sendbird
@sendbird/uikit-react-native
Sendbird UIKit for React Native: A feature-rich and customizable chat UI kit with messaging, channel management, and user authentication.
React-Native based UI kit based on sendbird javascript SDK
Before getting started
This section shows the prerequisites you need to check to use Sendbird UIKit for React-Native.
Requirements
- Nodejs 14 or newer
- Watchman
- JDK 11 or newer
- XCode
- Android Studio
More details, please see https://reactnative.dev/docs/environment-setup
Getting started
This section gives you information you need to get started with Sendbird UIKit for React-Native.
Try the sample app
Our sample app has all the core features of Sendbird UIKit for React-Native. Download the app from our GitHub repository to get an idea of what you can build with the actual UIKit before building your own project.
Create a project
You can get started by creating a project. (highly recommended to use typescript)
npx react-native init ChatApp --template=react-native-template-typescriptInstall UIKit for React-Native
UIKit for React-Native can be installed through either yarn or npm
Install dependencies
Note: If you are using
react-nativeversion0.71or lower, you should install@sendbird/react-native-scrollview-enhancer.
npm install @sendbird/uikit-react-native \
@sendbird/chat \
date-fns \
react-native-safe-area-context \
@react-native-community/netinfo \
react-native-mmkvLinking native modules
npx pod-installGetting permissions
Client apps must acquire permission from users to get access to their media library and save files to their mobile storage. Once the permission is granted, users can send images and videos to other users and save media files.
Android
Add the following permissions to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml file.
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.your.app">
<!-- Permissions for voice message -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<!-- Permissions for attachments -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" android:maxSdkVersion="32" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" android:maxSdkVersion="28" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<!-- Permissions for notifications (Android 13+) -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS" />
</manifest>iOS
Add the following permission usage descriptions to your info.plist file.
| Key | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy - Camera Usage Description | string | $(PRODUCT_NAME) would like to use your camera |
| Privacy - Photo Library Usage Description | string | $(PRODUCT_NAME) would like access to your photo library |
| Privacy - Photo Library Additions Usage Description | string | $(PRODUCT_NAME) would like to save photos to your photo library |
NOTE: If you use react-native-permissions, you must update permissions and run
pod install
Implementation guide
Install a native modules
In order to use the APIs and features of the native module in the UIKit for React Native, you need to implement the platform service interfaces that Sendbird provides.
After implementing all the interfaces, you can set them as props of SendbirdUIKitContainer to use the native module features across Sendbird UIKit for React-Native.
const App = () => {
return (
<SendbirdUIKitContainer
appId={'APP_ID'}
chatOptions={{
localCacheStorage: MMKV,
}}
platformServices={{
file: FileService,
notification: NotificationService,
clipboard: ClipboardService,
media: MediaService,
recorder: RecorderService,
player: PlayerService,
}}
>
{/* ... */}
</SendbirdUIKitContainer>
);
};In order to implement the interfaces to your React Native app more easily, we provide various helper functions for each interface.
NOTE: Helper function is not required! You can implement it with native modules you're using. More details about PlatformService interfaces, please see here
Using React Native CLI
You can use createNativeClipboardService, createNativeNotificationService, createNativeFileService and createNativeMediaService helper functions with below native modules.
