Document URL query parameters for assistant

ai/assistant.mdx

@@ -10,15 +10,15 @@
 
 ## About the assistant
 
 The assistant answers questions about your documentation through natural language queries. It is embedded directly in your documentation site, so users can find answers quickly and succeed with your product.
 
 The assistant uses agentic RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) with tool calling powered by Claude Opus 4.5. When users ask questions, the assistant:
 
 * **Searches and retrieves** relevant content from your documentation to provide accurate answers.
 * **Cites sources** and provides navigable links to take users directly to referenced pages.
 * **Generates copyable code examples** to help users implement solutions from your documentation.
 
 Each message sent to the assistant counts toward your plan's message allowance. If you exceed your allowance, additional messages incur overage charges. You can set spending limits or disable the assistant if you reach your message allowance.
 
 You can view assistant usage through your dashboard to understand user behavior and documentation effectiveness. Export and analyze query data to help identify:
 
@@ -28,30 +28,30 @@
 
 ## How indexing works
 
 The assistant automatically indexes your published documentation to answer questions accurately. When you publish changes, the assistant immediately indexes new, updated, or deleted content. The assistant does not index draft branches or preview deployments.
 
 By default, the assistant does not index hidden pages. To include hidden pages in the assistant's index, set `seo.indexing: "all"` in your `docs.json`. See [Hidden pages](/organize/hidden-pages#search-seo-and-ai-indexing) for more information.
 
 ## How the assistant handles unknown questions
 
 The assistant only answers questions based on information in your documentation. If it cannot find relevant information after searching, it responds that it doesn't have enough information to answer.
 
 You can [set a deflection email](/ai/assistant#set-deflection-email) so that the assistant provides your support email to users whose questions it cannot answer. This gives users a path forward, even if the documentation doesn't address their specific question.
 
 ## Configure the assistant
 
 The assistant is enabled by default for Pro and Custom plans.
 
 Manage the assistant from your [dashboard](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/products/assistant/settings). Click **Configuration** to enable or disable the assistant, configure response handling, add default questions, and set a spend limit.
 
 <Frame>
   <img src="/images/assistant/configuration-light.png" alt="The assistant toolbar in the dashboard. The Configuration button is emphasized with an orange rectangle." className="block dark:hidden" />
   <img src="/images/assistant/configuration-dark.png" alt="The assistant toolbar in the dashboard. The Configuration button is emphasized with an orange rectangle." className="hidden dark:block" />
 </Frame>
 
 ### Enable or disable the assistant
 
 Toggle the assistant status to enable or disable the assistant for your documentation site.
 
 <Frame>
   <img src="/images/assistant/status-light.png" alt="The assistant status toggle in the dashboard." className="block dark:hidden" />
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 
 ### Set deflection email
 
 In the response handling section, enable the assistant to redirect unanswered questions to your support team. Specify an email address that the assistant provides to users who ask questions that it cannot answer.
 
 <Frame>
   <img src="/images/assistant/deflection-light.png" alt="The assistant deflection panel in the dashboard. Assistant deflection is toggled on and [email protected] is set as the deflection email." className="block dark:hidden" />
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 In the response handling section, configure sites that the assistant can search for additional context when answering questions.
 
 - Sites must be publicly available.
 - Sites that require JavaScript to load are not supported.
 
 <Frame>
   <img src="/images/assistant/search-sites-light.png" alt="The assistant search sites panel in the dashboard. The assistant is configured to search the mintlify.com and mintlify.com/blog domains." className="block dark:hidden" />
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 
 Set a spend limit to control what happens if you reach your message allowance. By default, the assistant continues to answer user questions after you reach your message allowance, which incurs overages.
 
 When you reach your spend limit, the assistant is disabled until your message allowance resets.
 
 1. Select the **Billing** tab.
   <Frame>
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@
 
 ## Use the assistant
 
 Users have multiple ways to start a conversation with the assistant. Each method opens a chat panel on the right side of your docs. Users can ask any question and the assistant searches your documentation for an answer. If no relevant information is found, the assistant responds that it cannot answer the question.
 
 Add the assistant as a bot to your [Slack workspace](/ai/slack-bot) or [Discord server](/ai/discord) so that your community can ask questions without leaving their preferred platform.
 
 ### UI placement
 
 When the assistant is enabled, it appears in two locations: as a button next to the search bar and as a bar at the bottom of the page.
 
 <Columns cols={2}>
   <Frame caption="Assistant button next to the search bar.">
@@ -190,7 +190,12 @@
 
 ### URLs
 
-Append `?assistant=open` to a URL to open the assistant when the page loads. For example, [https://mintlify.com/docs?assistant=open](https://mintlify.com/docs?assistant=open).
+Open the assistant with a URL query parameter to create deep links that guide users to specific information or share assistant conversations with pre-filled questions.
+
+- **Open the assistant**: Append `?assistant=open` to open the assistant chat panel when the page loads.
+  - Example: [https://mintlify.com/docs?assistant=open](https://mintlify.com/docs?assistant=open)
+- **Open with a pre-filled query**: Append `?assistant=YOUR_QUERY` to open the assistant and automatically submit a question.
+  - Example: [https://mintlify.com/docs?assistant=explain webhooks](https://mintlify.com/docs?assistant=explain%20webhooks)
 
 ## Make content AI ingestible
 
@@ -221,7 +226,7 @@
 - Discover user behavior patterns and common information needs from themes and patterns in queries.
 - Prioritize high-traffic pages for accuracy and quality improvements.
 
 You can explore queries from your [dashboard](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/products/assistant), but to get more powerful insights we recommend exporting a `CSV` file of your queries, responses, and sources to analyze with your preferred AI tool.
 
 1. Navigate to the [assistant page](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/products/assistant) in your dashboard.
 1. Click **Chat history**.
@@ -239,7 +244,7 @@
 
 ### Categories
 
 The categories tab uses LLMs to automatically categorize conversations. Categories show a summary of the topic or theme, when a question was last asked about the category, and how many questions have been asked about the category over time.
 
 Use categories to identify common topics, patterns in user needs and behavior, and areas where documentation might need expansion or clarification.
 
@@ -258,8 +263,8 @@
 ## Troubleshooting
 
 <Accordion title="Assistant chat bar not visible">
   If the assistant UI is not visible in specific browsers, you may need to submit a false positive report to [EasyList](https://easylist.to). Browsers that use the EasyList Cookies List like Brave and Comet sometimes block the assistant or other UI elements. The EasyList Cookies List includes a domain-specific rule that hides fixed elements on certain domains to block cookie banners. This rule inadvertently affects legitimate UI components.
 
   Submit a false positive report to [EasyList](https://github.com/easylist/easylist) to request removal of the rule. This resolves the issue for all users once the filter list is updated.
 
 </Accordion>