fix: Update error handling in assistant API to provide clearer messages and handle Vercel Security Checkpoint responses

Author: a3ro-dev

app/api/assistant/route.ts

@@ -733,9 +733,9 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
     )
   }
 
-  if (!process.env.OSM_API_KEY) {
+  if (!process.env.HACKCLUB_PROXY_API_KEY) {
     return NextResponse.json(
-      { error: "OSM_API_KEY is not configured on the server." },
+      { error: "HACKCLUB_PROXY_API_KEY is not configured on the server." },
       { status: 500 }
     )
   }

components/qna-chat-interface.tsx

@@ -323,8 +323,17 @@ export function QnAChatInterface() {
 
             const contentType = res.headers.get("content-type") ?? ""
             if (!res.ok || !contentType.includes("text/event-stream") || !res.body) {
-                const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}))
-                throw new Error((data as { error?: string }).error ?? "Failed to reach assistant")
+                const raw = await res.text().catch(() => "")
+                if (raw.includes("Vercel Security Checkpoint")) {
+                    throw new Error("Chat request blocked by Vercel Security Checkpoint. Please try again, or ask the site admin to disable Bot Protection for /api/assistant.")
+                }
+                let parsedError = ""
+                try {
+                    parsedError = (JSON.parse(raw) as { error?: string })?.error ?? ""
+                } catch {
+                    parsedError = ""
+                }
+                throw new Error(parsedError || "Failed to reach assistant")
             }
 
             const reader = res.body.getReader()
@@ -402,7 +411,8 @@ export function QnAChatInterface() {
                 return
             }
             console.error(err)
-            setError("Something went wrong while contacting the assistant.")
+            const errMsg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Something went wrong while contacting the assistant."
+            setError(errMsg)
             updateMessageContent(assistantMessageId, (prev) => prev || "Sorry, I couldn't answer that right now.")
         } finally {
             streamControllerRef.current = null

components/ui/glowing-ai-chat-assistant.tsx

@@ -595,8 +595,17 @@ const FloatingAiAssistant: React.FC = () => {
 
       const contentType = res.headers.get("content-type") ?? ""
       if (!res.ok || !contentType.includes("text/event-stream") || !res.body) {
-        const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}))
-        throw new Error((data as { error?: string }).error ?? "Failed to reach assistant")
+        const raw = await res.text().catch(() => "")
+        if (raw.includes("Vercel Security Checkpoint")) {
+          throw new Error("Chat request blocked by Vercel Security Checkpoint. Please try again, or ask the site admin to disable Bot Protection for /api/assistant.")
+        }
+        let parsedError = ""
+        try {
+          parsedError = (JSON.parse(raw) as { error?: string })?.error ?? ""
+        } catch {
+          parsedError = ""
+        }
+        throw new Error(parsedError || "Failed to reach assistant")
       }
 
       const reader = res.body.getReader()
@@ -680,7 +689,8 @@ const FloatingAiAssistant: React.FC = () => {
         return
       }
       console.error(err)
-      setError("Something went wrong while contacting the assistant.")
+      const errMsg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Something went wrong while contacting the assistant."
+      setError(errMsg)
       updateMessageContent(assistantMessageId, (prev) => prev || "Sorry, I couldn't answer that right now.")
     } finally {
       streamControllerRef.current = null