botserver/docs/src/chapter-11-features/platform-comparison.md

Platform Capabilities

General Bots provides a unique combination of capabilities that differentiate it from other AI platforms. This document outlines what makes General Bots suitable for organizations seeking customizable, self-hosted AI automation.

Core Differentiators

Self-Hosted & Open Source

General Bots runs entirely on your infrastructure. Your data never leaves your servers, and you have full access to the source code under AGPL licensing.

Capability	General Bots
Self-hosted deployment	✅ Full control
Open source	✅ AGPL licensed
Data sovereignty	✅ Your infrastructure
Custom modifications	✅ Full source access
Per-user licensing	✅ None required

Customization & Extensibility

Build exactly what you need with BASIC scripting and instant API creation:

' Create a custom API endpoint
WEBHOOK "customer-lookup"

customer_id = params.id
USE KB "customer-data"

response = LLM "Get information about customer " + customer_id

WITH result = NEW OBJECT
    .customer_id = customer_id
    .data = response
    .generated_at = NOW()
END WITH

This creates a working API endpoint in seconds—no separate deployment, no infrastructure configuration.

What you can build:

• Custom webhooks and APIs
• Automated workflows with BASIC scripts
• Integrations with any external system
• Multi-channel chatbots
• Document processing pipelines
• Scheduled automation tasks

Knowledge Base & RAG

Full control over your knowledge base with built-in retrieval-augmented generation:

' Load multiple knowledge sources
USE KB "company-policies"
USE KB "product-catalog"
USE KB "customer-faq"

SET CONTEXT "You are a helpful customer service agent."

answer = LLM user_question

' Save for training and analysis
INSERT "conversations", #{
    question: user_question,
    answer: answer,
    timestamp: NOW()
}

Features:

• Multiple vector collections
• Custom embedding models
• Semantic search
• Context compaction
• Semantic caching
• Full document indexing

Multi-Channel Deployment

Deploy once, reach users everywhere:

' Same code works across all channels
TALK "How can I help you today?"
HEAR question
response = LLM question
TALK response

Supported channels:

• Web chat
• WhatsApp Business
• Teams
• Slack
• Telegram
• SMS
• Email
• Voice (LiveKit)

Database & Integration

Direct database access and unlimited API integrations:

' Direct SQL access
customers = FIND "customers", "region = 'EMEA'"

' REST APIs
data = GET "https://api.example.com/data"
POST "https://api.crm.com/leads", lead_data

' GraphQL
result = GRAPHQL "https://api.github.com/graphql", query, vars

No connector marketplace, no per-integration fees—connect to anything with HTTP.

AI Capabilities

Native AI integration without additional licensing:

Feature	Implementation
Chat assistance	LLM keyword
Document Q&A	USE KB + RAG
Image generation	IMAGE keyword
Video generation	VIDEO keyword
Speech-to-text	HEAR AS AUDIO
Text-to-speech	AUDIO keyword
Vision/OCR	SEE keyword

Use any LLM provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, local models) or run entirely offline with local inference.

Automation Power

BASIC scripting provides full programming capabilities:

SET SCHEDULE "every day at 9am"

' Daily report automation
sales = AGGREGATE "orders", "SUM", "total", "date = TODAY()"
count = AGGREGATE "orders", "COUNT", "id", "date = TODAY()"

SET CONTEXT "You are a business analyst."
summary = LLM "Sales: $" + sales + ", Orders: " + count

SEND MAIL TO "team@company.com" SUBJECT "Daily Report" BODY summary

Automation features:

• Scheduled tasks (cron syntax)
• Event-driven webhooks
• Database triggers
• Conditional logic
• Loops and iterations
• Error handling
• Multi-step workflows

When General Bots Excels

General Bots is the right choice when you need:

Custom chatbots for customer service, internal support, or specialized domains where you control the knowledge base and conversation flow.

Workflow automation that goes beyond simple triggers—full programming logic with database access, API calls, and AI integration.

Multi-channel deployment where the same bot serves users on web, mobile messaging, and enterprise platforms.

Data sovereignty with self-hosted deployment keeping all data on your infrastructure.

Cost control without per-user licensing that scales with your organization.

Integration flexibility connecting to any system without marketplace limitations.

Deployment Options

Self-Hosted

Run General Bots on your own infrastructure:

• Single binary deployment
• Container support (LXC, Docker)
• Scales horizontally
• Full observability

Quick Start

./botserver

Access at http://localhost:8080 and start building.

Summary

General Bots combines:

• Self-hosting for complete data control
• BASIC scripting for powerful automation
• Multi-channel for broad reach
• Native AI without extra licensing
• Open source for transparency and customization
• No per-user fees for predictable costs

For organizations that need more than a simple chatbot—those requiring custom integrations, complex workflows, and full control over their AI deployment—General Bots provides the foundation to build exactly what you need.

See Also

• Quick Start - Get running in minutes
• Keywords Reference - Full BASIC reference
• REST API - API documentation
• Projects - Team collaboration features