iFrame

What is an iFrame?

An iframe (inline frame) is an HTML element that enables you to embed another web page within your current one. On screen, it is just a block or Panel type component, but in that block, a whole independent document is loaded with its own URL, scripts, cookies and layout.

Product teams use an iframe to embed ready-made tools and content: community chat, watch parties, dashboards, payment forms or help centres. Instead of having to re-implement all of this in their own frontend, they load a complete experience into a frame.

A similar concept appears in native mobile apps, where a webview is an embedded browser view within the app, not the page.

Iframe vs Native or SDK Integration

Iframe embed. You embed an iframe with a specific URL. The UI, logic and updates are owned by the provider. You have easy deployment, clear separation and fewer chances of CSS or JavaScript conflicts. You use APIs to provide additional tools, linkage with CRM, and you use webhook events to get the needed data. 

Native / SDK integration. You use APIs and SDKs and render everything yourself with your own components. This gives full control over UX, accessibility, routing and data flows but requires much more design and engineering work.

Chat, Communities and Live Experiences Iframes

For engagement use cases, this is typically wrapped in an iframe:

* a community chat alongside live video, scores or a trading screen;
* a watch party panel mashup of chat, reactions and polls;
* a surface that provides support or assistance in a particular product area.

In this setup, the chat solution inside the iframe takes care of the chat UI, real-time connections, translations and moderation tools. The host app handles navigation, authentication, permissions and analytics.

A solution like Watchers can either be integrated as an iframe in the web app or as a webview surface in mobile apps. The iframe option enables teams to quickly add community chat and live engagement, experiment with user response, and adopt new releases without syncing code changes across multiple platforms.