Improving conversation flow

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 70 views

Introduction

As a user of Open WebUI, I've been thoroughly enjoying the experience of interacting with this amazing piece of software. However, I've recently discovered a feature in another AI product, Character.AI, that I believe would greatly enhance the functionality of Open WebUI. The feature in question is the ability to rewind a chat to any point by simply clicking a button. This feature would be incredibly useful in preventing problems such as loops or chats going in the wrong direction.

Problem Description

In Open WebUI, it's currently only possible to remove messages one by one or use the "Edit" feature to resend a message. While the "Edit" feature can be useful in certain situations, it's not an ideal solution for rewinding a chat. This is because the "Edit" feature sends the message again, which is not what we want when rewinding a chat. We want to be able to go back to a specific point in the conversation without sending any new messages.

Desired Solution

The solution I'm proposing is to add a button under each message that allows users to rewind the chat to that specific point. This button would essentially "wipe" everything that has been said after the chosen rewind point, allowing users to start fresh from that point. This feature would be incredibly useful in a variety of situations, such as:

Preventing loops: If a conversation starts to loop or go in circles, the rewind feature would allow users to go back to a previous point and try a different approach.
Correcting mistakes: If a user says something they regret or want to take back, the rewind feature would allow them to go back to a previous point and try again.
Improving conversation flow: The rewind feature would give users more control over the conversation flow, allowing them to go back and try a different approach if the conversation isn't going in the right direction.

Alternatives Considered

As I mentioned earlier, the current alternatives for removing messages or editing and resending them are not ideal solutions for rewinding a chat. The "Edit" feature sends the message again, which is not what we want when rewinding a chat. Additionally, removing messages one by one can be time-consuming and may not be the most effective way to rewind a chat.

Additional Context

I've searched the existing issues and discussions, but I couldn't find any similar requests or solutions for adding a rewind feature to Open WebUI. I believe this feature would be a valuable addition to the platform and would greatly enhance the user experience.

Benefits of the Feature

The rewind feature would have several benefits, including:

Improved conversation flow: The rewind feature would give users more control over the conversation flow, allowing them to go back and try a different approach if the conversation isn't going in the right direction.
Preventing loops: The rewind feature would allow users to go back to a previous point and try a different approach if the conversation starts to loop or go in circles.
Correcting mistakes: The rewind feature would allow users to go back to a previous point and try again if they say something they regret or want to take back.
Enhanced user experience: The rewind feature would greatly enhance the user experience, making it easier for users to navigate and control the conversation.

Implementation

To implement the rewind feature, I would suggest the following:

Add a button under each message: The button would be labeled "Rewind" and would allow users to rewind the chat to the chosen point.
Implement the rewind logic: The rewind logic would need to be implemented to wipe everything that has been said after the chosen rewind point.
Test the feature: The feature would need to be thoroughly tested to ensure it works as expected and doesn't introduce any bugs or issues.

Conclusion

Q: What is the Chat Rewind feature?

A: The Chat Rewind feature is a proposed addition to Open WebUI that would allow users to rewind a chat to any point by simply clicking a button. This feature would essentially "wipe" everything that has been said after the chosen rewind point, allowing users to start fresh from that point.

Q: Why do we need the Chat Rewind feature?

A: The Chat Rewind feature would be incredibly useful in preventing problems such as loops or chats going in the wrong direction. It would also allow users to correct mistakes, improve conversation flow, and enhance the overall user experience.

Q: How would the Chat Rewind feature work?

A: The Chat Rewind feature would work by adding a button under each message that allows users to rewind the chat to that specific point. When a user clicks the rewind button, everything that has been said after the chosen rewind point would be wiped, allowing users to start fresh from that point.

Q: What are the benefits of the Chat Rewind feature?

A: The benefits of the Chat Rewind feature include:

Improved conversation flow: The rewind feature would give users more control over the conversation flow, allowing them to go back and try a different approach if the conversation isn't going in the right direction.
Preventing loops: The rewind feature would allow users to go back to a previous point and try a different approach if the conversation starts to loop or go in circles.
Correcting mistakes: The rewind feature would allow users to go back to a previous point and try again if they say something they regret or want to take back.
Enhanced user experience: The rewind feature would greatly enhance the user experience, making it easier for users to navigate and control the conversation.

Q: How would the Chat Rewind feature be implemented?

A: To implement the Chat Rewind feature, we would need to:

Add a button under each message: The button would be labeled "Rewind" and would allow users to rewind the chat to the chosen point.
Implement the rewind logic: The rewind logic would need to be implemented to wipe everything that has been said after the chosen rewind point.
Test the feature: The feature would need to be thoroughly tested to ensure it works as expected and doesn't introduce any bugs or issues.

Q: What are the potential challenges of implementing the Chat Rewind feature?

A: Some potential challenges of implementing the Chat Rewind feature include:

Complexity: Implementing the rewind logic could be complex and require significant development time.
User experience: The rewind feature could potentially disrupt the user experience if not implemented correctly.
Testing: Thorough testing would be required to ensure the feature works as expected and doesn't introduce any bugs or issues.

Q: How would the Chat Rewind feature be tested?

A: To test the Chat Rewind feature, we would need to:

Create test cases: Test cases would need to be created to simulate different scenarios and edge cases.
Test the feature: The feature would need to be thoroughly tested to ensure it works as expected and doesn't introduce any bugs or issues.
Gather feedback: Feedback would need to be gathered from users to ensure the feature meets their needs and expectations.

Q: What are the next steps for implementing the Chat Rewind feature?

A: The next steps for implementing the Chat Rewind feature would be to:

Create a development plan: A development plan would need to be created to outline the steps required to implement the feature.
Assign tasks: Tasks would need to be assigned to developers to implement the rewind logic and test the feature.
Monitor progress: Progress would need to be monitored to ensure the feature is implemented on time and meets the required standards.