Send Messages - CometChat Docs

AI Integration Quick Reference

Field	Value
Key Classes	`TextMessage`, `MediaMessage`, `CustomMessage`
Key Methods	`sendTextMessage()`, `sendMediaMessage()`, `sendCustomMessage()`
Receiver Types	`.user`, `.group`
Message Types	`.text`, `.image`, `.video`, `.audio`, `.file`, custom
Prerequisites	SDK initialized, user logged in

CometChat supports three types of messages:

Type	Method	Use Case
Text	`sendTextMessage()`	Plain text messages
Media	`sendMediaMessage()`	Images, videos, audio, files
Custom	`sendCustomMessage()`	Location, polls, or any JSON data

You can also send metadata along with a text, media or custom message. Think, for example, if you’d want to share the user’s location with every message, you can use the metadata field.

Text Message

Send a text message using CometChat.sendTextMessage() with a TextMessage object.

Swift (User)
Objective-C (User)
Swift (Group)
Objective-C (Group)

let receiverID = "cometchat-uid-2"
let text = "Hello"

let textMessage = TextMessage(receiverUid: receiverID, text: text, receiverType: .user)

CometChat.sendTextMessage(message: textMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("TextMessage sent successfully. " + message.stringValue())
}) { (error) in
  print("TextMessage sending failed with error: " + error!.errorDescription);
}

NSString *receiverID = @"cometchat-uid-1";
NSString *text       = @"Hello";

TextMessage *textMessage = [[TextMessage alloc]initWithReceiverUid:receiverID text:text receiverType:ReceiverTypeUser];

[CometChat sendTextMessageWithMessage:textMessage onSuccess:^(TextMessage * message) {
    NSLog(@"TextMessage sent successfully. %@",[message stringValue]);
} onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
    NSLog(@"TextMessage sending failed with error: %@",[error errorDescription]);
}];

let receiverID = "cometchat-guid-102"
let text = "Hello"

let textMessage = TextMessage(receiverUid: receiverID, text: text, receiverType: .group)

CometChat.sendTextMessage(message: textMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("TextMessage sent successfully. " + message.stringValue())
}) { (error) in
  print("TextMessage sending failed with error: " + error!.errorDescription);
}

NSString *receiverID = @"cometchat-guid-101";
NSString *text       = @"Hello";

TextMessage *textMessage = [[TextMessage alloc]initWithReceiverUid:receiverID text:text receiverType:ReceiverTypeGroup];

[CometChat sendTextMessageWithMessage:textMessage onSuccess:^(TextMessage * message) {
    NSLog(@"TextMessage sent successfully. %@",[message stringValue]);
} onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
    NSLog(@"TextMessage sending failed with error: %@",[error errorDescription]);
}];

The TextMessage class constructor takes the following parameters:

Parameter	Description	Required
`receiverID`	UID of the user or GUID of the group receiving the message	Yes
`text`	The text message content	Yes
`receiverType`	`.user` or `.group`	Yes

On success, sendTextMessage() returns a TextMessage object containing all information about the sent message.

Add Metadata

Send custom data along with a text message using the metaData property:

Swift
Objective-C

let metadata = ["latitude":"50.6192171633316","longitude":"-72.68182268750002"];
textMessage.metaData = metadata;

NSDictionary * metadata = @{@"latitude":@"50.6192171633316",@"longitude":@"-72.68182268750002"};
[textMessage setMetaData:metadata];

Add Tags

let tags = ["pinned"]
textMessage.tags = tags

Quote a Message

textMessage.quotedMessageId = 140
textMessage.quotedMessage = // Pass the BaseMessage object you want to quote

Media Message

Send images, videos, audio, or files using CometChat.sendMediaMessage(). There are two ways to send media messages:

Upload a file — Pass a file path and CometChat uploads it automatically
Send a URL — Provide a URL to media hosted on your server or cloud storage

Upload a File

Swift
Objective-C

let receiverid = "cometchat-uid-2"
let mediaUrl = "file:///Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/.../image.jpg"

let mediaMessage = MediaMessage(receiverUid: receiverid, fileurl: mediaUrl, messageType: .image, receiverType: .user)

CometChat.sendMediaMessage(message: mediaMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("MediaMessage sent successfully. " + message.stringValue())
}) { (error) in
  print("MediaMessage sending failed with error: " + error.errorDescription);
}

NSString *receiverID = @"cometchat-uid-1";
NSString *filePath = @"Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/.../image.jpg";

MediaMessage *mediaMessage = [[MediaMessage alloc]initWithReceiverUid:receiverID fileurl:filePath messageType:messageTypeImage receiverType:ReceiverTypeUser];

