How to build a real-time AI chatbot in minutes with Netlify Agent Runners (no backend)

There was a time, not too long ago, when building a chatbot meant stitching together APIs, handling streaming responses, and wiring up a backend, all while trying to figure out deployment before you’ve even seen a UI.

Now you can start with a prompt.

Unlike traditional chatbot development, which requires backend setup, API wiring, and deployment configuration, Agent Runners handles everything automatically.

With Agent Runners, you can use a prompt-based AI app builder to generate a real-time chatbot in minutes. No scaffolding. No setup. No manual backend wiring required.

What problem does this solve?

Building a real-time AI chatbot traditionally requires stitching together multiple systems like model inference, authentication, backend logic, and deployment.

Agent Runners solves the zero-to-one problem: turning an idea into a working application instantly.

Instead of wiring infrastructure, you start with a prompt and get a fully functional chatbot you can refine and extend.

Capabilities at a glance

How to build your AI chatbot with a prompt

Most chatbots that take hours (or days) to build can be generated in minutes. This is the fastest way to build an AI chatbot without setting up a backend.

When you’re ready, start a new Netlify project and paste this prompt:

Build an AI chatbot. Users should be able to create an account, verify their email, and log in to the application. Authenticated users get streamed responses in real time. Make it feel polished and demo-ready.

That’s all it takes to generate a fully functioning AI chatbot.

After it runs, you’ll have:

• A chat interface
• Streaming AI responses
• A deployed app you can use immediately

Prefer working in the terminal? You can generate and deploy the same app using the CLI:

npm i -g netlify-cli
netlify create "prompt..."
netlify deploy --allow-anonymous

This gives you the same result, but through a developer-first workflow.

What gets built (architecture overview)

When you run a prompt, Agent Runners builds a full AI app using Netlify primitives.

• Authentication is set up so users can create accounts, verify emails, and log in
• Frontend UI is generated for chat interaction
• Serverless Functions handle requests between UI and AI model
• AI Gateway handles inference and returns responses
• Edge Functions power real-time streaming responses
• Deployment happens automatically, so your app is live instantly

This entire flow is created from a single prompt, and the agent handles the architecture. No manual setup required.

This is what turns Agent Runners into a real AI app builder—not just a code generator.

Why this prompt works

We tested a range of prompts to find something reliable and flexible. Here’s what made the difference:

Short prompts produced more reliable results than overly detailed ones Focusing on user behavior (auth + chat) led to better structure Letting the agent choose implementation details improved consistency Including authentication creates a more realistic, production-ready app

Once you have a working app, you can layer in complexity as needed.

Now you can iterate

Once your AI chatbot is live, you can refine behavior, UI, and functionality through simple prompts. The goal isn’t to build a perfect app on the first try. It’s to start with something functional and improve it.

Here are a few ways to extend your chatbot:

Add Chat History

Prompt: Add chat history so user can see previous messages in the conversation.

What changes: Conversations persist for each user instead of resetting every time.

Change the chatbot’s behavior

Prompt: Update the chatbot to act like a helpful customer support agent with a friendly and professional tone.

What changes: Responses shift to match a specific use case without changing the underlying architecture.

Improve the UI

Prompt: Improve the chat UI with better spacing, message bubbles, and a loading indicator while responses are being generated.

What changes: This app feels more polished and user-friendly.

Add basic guardrails

Prompt: Add basic guardrails to prevent inappropriate or unsafe responses from the chatbot.

What changes: You gain more control over how the chatbot behaves.

Add a model selector

Prompt: Add a dropdown that lets users select between different AI models for responses.

What changes: Users can adjust how the chatbot responds in real time.

What you’re actually learning

Even though you started with a prompt, you’re still learning how the app works:

• How streaming responses improve UX
• How frontend and serverless logic connect
• How AI inference is integrated into a real app
• How to shape behavior through prompts instead of rewrites

This is the shift: you’re not assembling infrastructure, you’re iterating on outcomes.

What to try next

Once your chatbot is running, you can:

Adapt it to a customer support assistant Add persistence or external integrations Turn it into an internal tool for your team to use Experiment with different prompts to change behavior

Ready to take it further?

If you want to integrate your chatbot into your team’s workflow, you can move your project into a repository and continue building from there.

Start with Agent Runners

You’re one prompt away from a working AI chatbot–and Netlify handles the inference, streaming, and deployment.

Start building your AI chatbot now—no backend, no setup, just a prompt. Start with Agent Runners and see how far a single prompt can take you.

FAQ

1. Do I need a backend to build my chatbot?

No. Agent Runners handles the backend logic, inference, and deployment automatically.

2. What technology powers this AI chatbot?

The chatbot uses Netlify primitives including AI Gateway (inference), Edge Functions (streaming), and Serverless Functions (backend logic).

3. Can I add authentication to my chatbot?

Yes. This example includes account creation, email verification, and login as part of the generated app.

4. Can I customize the chatbot after it’s built?

Yes. You can refine behavior, UI, and functionality using additional prompts without rebuilding the app.

5. Is the app production-ready?

The generated app is a working foundation. You can extend it with integrations, persistence, and additional features for production use.

Quick Specs

• Build Time: Minutes
• Setup Required: None
• Backed: Managed by Netlify
• Authentication: Included
• Deployment: Automatic