npm install react-native-video \
react-native-permissions \
react-native-file-access \
react-native-image-picker \
react-native-document-picker \
react-native-create-thumbnail \
react-native-audio-recorder-player \
@react-native-clipboard/clipboard \
@react-native-camera-roll/camera-roll \
@react-native-firebase/app \
@react-native-firebase/messaging \
@bam.tech/react-native-image-resizer
npx pod-installimport Clipboard from '@react-native-clipboard/clipboard';
import { CameraRoll } from '@react-native-camera-roll/camera-roll';
import RNFBMessaging from '@react-native-firebase/messaging';
import Video from 'react-native-video';
import * as DocumentPicker from '@react-native-documents/picker';
import * as FileAccess from 'react-native-file-access';
import * as ImagePicker from 'react-native-image-picker';
import * as Permissions from 'react-native-permissions';
import * as CreateThumbnail from 'react-native-create-thumbnail';
import * as ImageResizer from '@bam.tech/react-native-image-resizer';
import * as AudioRecorderPlayer from 'react-native-audio-recorder-player';
const nativePlatformServices = {
clipboard: createNativeClipboardService(Clipboard),
notification: createNativeNotificationService({
messagingModule: RNFBMessaging,
permissionModule: Permissions,
}),
file: createNativeFileService({
imagePickerModule: ImagePicker,
documentPickerModule: DocumentPicker,
permissionModule: Permissions,
fsModule: FileAccess,
mediaLibraryModule: CameraRoll,
}),
media: createNativeMediaService({
VideoComponent: Video,
thumbnailModule: CreateThumbnail,
imageResizerModule: ImageResizer,
}),
player: createNativePlayerService({
audioRecorderModule: AudioRecorderPlayer,
permissionModule: Permissions,
}),
recorder: createNativeRecorderService({
audioRecorderModule: AudioRecorderPlayer,
permissionModule: Permissions,
}),
};Using Expo CLI
You can use createExpoClipboardService, createExpoNotificationService, createExpoFileService and createExpoMediaService helper functions with below expo modules.
expo install expo-image-picker \
expo-document-picker \
expo-media-library \
expo-file-system \
expo-clipboard \
expo-notifications \
expo-av \
expo-video-thumbnails \
expo-image-manipulatorimport * as ExpoClipboard from 'expo-clipboard';
import * as ExpoDocumentPicker from 'expo-document-picker';
import * as ExpoFS from 'expo-file-system';
import * as ExpoImagePicker from 'expo-image-picker';
import * as ExpoMediaLibrary from 'expo-media-library';
import * as ExpoNotifications from 'expo-notifications';
import * as ExpoAV from 'expo-av';
import * as ExpoVideoThumbnail from 'expo-video-thumbnails';
import * as ExpoImageManipulator from 'expo-image-manipulator';
const expoPlatformServices = {
clipboard: createExpoClipboardService(ExpoClipboard),
notification: createExpoNotificationService(ExpoNotifications),
file: createExpoFileService({
fsModule: ExpoFS,
imagePickerModule: ExpoImagePicker,
mediaLibraryModule: ExpoMediaLibrary,
documentPickerModule: ExpoDocumentPicker,
}),
media: createExpoMediaService({
avModule: ExpoAV,
thumbnailModule: ExpoVideoThumbnail,
imageManipulator: ExpoImageManipulator,
fsModule: ExpoFS,
}),
player: createExpoPlayerService({
avModule: ExpoAV,
}),
recorder: createExpoRecorderService({
avModule: ExpoAV,
}),
};Local caching (required)
You can implement Local caching easily.
npm i react-native-mmkv
npx pod-installimport { MMKV } from 'react-native-mmkv';
import { SendbirdUIKitContainer } from '@sendbird/uikit-react-native';
const mmkv = new MMKV();
const App = () => {
return <SendbirdUIKitContainer chatOptions={{ localCacheStorage: mmkv }}>{/* ... */}</SendbirdUIKitContainer>;
};Or you can use AsyncStorage instead of MMKV, but it has been deprecated.
import { AsyncStorage } from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
import { SendbirdUIKitContainer } from '@sendbird/uikit-react-native';
const App = () => {
return <SendbirdUIKitContainer chatOptions={{ localCacheStorage: AsyncStorage }}>{/* ... */}</SendbirdUIKitContainer>;
};Integration with navigation library
Now you can create a screen and integrate it with a navigation library like react-navigation.
See more details on here
The example below shows how to integrate using react-navigation.