[CometChat sendMediaMessageWithMessage:mediaMessage onSuccess:^(MediaMessage * message) {
    NSLog(@"MediaMessage sent successfully. %@",[message stringValue]);
} onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
    NSLog(@"MediaMessage sending failed with error: %@",[error errorDescription]);
}];

Send a URL

Use the Attachment class to send media hosted on your server or cloud storage:

let receiverid = "cometchat-uid-2"
let mediaUrl = "https://pngimg.com/uploads/mario/mario_PNG125.png"

let mediaMessage = MediaMessage(receiverUid: receiverid, fileurl: "", messageType: .image, receiverType: .user)
mediaMessage.attachment = Attachment(fileName: "FileName", fileExtension: "png", fileMimeType: "image/png", fileUrl: mediaUrl)

CometChat.sendMediaMessage(message: mediaMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("MediaMessage sent successfully. " + message.stringValue())
}) { (error) in
  print("MediaMessage sending failed with error: " + error.errorDescription);
}

The MediaMessage class constructor takes the following parameters:

Parameter	Description	Required
`receiverID`	UID of the user or GUID of the group	Yes
`fileurl`	File path or empty string if using URL	Yes
`messageType`	`.image`, `.video`, `.audio`, or `.file`	Yes
`receiverType`	`.user` or `.group`	Yes

On success, sendMediaMessage() returns a MediaMessage object.

Add Caption

mediaMessage.caption = "Message Caption"

Add Metadata and Tags

Same as text messages:

mediaMessage.metaData = ["location": "Paris"]
mediaMessage.tags = ["vacation"]

Multiple Attachments in a Media Message

Starting version 3.0.906 & above, the SDK supports sending multiple attachments in a single media message.

let receiverId = "cometchat-uid-1"

let data = try? Data(contentsOf: URL(string: "file:///path/to/image1.jpeg")!)
let data1 = try? Data(contentsOf: URL(string: "file:///path/to/image2.jpeg")!)

var files = [File]()
files.append(File(name: "FileName 1", data: data))
files.append(File(name: "FileName 2", data: data1))

let mediaMessage = MediaMessage(receiverUid: receiverId, files: files, messageType: .file, receiverType: .user)

CometChat.sendMediaMessage(message: mediaMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("Message sent successfully")
}, onError: { (error) in
  print("Message sending failed: ", error?.errorDescription)
})

Custom Message

Send structured data that doesn’t fit text or media categories — like location coordinates, polls, or game moves.

Swift (User)
Swift (Group)

let receiverid = "cometchat-uid-2"
let customData: [String: Any] = ["customKey": "customData"]

let customMessage = CustomMessage(receiverUid: receiverid, receiverType: .user, customData: customData, type: "Custom Type")

CometChat.sendCustomMessage(message: customMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("CustomMessage sent successfully. " + message.stringValue())
}) { (error) in
  print("CustomMessage sending failed with error: " + error!.errorDescription);
}

let receiverid = "cometchat-guid-1"
let customData: [String: Any] = ["customKey": "customData"]

let customMessage = CustomMessage(receiverUid: receiverid, receiverType: .group, customData: customData, type: "Custom Type")

CometChat.sendCustomMessage(message: customMessage, onSuccess: { (message) in
  print("CustomMessage sent successfully. " + message.stringValue())
}) { (error) in
  print("CustomMessage sending failed with error: " + error!.errorDescription);
}

The CustomMessage class constructor takes the following parameters:

Parameter	Description	Required
`receiverID`	UID of the user or GUID of the group	Yes
`receiverType`	`.user` or `.group`	Yes
`customData`	Dictionary with your custom data	Yes
`type`	Your custom type string (e.g., `"location"`, `"poll"`)	Yes

On success, sendCustomMessage() returns a CustomMessage object.

Add Tags

customMessage.tags = ["starredMessage"]

Control Conversation Update

By default, custom messages update the conversation’s last message. To prevent this:

customMessage.updateConversation = false

Custom Notification Text

Set custom text for push, email, and SMS notifications:

customMessage.conversationText = "Shared a location"

It is also possible to send interactive messages from CometChat. To learn more, see Interactive Messages.

Next Steps

Receive Messages

Listen for incoming messages in real-time

Edit Message

Edit previously sent messages

Delete Message

Delete sent messages

​Text Message

​Add Metadata

​Add Tags

​Quote a Message

​Media Message

​Upload a File

​Send a URL

​Add Caption

​Add Metadata and Tags

​Multiple Attachments in a Media Message

​Custom Message

​Add Tags

​Control Conversation Update

​Custom Notification Text

​Next Steps

Receive Messages

Edit Message

Delete Message

Text Message

Add Metadata

Add Tags

Quote a Message

Media Message

Upload a File

Send a URL

Add Caption

Add Metadata and Tags

Multiple Attachments in a Media Message

Custom Message

Add Tags

Control Conversation Update

Custom Notification Text

Next Steps