Chat.io for React Native

This is a React Native component to easily add chat.io widget to your application.

Prerequisites

To use chat.io in your React Native application, you will need the following:

Chat.io license ID

If you already have a chat.io account, get your license_id here.

If you don't have an account, you can create one here.

Client ID and Redirect URI

1. Log in to chat.io Developers Console.
2. Go to "Apps" and add a new application (select the "Web app (frontend, eg. JavaScript)" type).
3. When the app is created, go to Apps -> Authorization for your Client ID and Redirect URI.

Installation

To import chat.io for React Native, run the following command:

npm install react-native-chatio --save

User guide

Start

Having imported chat.io for React Native, put it in your render method:

import ChatIO from "react-native-chatio"

...

 <ChatIO
   clientId="client_id"
   redirectUri="redirect_uri"
   license={license_id}
 />

Customization

Chat bubble

Chat bubble is the round icon (chat trigger) in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Position

You can control the position of the bubble with bubbleLeft and bubbleTop props:

<ChatIO bubbleLeft={0} bubbleTop={0} license={your_license_id} />

Draggability

By default, the bubble component is draggable and movable. You can disable this option by sending movable prop with false value:

<ChatIO movable={false} license={your_license_id} />

Color

You can change the color of the bubble by passing bubbleColor prop:

<ChatIO bubbleColor='red' license={your_license_id} />

Custom bubble

If you don't like the default bubble, you can send bubble prop with your own component:

<ChatIO license={your_license_id}
  bubble={
  <View style={{ width: 60, height: 60, backgroundColor: 'green' }} />
  }
/>

Chat window

This module uses react-native-gifted-chat for chat UI.

You can customise your chat widget by sending props to ChatIO component (like you would normally do with GiftedChat component).

For example, if you want onPressAvatar to show agent's details, you can do it like this:

<ChatIO license={your_license_id}
  onPressAvatar={ info => console.warn(info) } />

You can find all props in the official react-native-gifted-chat documentation.

Methods

This module uses Chat.io Customer SDK. All methods are described here.

To begin with, get your chat reference using onLoaded callback:

<ChatIO 
  onLoaded={ref => this.chat = ref}
  onChatStarted={ chat_id => this.chatId = chat_id}
/>

With this reference you can, for example, get full chat history:

const history = this.chat.getChatHistory(this.chatId);

Learn more about handling chat history here.

Note: Some methods require the current chat_id to work. You can get it with onChatStarted callback.

Available methods

Name	Note
destroy	This method clears any held resources, removes all listeners and disconnects from the network. After using this method you won’t be able to use the destroyed SDK’s instance.
disconnect	Disconnecting user from current chat.
getChatHistory	This method facilitates loading more history events.
sendMessage	Sending message to current chat. More info here.
setSneakPeek	Sets the internal sneak peek value. It will be sent to the server only if the target chat is active and only once per 2 seconds (it’s throttled).
startChat	Starting chat.
updateCustomer	Updates info about customer. More info here.

Events

You can listen for emitted events by subscribing to them (using on method) with your custom JavaScript function.

All events are described here.

Available events

Name	Note
connected	Executes when user connect to Chat.io.
connection_lost	Executes when user lost connection.
connection_restored	Executes when user's connection is restored.
disconnected	Executes when user disconnects from Chat.io.
user_joined_chat	Executes when joining chat.
user_left_chat	Executes when user left chat.
user_is_typing	Executes when user is typing.
user_stopped_typing	Executes when user stopped typing.