Create a fragments and screens
import { useNavigation, useRoute } from '@react-navigation/native';
import { useGroupChannel } from '@sendbird/uikit-chat-hooks';
import {
createGroupChannelCreateFragment,
createGroupChannelFragment,
createGroupChannelListFragment,
} from '@sendbird/uikit-react-native';
const GroupChannelListFragment = createGroupChannelListFragment();
const GroupChannelCreateFragment = createGroupChannelCreateFragment();
const GroupChannelFragment = createGroupChannelFragment();
const GroupChannelListScreen = () => {
const navigation = useNavigation<any>();
return (
<GroupChannelListFragment
onPressCreateChannel={(channelType) => {
// Navigate to GroupChannelCreate function.
navigation.navigate('GroupChannelCreate', { channelType });
}}
onPressChannel={(channel) => {
// Navigate to GroupChannel function.
navigation.navigate('GroupChannel', { channelUrl: channel.url });
}}
/>
);
};
const GroupChannelCreateScreen = () => {
const navigation = useNavigation<any>();
return (
<GroupChannelCreateFragment
onCreateChannel={async (channel) => {
// Navigate to GroupChannel function.
navigation.replace('GroupChannel', { channelUrl: channel.url });
}}
onPressHeaderLeft={() => {
// Go back to the previous screen.
navigation.goBack();
}}
/>
);
};
const GroupChannelScreen = () => {
const navigation = useNavigation<any>();
const { params } = useRoute<any>();
const { sdk } = useSendbirdChat();
const { channel } = useGroupChannel(sdk, params.channelUrl);
if (!channel) return null;
return (
<GroupChannelFragment
channel={channel}
onChannelDeleted={() => {
// Navigate to GroupChannelList function.
navigation.navigate('GroupChannelList');
}}
onPressHeaderLeft={() => {
// Go back to the previous screen.
navigation.goBack();
}}
onPressHeaderRight={() => {
// Navigate to GroupChannelSettings function.
navigation.navigate('GroupChannelSettings', { channelUrl: params.channelUrl });
}}
/>
);
};Register screens to navigator
import { NavigationContainer } from '@react-navigation/native';
import { createNativeStackNavigator } from '@react-navigation/native-stack';
import { SendbirdUIKitContainer, useConnection, useSendbirdChat } from '@sendbird/uikit-react-native';
const RootStack = createNativeStackNavigator();
const SignInScreen = () => {
const { connect } = useConnection();
return (
<View style={{ flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center' }}>
<Pressable
style={{
width: 120,
height: 30,
backgroundColor: '#742DDD',
alignItems: 'center',
justifyContent: 'center',
}}
onPress={() => connect('USER_ID', { nickname: 'NICKNAME' })}
>
<Text>{'Sign in'}</Text>
</Pressable>
</View>
);
};
const Navigation = () => {
const { currentUser } = useSendbirdChat();
return (
<NavigationContainer>
<RootStack.Navigator screenOptions={{ headerShown: false }}>
{!currentUser ? (
<RootStack.Screen name={'SignIn'} component={SignInScreen} />
) : (
<>
<RootStack.Screen name={'GroupChannelList'} component={GroupChannelListScreen} />
<RootStack.Screen name={'GroupChannelCreate'} component={GroupChannelCreateScreen} />
<RootStack.Screen name={'GroupChannel'} component={GroupChannelScreen} />
</>
)}
</RootStack.Navigator>
</NavigationContainer>
);
};
const App = () => {
return (
<SendbirdUIKitContainer
appId={APP_ID}
platformServices={{
file: FileService,
notification: NotificationService,
clipboard: ClipboardService,
media: MediaService,
recorder: RecorderService,
player: PlayerService,
}}
>
<Navigation />
</SendbirdUIKitContainer>
);
};You can use sendbird sdk using
useSendbirdChat()hook, and you can connect or disconnect usinguseConnection()hook. for more details about hooks, please refer to our docs