What is React-Native Armia Chat-SDK
The React Native Chat SDK makes it easy to build in-app chat like WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, Signal app, which can easily be done through Chat SDK. Users can easily add chat functionality on their mobile as well as on desktop. The react native armia chat SDK library includes components you need to build a functioning chat user experience in React with one-to-one and group chat support.
Users can send audio and video messages, exchange photos and files. It uses Firebase as the backend service. You can download the FREE SDK to save months of development time from your project using the Chat SDK. If you are hosting in your own infra, there is no cost. If you want to host it in our infrastructure, there would be a hosting cost for more than 1000 chats per month. How does SDK work within a mobile app?
The SDK takes care of the basic functionality requirements for any chat application.
In this project, We have used the following Firebase services.
- Firebase Authentication: For authentication user by phone number
- Firebase RealTime Database: That’s we for handle real-time chat
- Firebase Storage: That’s we use to store user profile image
How To Start?
Integrating the react-native armia chat-SDK library into your app is a simple process. To smoothen your development, we’ve attempted to create very clear, concise documentation of react-native Armia chat-SDK. Before we start, this tutorial assumes that you have the following things installed and configured on your machine:
- Visual studio code
- Node
- Android Studio
- XCode
- Firebase Setup
For Firebase setup, you need to follow these instructions
Benefits
- Free to download and Use
- React Native SDK
- Lightweight Chat SDK
- User to user chat
- Group chat
- Audio and Video messaging
Quickstart with react-native Armia chat-SDK
STEP 1 – Creating a new Armia application
STEP 2 – Installing the Armia Chat SDK
STEP 3 – Initializing the Armia Chat SDK
STEP 4 – Connecting to the Database
Setting up a sample application
- Firebase setup
- Application setup
- Using components and functions
Advanced
Folder structure
All the strings, colors, fonts, async storage, utility functions are declared under the utils folder.
Common styles are declared under the theme folder. MobX is used for state management. The DB communication functions are under the store folder. Screens,Images,navigation functions,components,chat components are separately arranged into folders.
Steps to be followed
- The directory structure should be followed and Each file should be kept in the corresponding directory only.
- Files should be correctly named. Some of the name formats are mandatory, while others are for better readability and cleanliness.
- JavaScript code should be written in .js files.
- Common JS logic can be written in app.js, whereas page-specific JS can be in separate JS files.
- All styles should be written in .css files and kept in the styles folder in the project directory.
React Native Chat SDK Features
The react-native chat-SDK library provides many features like
- Login
- Signup
- Profile
- Search users
- Thread List
- Thread Details
- Create group
- Group details
- Edit group
Thread List, Thread details, Single contact list items are designed as components. It can be applied to your projects. The functions for login,signup,search,listing,create group,group details etc are also provided.
ChatWithMe
ChatWithMe is a simple one-to-one and group chat application. The application starts with a login page.
You can sign up/log in to the application using your email and password. The home page contains a chat list, options to view profiles, search users, create groups.
One to one chat
We can search for users and chat with them. Once the user started chatting, it will be added to the home page list.
The list will show profile image, name, unread count, online status, last message,
last message time. We can go to a details page. It contains profile image, name, last seen, messages, message bar to send messages, etc.
Group chat
We can create a group using the option provided on the home page. Group name, image, and at least one member are mandatory. Admin will be the person who created the group. The group will be added to the home page list. It contains profile image, name, last seen, messages, message bar to send messages, etc. We can see the group info by clicking on the title bar. We can edit the group info if we have created the group.
Requirements
The backend service used is Firebase. So firebase configuration should be done. You can follow this instruction
for integration.
Steps to be followed
If you want to make changes to the SDK in node modules, you have to make changes to the SDK project and publish it to NPM as armia systems. If you are integrated the SDK as a module, you can directly make changes to the
file.
Features
The ChatWithMe app provides some features like
- Login
Email and password are required to log in to the app. After login, it will proceed to the home page.
- Signup
Email and password are required to sign up for the app. After sign up, it will proceed to the home page.
- Profile and edit profile
Image, name can be viewed and edited through profile view
- Search users
We can search users through the search bar provided. Matching search results will be listed upon typing in the search bar.
- Thread List
Contain profile image, name, unread count, online status, last message, and time
- Thread Details
Contain profile image, name, last seen, messages with time, message bar to send message
- Create group
Group name, image, at least one member is mandatory to create a group
- Group details
Group name, image, members
- Edit group
Only created person(Admin) can edit the group. Admin can edit Group name, image and members.
Why to Choose React Native For Chat App Development?
- Availability of Developers If you require it
- Lower Development Cost
- Reusable UI Components
- Compatibility to Cross-Platform
React Native is a technology focused solely on building mobile apps using the platform node.js, Android Studio/ Expo Client App. React Native uses ReactJS as the JavaScript library, which enables it users to have all its advantages. To build a cross-platform app with React Native, the language of the native platform needn’t be known by developers. They should be familiar with JavaScript and be familiar with the React syntax. They can also add a native component to the code.
React Native requires Bridge components to be written for each platform to use them. It brings it back closer to a hybrid framework. But in the case of React Native, you needn’t be anxious about the platform specific behaviors in providing the most seamless experience for your users.
If you have decided to build chat functionality in the client app, then React Native is one of the most popular frameworks. Our Chat SDK allows you to configure, build, and integrate chat functionality into any web or mobile app. If you have any questions concerning how to build chat app functionality into your app, contact our business development team for a consultation. Our development team is available for integrating text, audio, video chat functionality to your mobile apps or build a new chat app using the Chat SDK.
