User Interface Preview
Key Components
- Chat Header – Displays user or group name, avatar, and back button.
- Message List – Displays chat messages and real-time updates.
- Message Composer – Allows sending of text, media, and reactions.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Setup SceneDelegate.swift
Ensure UIKit is initialized and the user is logged in before presenting the conversation view.SceneDelegate.swift
import UIKit
import CometChatUIKitSwift
import CometChatSDK
import CometChatCallsSDK
class SceneDelegate: UIResponder, UIWindowSceneDelegate {
var window: UIWindow?
func scene(_ scene: UIScene, willConnectTo session: UISceneSession, options connectionOptions: UIScene.ConnectionOptions) {
guard let windowScene = (scene as? UIWindowScene) else { return }
let uikitSettings = UIKitSettings()
.set(appID: "<#Enter Your App ID Here#>")
.set(region: "<#Enter Your Region Code Here#>")
.set(authKey: "<#Enter Your AuthKey Here#>")
.subscribePresenceForAllUsers()
.build()
CometChatUIKit.init(uiKitSettings: uikitSettings) { result in
switch result {
case .success:
debugPrint("CometChatUIKit initialization succeeded")
let uid = "cometchat-uid-1"
CometChatUIKit.login(uid: uid) { loginResult in
switch loginResult {
case .success:
debugPrint("CometChatUIKit login succeeded")
DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self] in
guard let self = self else { return }
self.setupConversationsView(windowScene: windowScene)
}
case .onError(let error):
debugPrint("Login failed: \(error.description)")
@unknown default: break
}
}
case .failure(let error):
debugPrint("Initialization failed: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}
}
}
func setupConversationsView(windowScene: UIWindowScene) {
let conversationsVC = CometChatConversations()
let navController = UINavigationController(rootViewController: conversationsVC)
conversationsVC.set(onItemClick: { [weak navController] conversation, _ in
let messagesVC = MessagesVC()
messagesVC.group = conversation.conversationWith as? Group
messagesVC.user = conversation.conversationWith as? CometChatSDK.User
navController?.pushViewController(messagesVC, animated: true)
})
window = UIWindow(windowScene: windowScene)
window?.rootViewController = navController
window?.makeKeyAndVisible()
}
}
Step 2: Create MessagesVC.swift
This view controller handles chat between users or within groups.MessagesVC.swift
import UIKit
import CometChatSDK
import CometChatUIKitSwift
/// A view controller that displays a chat interface using CometChat components
class MessagesVC: UIViewController {
// MARK: - Properties
/// The user entity for one-on-one chats
var user: User?
/// The group entity for group chats
var group: Group?
// MARK: - UI Components
/// Header view displaying user/group information
private lazy var headerView: CometChatMessageHeader = {
let view = CometChatMessageHeader()
view.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
// Configure for the appropriate conversation type
if let user = user {
view.set(user: user)
} else if let group = group {
view.set(group: group)
}
view.set(controller: self)
return view
}()
/// Message input composer view
private lazy var composerView: CometChatMessageComposer = {
let composer = CometChatMessageComposer()
composer.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
// Configure for the appropriate conversation type
if let user = user {
composer.set(user: user)
} else if let group = group {
composer.set(group: group)
}
composer.set(controller: self)
return composer
}()
/// List view displaying chat messages
private lazy var messageListView: CometChatMessageList = {
let listView = CometChatMessageList()
listView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
// Configure for the appropriate conversation type
if let user = user {
listView.set(user: user)
} else if let group = group {
listView.set(group: group)
}
listView.set(controller: self)
return listView
}()
// MARK: - Lifecycle Methods
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
configureView()
setupLayout()
}
override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
navigationController?.setNavigationBarHidden(false, animated: true)
}
// MARK: - Private Methods
/// Configure basic view properties
private func configureView() {
view.backgroundColor = .systemBackground
navigationController?.setNavigationBarHidden(true, animated: false)
}
/// Set up view hierarchy and constraints
private func setupLayout() {
// Add subviews to the view hierarchy
[headerView, messageListView, composerView].forEach { view.addSubview($0) }
// Set up constraints
NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
// Header view constraints
headerView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.safeAreaLayoutGuide.topAnchor),
headerView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor),
headerView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor),
headerView.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: 50),
// Message list view constraints
messageListView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: headerView.bottomAnchor),
messageListView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor),
messageListView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor),
messageListView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: composerView.topAnchor),
// Composer view constraints
composerView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor),
composerView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor),
composerView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.safeAreaLayoutGuide.bottomAnchor)
])
}
}
Next Steps
Enhance the User Experience
- Advanced Customizations – Personalize the chat UI to align with your brand.