Python Project - Simple Chatbot Solutions and Explanations

Basic Chatbot:

Create a simple chatbot that responds to user input with predefined answers.

Input values:
Input or questions are provided by the user to the chatbot.

Output value:
Predefined responses generated by the chatbot.

Example:

Input values:
User: How are you?
Output value:
Chatbot: I'm doing well, thank you!

Here are two different solutions for a basic chatbot in Python. The chatbot will respond to user input with predefined answers.

Solution 1: Basic Chatbot using Conditional Statements

Code:

 # Solution 1: Basic Chatbot Using Conditional Statements

def chatbot_response(user_input):
    """Function to provide predefined responses based on user input"""
    # Convert the user input to lowercase to handle different cases
    user_input = user_input.lower()

    # Provide predefined responses based on user input using conditional statements
    if "hello" in user_input or "hi" in user_input:
        return "Hello! How can I help you today?"
    elif "how are you" in user_input:
        return "I'm doing well, thank you!"
    elif "what is your name" in user_input:
        return "I'm a simple chatbot, and I don't have a name yet!"
    elif "bye" in user_input or "goodbye" in user_input:
        return "Goodbye! Have a great day!"
    else:
        return "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you please rephrase?"

# Main loop to interact with the user
print("Welcome to the chatbot! Type 'bye' to exit.")
while True:
    # Get input from the user
    user_input = input("User: ")

    # If the user types 'bye', exit the chat
    if user_input.lower() == "bye":
        print("Chatbot: Goodbye! Have a great day!")
        break

    # Get the chatbot's response
    response = chatbot_response(user_input)
    print(f"Chatbot: {response}")

Output:

Welcome to the chatbot! Type 'bye' to exit.
User: Hello
Chatbot: Hello! How can I help you today?
User: How are you?
Chatbot: I'm doing well, thank you!
User: bye
Chatbot: Goodbye! Have a great day!

Explanation:

• The chatbot logic is handled by a function 'chatbot_response()' that checks the user's input against predefined phrases using conditional statements ('if-elif').
• If a match is found, the corresponding response is returned; otherwise, a default response is provided.
• The chatbot runs in a 'while' loop, allowing continuous interaction with the user until the user types "bye" to exit.
• This approach is simple and easy to understand, but it can become cumbersome to maintain if many responses are added.

Solution 2: Using a Dictionary-Based approach for Chatbot Responses

Code:

# Solution 2: Using a Dictionary-Based Approach for Chatbot Responses

class SimpleChatbot:
    """Class to handle chatbot interactions"""

    def __init__(self):
        """Initialize the chatbot with predefined responses"""
        # Define predefined responses in a dictionary
        self.responses = {
            "hello": "Hello! How can I help you today?",
            "hi": "Hello! How can I help you today?",
            "how are you": "I'm doing well, thank you!",
            "what is your name": "I'm a simple chatbot, and I don't have a name yet!",
            "bye": "Goodbye! Have a great day!",
            "goodbye": "Goodbye! Have a great day!"
        }

    def get_response(self, user_input):
        """Get a response from the chatbot based on user input"""
        # Convert the user input to lowercase and remove leading/trailing whitespace
        user_input = user_input.lower().strip()

        # Check if the user input matches any predefined responses
        for key in self.responses:
            if key in user_input:
                return self.responses[key]

        # Default response if the input is not recognized
        return "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you please rephrase?"

    def start_chat(self):
        """Start the chatbot interaction with the user"""
        print("Welcome to the chatbot! Type 'bye' to exit.")
        while True:
            # Get input from the user
            user_input = input("User: ")

            # If the user types 'bye', exit the chat
            if user_input.lower() == "bye":
                print("Chatbot: Goodbye! Have a great day!")
                break

            # Get the chatbot's response
            response = self.get_response(user_input)
            print(f"Chatbot: {response}")

# Create an instance of the SimpleChatbot class
chatbot = SimpleChatbot()

# Start the chatbot interaction
chatbot.start_chat()

Output:

Welcome to the chatbot! Type 'bye' to exit.
User: Hello
Chatbot: Hello! How can I help you today?
User: How are you?
Chatbot: I'm doing well, thank you!
User: What is your name?
Chatbot: I'm a simple chatbot, and I don't have a name yet!
User: bye
Chatbot: Goodbye! Have a great day!

Explanation:

• Defines a SimpleChatbot class to handle all chatbot functionality, making the code more organized and modular.
• The predefined responses are stored in a dictionary (self.responses), with keys representing trigger phrases and values representing responses.
• The get_response() method iterates over the dictionary keys to find a match in the user input and returns the corresponding response.
• The start_chat() method manages the interaction loop, allowing the user to continue chatting until they type "bye".
• This approach is more scalable and maintainable, as new responses can easily be added or modified in the dictionary.

Note:
Both solutions provide a basic chatbot that responds to user input with predefined answers, with Solution 1 offering a functional, straightforward approach and Solution 2 using a more structured, class-based implementation for better organization and extensibility.