How to Build a React Native Chat UI with CometChat's UI Kit Builder

Building a chat interface for mobile apps can get complex quickly.

What starts as a simple message list and input box soon expands into typing indicators, read receipts, media attachments, presence updates, and real-time synchronization across devices. Then you run into mobile-specific challenges, keyboard avoidance, scroll behavior on long message lists, and subtle differences between iOS and Android.

For React Native developers, assembling these elements manually can take significant development time.

UI kits help speed things up, but they still require wiring multiple components together before the experience feels complete.

The CometChat UI Kit Builder for React Native takes a different approach.

Instead of assembling chat UI components manually, you design the interface visually, configure features, customize themes, and sync those settings directly into your React Native app.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully configured chat UI running inside your mobile application.

What is the CometChat UI Kit Builder for React Native?

The CometChat UI Kit Builder for React Native is a visual configuration tool that lets you design and control your chat experience before writing UI code.

Instead of toggling features inside individual components, you configure everything through a visual interface and sync that configuration directly with your app.

Under the hood, it works with the @cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native package, which provides production-ready react native chat components along with real-time messaging infrastructure.

This allows React Native teams to move from idea to a working chat interface much faster, without assembling UI components manually.

Why Use the Builder for React Native?

Most React Native teams follow a familiar workflow when building chat:

It works. but it takes time before you see a usable interface.

The Builder simplifies this workflow.

Instead of configuring everything inside your codebase, you configure the chat experience visually and sync those settings into your app.

This shift has a few practical advantages:

In practice, teams can go from UI concept to a working mobile chat interface in a few hours.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure your environment includes:

Step 1: Run the Builder Sample App

The easiest way to get started is by running the React Native Builder sample app.

This sample app lets you experiment with different chat configurations and preview them instantly on a device or emulator.

Typical workflow:

• Clone the Builder sample project

• Install dependencies

• Run the app on Android or iOS

• Log in using your CometChat credentials

Once the app launches, you’ll see the Builder interface where you can start configuring your chat experience.

Step 2: Configure Chat and Calling Features

Inside the Builder, you can control the features that power your chat experience.

Core messaging features include:

• 1:1 messaging

• Group conversations

• Message reactions

• Typing indicators

• Read and delivery receipts

• Media sharing

• Mentions and tagging

These are backed by CometChat’s real-time infrastructure, so message delivery and synchronization are handled out of the box.

Optional engagement features:

• Voice and video calling

• Message editing and deletion

• Notifications

• Layout-level behavior controls

Instead of editing component logic, you enable or disable these features through simple toggles in the Builder UI.

Step 3: Customize Layout and Theme

Mobile chat UI needs to feel native to your app, not like an embedded feature.

The Builder allows you to customize:

All changes are reflected instantly in the preview, making it easy to iterate on design before syncing it to your app.

Step 4: Import the Builder Configuration

Once your chat UI is configured, you can import the settings directly into your React Native project.

The Builder supports two configuration methods:

This configuration typically includes:

• Feature selections

• Layout settings

• Theme configuration

• UI behavior preferences

Because the React Native UI Kit understands this configuration schema, your chat interface automatically adapts to these settings.

Step 5: Integrate the Configuration into Your React Native App

After exporting the configuration, integrate it into your project.

1. Copy the Builder configuration

Move the exported files (such as config.json) into your codebase.

2. Initialize the CometChat SDK

Configure the SDK with your app credentials.

3. Apply the Builder theme

Wrap your application with the theme provider configured using the builder settings.

4. Enable UI Kit components

Use the imported configuration to control which chat components render in your app.

Because the configuration is centralized, your UI automatically reflects the settings defined in the Builder.

A Faster Way to Build Chat for Mobile

Building chat UI for mobile apps usually means assembling multiple components, handling state, and dealing with platform-specific behavior.

The CometChat UI Kit Builder simplifies that workflow.

Instead of wiring everything manually, you:

• Design the interface visually

• Configure messaging features

• Apply themes and layouts

Sync the configuration directly into your app

For React Native teams, this is a faster path to shipping chat.

You still retain full control over the UI and SDK when you need deeper customization, but you start with a working interface from day one.

Try the CometChat UI Kit Builder.

Shrinithi Vijayaraghavan

Creative Storytelling , CometChat

Shrinithi is a creative storyteller at CometChat who loves integrating technology and writing and sharing stories with the world. Shrinithi is excited to explore the endless possibilities of technology and storytelling combined together that can captivate and intrigue the audience.