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Send first chat message

The ConnectyCube Chat API is a set of tools that enables developers to integrate real-time messaging into their web and mobile applications. With this API, users can build powerful chat functionalities that support one-on-one messaging, group chats, typing indicators, message history, delivery receipts, and push notifications.

If you’re planning to build a new app, we recommend starting with one of our code samples apps as a foundation for your client app.
If you already have an app and you are looking to add chat to it, proceed with this guide. This guide walks you through installing the ConnectyCube SDK in your app, configure it and then sending your first message to the opponent in 1-1 chat.

Before you start

Before you start, make sure:

  1. You have access to your ConnectyCube account. If you don’t have an account, sign up here.
  2. An app created in ConnectyCube dashboard. Once logged into your ConnectyCube account, create a new application and make a note of the app credentials (app ID and auth key ) that you’ll need for authentication.

Step 1: Configure SDK

To use chat in a client app, you should install, import and configure ConnectyCube SDK.

Note: If the app is already created during the onboarding process and you followed all the instructions, you can skip the ‘Configure SDK’ step and start with Create and Authorise User.

Install SDK

To get the ConnectyCube SDK project running you will need Android Studio and Maven installed.

The repository https://github.com/ConnectyCube/connectycube-android-sdk-releases contains binary distributions of ConnectyCube Android SDK and an instruction how to connect SDK to your project. Check it out.

Include reference to sdk repository in your build.gradle file at the app level (top level):

repositories {
  maven {
    url "https://github.com/ConnectyCube/connectycube-android-sdk-releases/raw/master/"
  }
}

Then include dependencies to particular sdk-modules in build.gradle project file:

dependencies {
  implementation "com.connectycube.sdk:connectycube-android:2.0.0-beta05"
}

Import SDK

Add the following import statement to start using all classes and methods.

import com.connectycube.ConnectyCubeAndroid;

Initialize SDK

Initialize the SDK with your ConnectyCube application credentials. You can access your application credentials in ConnectyCube Dashboard:

ConnectyCubeAndroid.init(APP_ID, AUTH_KEY, context = applicationContext)

Step 2: Create and Authorise User

As a starting point, the user’s session token needs to be created allowing to send and receive messages in chat.
With the request below, the user is created automatically on the fly upon session creation using the login (or email) and password from the parameters:

val user = ConnectycubeUser(login = "marvin18", password = "supersecurepwd")
ConnectyCube.createSession(user, { session -> }, { error -> })

Note: With the request above, the user is created automatically on the fly upon session creation using the login (or email) and password from the request parameters.

Important: such approach with the automatic user creation works well for testing purposes and while the application isn’t launched on production. For better security it is recommended to deny the session creation without an existing user.
For this, set ‘Session creation without an existing user entity’ to Deny under the Application -> Overview -> Permissions in the admin panel.

Step 3: Connect User to chat

Connecting to the chat is an essential step in enabling real-time communication. By establishing a connection, the user is authenticated on the chat server, allowing them to send and receive messages instantly. Without this connection, the app won’t be able to interact with other users in the chat.

val user = ConnectycubeUser().apply {
  id = 21
  password = "supersecurepwd"
}
// or just
// val user = user {
//  id = 21
//  password = "supersecurepwd"
//}
ConnectyCube.chat.login(user, {}, { ex -> Log.d(tag, "login ex= $ex") })

Step 4: Create 1-1 chat

Creating a 1-1 chat is essential because it gives a unique conversation ID to correctly route and organize your message to the intended user.

You need to pass ConnectycubeDialogType.PRIVATE as a type and an id of an opponent you want to create a chat with:

val dialog = ConnectycubeDialog(type = ConnectycubeDialogType.PRIVATE, occupantsIds = occupantIds)
ConnectyCube.createDialog(cubeDialog, { dialog ->


}, { error ->


})

Step 5: Send / Receive messages

Receive messages

In order to send and receive messages, first it is required to add listener. There is IncomingMessagesManager to listen for all incoming messages from all dialogs.

ConnectyCube.chat.addMessageListener(object: ConnectycubeMessageListener {
    override fun onError(message: ConnectycubeMessage, ex: Throwable) {


    }


    override fun onMessage(message: ConnectycubeMessage) {


    }
})

Send messages in 1-1 chat

Creating a 1-1 chat is essential because it gives a unique conversation ID to correctly route and organize your message to the intended user.

ConnectyCube.chat.sendMessage(message {
     recipientId = dialog.getRecipientId()
     body = "How are you today?"
})

That’s it! You’ve mastered the basics of sending a chat message in 1-1 chat in ConnectyCube.

What’s next?

To take your chat experience to the next level, explore ConnectyCube advanced functionalities, like adding typing indicators, using emojis, sending attachments, and more.

Follow the Chat API documentation to enrich your app and engage your users even further!