Why react-native-gifted-chat is the Best Chat UI Library for React Native Apps
When I recently released a new mobile app, I needed to implement a comment and chat feature. As a React Native developer, I started by…
When I recently released a new mobile app, I needed to implement a comment and chat feature. As a React Native developer, I started by exploring the community to see if there were any reliable chat UI libraries. After testing several options, I decided to create my own chat component. As you can imagine, this didn’t go as smoothly as planned. I quickly ran into bugs with keyboard avoidance, streaming messages, handling multiple users, tagging, and more. That’s when I stumbled upon react-native-gifted-chat, and my development process instantly improved.
In this article, I’ll explain why react-native-gifted-chat is the best choice for your React Native chat UI and how it can save you time and effort.
What is react-native-gifted-chat?
react-native-gifted-chat is a popular, fully customizable chat UI library specifically designed for React Native applications. It’s packed with features out of the box, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to integrate a robust and flexible chat interface without building one from scratch. Below are some of the key features that make it stand out:
- Fully Customizable Components: Tailor the look and feel of your chat app to match your branding.
- Composer Actions: Add rich media functionality, like attaching photos or videos.
- Load Earlier Messages: Supports loading and fetching previous messages seamlessly.
- Message Copying: Users can copy messages to their clipboard for easy sharing.
- Clickable Links: Automatically parses and links URLs in the chat.
- Avatar Support: Display avatars using user initials for a personalized touch.
- Localized Dates: Automatically format timestamps based on the user’s locale.
- Multi-line TextInput: Support for multiline input, essential for longer messages.
- Input Toolbar with Keyboard Avoidance: Ensures the chat input is always accessible, even with the keyboard visible.
- Redux Support: Easily integrate the library with Redux for state management.
- System Messages: Display system messages like notifications or errors in the chat.
- Quick Reply Messages: Add quick reply buttons for bot interactions or predefined responses.
- Typing Indicator: Shows when the other person is typing, enhancing the chat experience.
My Journey with react-native-gifted-chat
After trying to build my own chat component, I realized how complex and time-consuming it was. Managing message streams, keyboard issues, and dynamic interactions required a lot of effort and didn’t lead to the polished experience I wanted for my users. That’s when I turned to react-native-gifted-chat. Here’s why it became my go-to option.
How Easy It Is to Get Started
Getting started with react-native-gifted-chat is straightforward. Here’s an example of a basic implementation:
import React, { useState, useCallback, useEffect } from 'react';
import { GiftedChat } from 'react-native-gifted-chat';
export function ChatScreen() {
const [messages, setMessages] = useState([]);
useEffect(() => {
setMessages([
{
_id: 1,
text: 'Hello developer',
createdAt: new Date(),
user: {
_id: 2,
name: 'React Native',
avatar: 'https://placeimg.com/140/140/any',
},
},
]);
}, []);
const onSend = useCallback((messages = []) => {
setMessages(previousMessages =>
GiftedChat.append(previousMessages, messages),
);
}, []);
return (
<GiftedChat
messages={messages}
onSend={messages => onSend(messages)}
user={{
_id: 1,
}}
/>
);
}In the above code, we set up a basic chat screen that displays messages. We’re using the GiftedChat component to display messages, and the onSend function to update the message list whenever a user sends a new message. With this simple setup, you get all the powerful features of react-native-gifted-chat without needing to write any complex logic yourself.
Key Benefits of Using react-native-gifted-chat
- Out-of-the-box Features
One of the biggest advantages of react-native-gifted-chat is that it offers all the core features you need in a messaging app right out of the box. From avatars to multi-line text input, you don’t have to spend time re-implementing these common features yourself. - Customizability
While react-native-gifted-chat offers a lot of functionality by default, it also provides ample flexibility to customize the components. You can adjust the layout, theme, colors, fonts, and even the behavior of certain elements to suit your app’s design and requirements. - Active Community Support
The library has an active community and is maintained regularly, so you don’t have to worry about it becoming obsolete. Whether it’s bug fixes, new features, or support with implementation, you’ll find help on GitHub or in the active react-native-gifted-chat Discord channel. - Seamless Keyboard Management
One of the most common issues in chat apps is managing the keyboard when users are typing. react-native-gifted-chat handles this smoothly with built-in keyboard avoidance, ensuring that the input field remains accessible even when the keyboard is open. - Easy Integration with Redux
If you’re using Redux to manage your app’s state, you’ll appreciate that react-native-gifted-chat has built-in support for it. This allows you to manage your chat state globally and ensures consistency across your app. - Typing Indicators and Quick Replies
With features like typing indicators and quick replies, react-native-gifted-chat brings a high level of interactivity to your chat interface, making it feel like a real-time, dynamic experience for users.
Conclusion: Why You Should Choose react-native-gifted-chat
After trying several options and spending time developing my own solution, I can confidently say that react-native-gifted-chat is the best chat UI library for React Native apps. It’s highly customizable, feature-rich, and saves you the trouble of building your own complex messaging system from scratch.
If you’re building a chat app or want to integrate messaging features into your app, I highly recommend using react-native-gifted-chat. It not only accelerates development but also provides a polished, user-friendly experience right out of the box.
With its active community, seamless integrations, and a wide range of features, react-native-gifted-chat is the best choice for your next chat interface. Try it today and streamline your app development process!
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