects, grade levels), a central dashboard simplifies management.
Capabilities to consider:
- View status of all installations
- Change model across multiple installations simultaneously
- Enable/disable access to specific installations
- View aggregated (anonymized) usage statistics
- Push configuration updates to selected installations
Note: This is custom development work beyond the base build, but the modular architecture makes it feasible.
Automated Access Control
What it does: Automatically disable student access outside of supervised hours using scheduled tasks.
Why it's useful: Prevents unsupervised usage while maintaining student data.
Implementation approach:
- Use cron job or scheduled task to modify configuration flag or .htaccess file
- End of school day: Disable access (modify config or add IP restrictions)
- Start of school day: Let teachers enable access manually (works better considering weekends, holidays, and breaks), or restore access automatically
- Implementation depends on your hosting environment and requirements
Experimental Extensions
These are potential extensions to explore. They are untested in this build context and may require substantial development work. Consider them inspiration for possibilities — many of these features are on our current wishlist.
Math Equation Rendering
What it does: Renders LaTeX math notation as formatted equations in AI responses
Why it's useful: Enables proper mathematical notation for STEM subjects
Approach to explore:
- Research MathJax or KaTeX JavaScript libraries
- Integrate rendering library into your frontend
- Configure markdown renderer to process math notation
- Test with various equation complexities
Considerations: How to handle inline vs. block equations, rendering performance, library size
Document Upload for Context
What it does: Allow students or teachers to upload documents (PDFs, text files) for the AI to reference during conversation
Why it's useful: AI can provide feedback on student work, reference source materials, analyze provided texts
Approach to explore:
- Research provider support for document context (varies by provider)
- Implement file upload UI component
- Handle file processing server-side
- Manage document storage and cleanup
- Consider cost implications (document tokens count toward API usage)
Considerations: File size limits, supported formats, privacy implications, storage management, cost impact
Multimodal Capabilities
What it does: Allow image/screenshot upload and AI vision analysis
Why it's useful: Students can get help with diagrams, visual problems, screenshots of errors
Approach to explore:
- Verify your AI provider supports vision capabilities
- Implement image upload UI
- Handle image encoding for API requests
- Manage image storage
- Consider cost implications (vision API calls may cost more)
Considerations: Provider support varies, image size/format restrictions, privacy implications, cost management
PDF/Document Export
What it does: Export conversation history as formatted PDF or document
Why it's useful: Students can save/submit work, teachers can review conversations, creates portable records
Approach to explore:
- Research browser-based PDF generation libraries
- Implement export functionality client-side or server-side
- Format conversation history appropriately
- Include metadata (date, conversation framework used, etc.)
Considerations: Formatting quality, file size management, whether to include AI responses or just student input
Analytics and Usage Tracking
What it does: Track anonymized usage patterns (conversation frequency, framework popularity, common topics)
Why it's useful: Understand how students use the system, identify popular frameworks, inform instructional decisions
Approach to explore:
- Log anonymized interaction data (no conversation content)
- Aggregate statistics (conversations per day, framework usage, etc.)
- Create simple dashboard or reporting
- Respect student privacy (no identifiable data, no conversation content)
Considerations: Privacy implications, data retention policies, what to track vs. what to avoid, storage requirements
API Usage and Cost Monitoring
What it does: Track API calls, token usage, and estimated costs
Why it's useful: Budget management, identify unusual usage patterns, optimize for cost efficiency
Approach to explore:
- Log API calls with token counts
- Calculate estimated costs based on provider pricing
- Create simple dashboard showing usage trends
- Set up alerts for unusual activity or budget thresholds
Considerations: Provider pricing changes, accuracy of estimates, how to present information usefully