Quickstart

This guide helps you integrate Chat UI iOS into your app. You'll learn how to import the SDK, initialize it, connect users, display channel lists and message views, and test message delivery.

Requirements

• iOS app targeting iOS 13.0 or later
• Valid App Key for your target environment
• User access token generated by your app server
• User and group profile data (or managed info service) for displaying names and avatars

Before you start

1. Register a developer account on Nexconn Console (registration creates a development app automatically)
2. Copy the development App Key from Key Management
3. Obtain an access token for your test user from your app server
4. Prepare display data for users and groups

tip

Development and production environments use separate App Keys with isolated data. Switch to your production App Key before app release.

Import the SDK

Chat UI iOS supports CocoaPods and Swift Package Manager. This guide uses CocoaPods. See Import the SDK for all options.

Objective-C

Objective C

#import <NexconnChatSDK/NexconnChatSDK.h>
#import <NexconnChatUI/NexconnChatUI.h>

Swift

swift

import NexconnChatSDK
import NexconnChatUI

Initialize the SDK

Initialize NCChatUI before using any SDK features. The NCInitParams configuration includes:

• appKey: Your application identifier
• areaCode: Data center location. The default is Singapore (NCAreaCodeSg / .sg).
• naviServer: Custom navigation server address. Set it only for private navigation environments.
• crashMonitorEnabled: Error reporting toggle
• logLevel: Debug output level

caution

The SDK defaults to Singapore. Set areaCode explicitly when your App Key belongs to another data center. Configure naviServer only when your environment requires a private navigation server.

Objective-C

Objective C

NSString *appKey = @"Your_AppKey";
NCInitParams *params = [[NCInitParams alloc] initWithAppKey:appKey];
params.areaCode = NCAreaCodeSg; // Set this to your App Key's data center.
// params.naviServer = @"https://your-navi-server.example.com"; // Private navigation only.

[[NCChatUI shared] initializeWithParams:params];

Swift

swift

func application(
  _ application: UIApplication,
  didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?
) -> Bool {
  let params = NCInitParams(appKey: "Your_AppKey")
  params.areaCode = .sg // Set this to your App Key's data center.
  // params.naviServer = "https://your-navi-server.example.com" // Private navigation only.

  NCChatUI.shared().initialize(with: params)
  return true
}

For advanced initialization options, see Initialize the SDK.

info

Find your App Key and data center in Nexconn Console under Service Management.

Get an access token

Access tokens authenticate individual users. Your app server must:

1. Request tokens from Nexconn Server API
2. Securely deliver them to client devices

For testing, use the API Debugger to generate tokens via the Register User endpoint.

danger

Never request tokens directly from client code. This would expose your App Secret through decompilation.

Connect to chat service

Establish a connection before using messaging features:

1. Add connection status monitoring:

   Objective-C

   Objective C

   [[NCChatUI shared] addConnectionStatusDelegate:self];

   Swift

   swift

   final class ChatCoordinator: NSObject, NCChatUIConnectionStatusDelegate {
     override init() {
       super.init()
       NCChatUI.shared().addConnectionStatusDelegate(self)
     }
   
     func onNCChatUIConnectionStatusChanged(_ status: NCConnectionStatus) {
       // Handle connection state changes
     }
   }

2. Connect with user credentials:

   Objective-C

   Objective C

   NCConnectParams *connectParams = [[NCConnectParams alloc] initWithToken:@"Your_Token"];
   connectParams.timeout = 30;
   
   [[NCChatUI shared] connectWithParams:connectParams
                    databaseOpenedHandler:^(BOOL isRecreated, NCError * _Nullable error) {
       // Local database ready
   } completionHandler:^(NSString * _Nullable userId, NCError * _Nullable error) {
       if (userId.length > 0) {
           // Connection successful
       }
   }];

   Swift

   swift

   func connectChatUI() {
     let params = NCConnectParams(token: "Your_Token")
     params.timeout = 30
   
     NCChatUI.shared().connect(
       with: params,
       databaseOpenedHandler: { isRecreated, error in
         // Local database ready
       },
       completionHandler: { userId, error in
         if let userId = userId {
           // Connection successful
         }
       }
     )
   }

3. Configure user profile:

   Objective-C

   Objective C

   NCChatUIUserInfo *currentUser = [[NCChatUIUserInfo alloc] init];
   currentUser.userId = @"user_001";
   currentUser.name = @"Ava";
   currentUser.avatarUrl = @"https://example.com/avatar.png";
   
   [NCChatUI shared].currentUserInfo = currentUser;
   [NCChatUI shared].userInfoDataSource = self;
   [NCChatUI shared].groupInfoDataSource = self;

   Swift

   swift

   let currentUser = NCChatUIUserInfo()
   currentUser.userId = "user_001"
   currentUser.name = "Ava"
   currentUser.avatarUrl = "https://example.com/avatar.png"
   
   NCChatUI.shared().currentUserInfo = currentUser
   NCChatUI.shared().userInfoDataSource = self
   NCChatUI.shared().groupInfoDataSource = self

Display channel list

Use the built-in NCChannelListViewController to show channels. This example filters for direct, group, and system channels:

Objective-C

Objective C

@interface AppChannelListViewController : NCChannelListViewController
@end

NSArray *displayChannelTypes = @[
    @(NCChannelTypeDirect),
    @(NCChannelTypeGroup),
    @(NCChannelTypeSystem)
];

AppChannelListViewController *channelListVC =
    [[AppChannelListViewController alloc] initWithDisplayConversationTypes:displayChannelTypes];

[self.navigationController pushViewController:channelListVC animated:YES];

Swift

swift

final class AppChannelListViewController: NCChannelListViewController {
}

func openChannelList() {
  let displayChannelTypes = [
    NSNumber(value: NCChannelType.direct.rawValue),
    NSNumber(value: NCChannelType.group.rawValue),
    NSNumber(value: NCChannelType.system.rawValue),
  ]

  let channelListViewController =
    AppChannelListViewController(displayConversationTypes: displayChannelTypes)
  navigationController?.pushViewController(channelListViewController, animated: true)
}

note

The SDK provides the channel list view only. Implement search, tabs, and other UI elements in your app.

For profile display, either:

• Implement the info data sources
• Enable the Managed info service

Open channel view

The SDK includes NCChannelViewController for messaging. Handle channel selection in your list view subclass:

Objective-C

Objective C

- (void)onSelectedTableRow:(NCChannelModelType)conversationModelType
         conversationModel:(NCChannelModel *)model
               atIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {

    NCChannelViewController *channelVC =
        [[NCChannelViewController alloc] initWithChannelType:model.channelType
                                                   channelId:model.channelId];
    channelVC.title = model.conversationTitle ?: @"Channel";
    [self.navigationController pushViewController:channelVC animated:YES];
}

Swift

swift

override func onSelectedTableRow(
  _ conversationModelType: NCChannelModelType,
  conversationModel model: NCChannelModel,
  at indexPath: IndexPath
) {
  let channelViewController = NCChannelViewController(
    channelType: model.channelType,
    channelId: model.channelId
  )
  channelViewController.title = model.conversationTitle ?? "Channel"
  navigationController?.pushViewController(channelViewController, animated: true)
}

Test messaging

For direct messaging testing:

1. Use userId as the channelId
2. Send a test message from your server
3. Verify message receipt in the iOS app
4. Send a reply from the app

Next steps

Explore these features:

• User overview
• Group overview
• Channel list page
• Channel page