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:
- You have access to your ConnectyCube account. If you don’t have an account, sign up here.
- 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, auth key, and auth secret) 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 connect ConnectyCube to your iOS app just add it into your Podfile
which is a part of CocoaPods tool:
and then install packages from the command line:
Import SDK
Add the following import statement to start using all classes and methods.
Initialize SDK
Initialize the SDK with your ConnectyCube application credentials. You can access your application credentials in ConnectyCube Dashboard:
Step 2: Create and Authorise User
To make API requests, firstly you need to create and authenticate a user who will send/receive messages in chat later.
Create an application session
Register a user
Create User’s session
To allow users to proceed with any actions within the application, you need to create a session for them.
Having created an application session, you need to upgrade it to a user session by calling logIn
method:
Now that the user is authorized in the application, they can proceed with chat creation and messaging with opponent(s).
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.
Use ConnectycubeConnectionListener
to handle different connection states:
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.
Step 5: Send / Receive messages
Once the 1-1 chat is set up, you can use it to exchange messages seamlessly. This code example demonstrates how to send and receive messages in the created 1-1 chat:
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!