Chat Builder streamlines integrating CometChat’s Android UI Kit into your app. Design the experience visually, export platform‑ready assets and settings, and wire them into your Android project with a few steps.

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Complete Integration Workflow

  1. Design your chat experience in Chat Builder.
  2. Export your code and settings package.
  3. Enable extra features in the CometChat Dashboard if needed.
  4. Optionally preview the experience in a sample app.
  5. Integrate into your Android project.
  6. Customize further with UI Kit styling and components.

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Launch the Chat Builder

  1. Log in to your CometChat Dashboard: https://app.cometchat.com
  2. Select your application.
  3. Go to Integrate → Android → Launch Chat Builder.

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Enable Features in CometChat Dashboard

If your app needs any of these, enable them from your Dashboard: https://app.cometchat.com
  • Stickers
  • Polls
  • Collaborative whiteboard
  • Collaborative document
  • Message translation
  • AI User Copilot: Conversation starter, Conversation summary, Smart reply
How to enable:
  1. Log in to the Dashboard.
  2. Select your app.
  3. Navigate to Chat → Features.
  4. Toggle ON the required features and Save.

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Integration with CometChat Chat Builder (Android)

Follow these steps in your existing Android app (from README):

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Step 1: Add CometChat Maven repository

Add to settings.gradle.kts (dependencyResolutionManagement): 
maven("https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/cometchat/cometchat/maven/")

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Step 2: Add UI Kit dependencies

In your app module build.gradle: 
dependencies {
  // CometChat UIKit
  implementation 'com.cometchat:chat-uikit-android:5.1.0'

  // Optional: voice/video calling
  implementation 'com.cometchat:calls-sdk-android:4.1.2'
}

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Step 3: Apply the Builder Settings plugin

In your app module build.gradle plugins block: 
plugins {
  id("com.cometchat.builder.settings") version "5.0.0"
}
Sync the project to download plugin dependencies.

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Step 4: Add Builder configuration JSON

Place cometchat-builder-settings.json at your app module root (same level as build.gradle).

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Step 5: Build to generate settings and styles

Run a build to generate CometChatBuilderSettings.kt and add required theme styles: 
./gradlew build

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Step 6: Copy the helper utility

Copy BuilderSettingsHelper.kt from the sample app into your project package (adjust package name):
  • Source: src/main/java/com/cometchat/sampleapp/kotlin/buildersetup/BuilderSettingsHelper.kt
  • Destination: src/main/java/<yourpackage>/BuilderSettingsHelper.kt

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Step 7: Add font resources

Copy the font folder from the sample app into your project under src/main/res/font.

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Step 8: Set the Builder theme

In AndroidManifest.xml: 
<application
  android:theme="@style/CometChat.Builder.Theme">
  ...
</application>

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Step 9: Apply settings to UI components

Use the helper to apply settings on CometChat UI components: 
BuilderSettingsHelper.applySettingsToMessageHeader(binding.messageHeader)
BuilderSettingsHelper.applySettingsToMessageList(binding.messageList)
BuilderSettingsHelper.applySettingsToMessageComposer(binding.messageComposer)

// Other components
BuilderSettingsHelper.applySettingsToUsers(binding.users)
BuilderSettingsHelper.applySettingsToCallLogs(binding.callLog)
BuilderSettingsHelper.applySettingToGroupMembers(binding.groupMembers)

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Step 10: Access generated constants directly

import com.cometchat.builder.CometChatBuilderSettings

if (CometChatBuilderSettings.ChatFeatures.CoreMessagingExperience.PHOTOSSHARING) {
  // Enable photo sharing logic
}

val brandColor = CometChatBuilderSettings.Style.Color.BRANDCOLOR

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Alternative: Import the Sample App as a Module

Prefer plug‑and‑play? Import the preconfigured Builder sample app (from README):
  1. Download the sample from your CometChat Dashboard.
  2. In the imported module’s AndroidManifest.xml, keep only android:name under <application> (or extend your Application from BuilderApplication).
  3. In project Gradle, comment out any CometChat Builder plugin config in the sample.
  4. In the sample’s build.gradle, remove com.cometchat.builder.settings, and change id("com.android.application") → id("com.android.library").
  5. Import module in Android Studio: File → New → Import Module.
  6. Add dependency in your app module: implementation(project(":builder-android")).
  7. Add Jetifier in gradle.properties: android.enableJetifier=true.
  8. Ensure CometChat Maven repository is present in settings.gradle.kts.
  9. Launch activities:
    • Not initialized / not logged in → SplashActivity
    • Logged in → HomeActivity

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Launch Messages screen (examples)

For a User: 
val UID: String = "UID"
val intent = Intent(this, MessagesActivity::class.java)
CometChat.getUser(UID, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<User?>() {
  override fun onSuccess(user: User?) {
    intent.putExtra("user", com.google.gson.Gson().toJson(user))
    startActivity(intent)
  }
  override fun onError(e: CometChatException?) {
    Log.e("TAG", "Error fetching user: ${e?.message}")
  }
})
For a Group: 
val GUID: String = "GUID"
val intent = Intent(this, MessagesActivity::class.java)
CometChat.getGroup(GUID, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<Group?>() {
  override fun onSuccess(group: Group?) {
    intent.putExtra("group", com.google.gson.Gson().toJson(group))
    startActivity(intent)
  }
  override fun onError(e: CometChatException?) {
    Log.e("TAG", "Error fetching group: ${e?.message}")
  }
})

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Run the App

Build and run on a device/emulator from Android Studio. Ensure a CometChat user is created and logged in via your app logic.

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Additional Notes

  • Ensure features (translation, polls, stickers, whiteboard, document, AI copilot) are enabled in Dashboard → Chat → Features.
  • If Gradle sync fails to fetch the plugin, verify the plugin version and Maven repo are configured correctly.

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Understanding Your Generated Code

  • CometChatBuilderSettings.kt: Type‑safe flags and styling constants generated from your Builder config.
  • Theme updates: The plugin injects required styles for Builder themes.

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Troubleshooting

  • Plugin not found: Check internet connectivity and use 5.0.0.
  • Settings not generated: Confirm JSON path and rebuild (Clean/Build).
  • Import errors: Verify package names and imports for BuilderSettingsHelper and CometChatBuilderSettings.

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Next Steps