Core

Overview of CometChat’s core chat features including instant messaging, media sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, user presence, reactions, mentions, threaded conversations, and moderation.

AI Integration Quick Reference

Field	Value
Packages	com.cometchat:chatuikit-kotlin-android (Kotlin XML Views), com.cometchat:chatuikit-compose-android (Jetpack Compose)
Required setup	CometChatUIKit.init() then CometChatUIKit.login() — must complete before rendering any component
Core features	Instant Messaging, Media Sharing, Read Receipts, Mark as Unread, Typing Indicator, User Presence, Reactions, Mentions, Rich Text Formatting, Quoted Reply, Search, Threaded Conversations, Moderation, Report Message, Group Chat
Key components	CometChatConversations, CometChatMessageList, CometChatMessageComposer, CometChatMessageHeader, CometChatUsers, CometChatGroups, CometChatGroupMembers, CometChatMessageInformation, CometChatThreadHeader
Theming	See Theming

The UI Kit components work together to deliver a complete chat experience. The sections below map each core feature to the components that power it.

Instant Messaging

Real-time text messaging — users can send and receive instant messages.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageComposer	Enables users to write and send text messages.
CometChatMessageList	Renders sent and received messages using text bubbles.

Media Sharing

Share images, videos, audio files, and documents within conversations.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageComposer	Provides an action sheet with options for sharing media files.
CometChatMessageList	Renders media message bubbles — Image, File, Audio, Video.

Read Receipts

Visibility into message status — delivered and read indicators.

Component	Role
CometChatConversations	Displays delivery status of the last message in each conversation item.
CometChatMessageList	Shows read receipt status on every message bubble.
CometChatMessageInformation	Shows detailed delivery and read status for a specific sent message.

Mark as Unread

Users can manually mark messages as unread to revisit important conversations later. The message list can start from the first unread message automatically.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageList	Provides the “Mark as unread” option in message actions and supports starting from the first unread message.
CometChatConversations	Reflects updated unread count in real-time.

Typing Indicators

Shows when a user is typing a response in real-time.

Component	Role
CometChatConversations	Shows real-time typing status in conversation items.
CometChatMessageHeader	Displays a “typing…” indicator when the other user or a group member is typing.

User Presence

See whether contacts are online or offline.

Component	Role
CometChatConversations	Shows user presence in conversation items.
CometChatMessageHeader	Displays user presence in the chat header.
CometChatUsers	Shows presence indicators in the user list.
CometChatGroupMembers	Shows presence indicators for group members.

Reactions

React to messages with emojis without typing a full response.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageList	Displays reactions on message bubbles and provides the reaction picker.

Mentions

Address specific users in a conversation by typing @ to trigger mention suggestions.

Component	Role
CometChatConversations	Shows where users have been mentioned from the conversation list.
CometChatMessageComposer	Triggers mention suggestions on @ and inserts formatted mentions.
CometChatMessageList	Renders mentions with distinct styling in the message flow.

Rich Text Formatting

Rich Text Formatting allows users to style their messages with bold, italic, strikethrough, code, code blocks, blockquotes, ordered/unordered lists, and links. This brings richer expression to conversations and helps users emphasize key points.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageComposer	Provides a built-in rich text editor with formatting toolbar and text selection menu items for bold, italic, strikethrough, code, links, lists, blockquotes, and code blocks.
CometChatMessageList	Renders formatted messages with the appropriate styling automatically applied, ensuring that rich text formatting is displayed exactly as intended by the sender.

Threaded Conversations

Respond directly to a specific message, keeping conversations organized.

Component	Role
CometChatThreadHeader	Displays all replies made to a particular message.
CometChatMessageComposer	Allows composing messages within a thread.
CometChatMessageList	Displays threaded messages in context.

Quoted Replies

Reply to specific messages by selecting “Reply” from the message action menu, maintaining context in the conversation.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageList	Provides the “Reply” option in message actions.
CometChatMessageComposer	Shows the quoted reply above the input field for context.

Group Chats

Conversations with multiple participants — team collaborations, group discussions, and communities.

Component	Role
CometChatGroups	Lists and manages groups.
CometChatGroupMembers	Displays and manages group members with roles and actions.

Moderation

Automatically filter and manage inappropriate content based on predefined rules.

Learn more about setting up moderation rules in the Moderation documentation.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageList	Handles moderated messages, displaying blocked content based on your moderation settings.

Report Message

Users can report inappropriate messages by choosing from predefined reasons with optional remarks.

Learn more about flagged messages in the Flagged Messages documentation.

Component	Role
CometChatMessageList	Provides the “Report Message” option in message actions.

Conversation and Advanced Search

Conversation and Advanced Search enables users to quickly find conversations, messages, and media across chats in real time. It supports filters, scopes, and custom actions, allowing users to locate content efficiently while keeping the chat experience smooth and intuitive.

Component	Role
CometChatSearch	Allows users to search across conversations and messages in real time. Users can click on a result to open the conversation or jump directly to a specific message.
CometChatMessageHeader	Shows the search button in the chat header, allowing users to search within a conversation.
CometChatMessageList	Shows the selected message when clicked from search results and highlights it in the message list.
CometChatConversations	Displays the search input.

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Next Steps

Components Overview

Browse all available UI Kit components

Theme

Customize the look and feel of your chat UI

Call Features

Add audio and video calling

AI Features

Explore AI-powered chat capabilities