Message - CometChat Docs

The below diagram helps you better understand the various message categories and types that a CometChat message can belong to.

Categories Overview

Category	Types	Description
`message`	`text`, `image`, `video`, `audio`, `file`	Standard user messages
`custom`	Developer-defined	Custom data (location, polls, etc.)
`action`	`groupMember`, `message`	System-generated events
`call`	`audio`, `video`	Call-related messages

Checking Message Category and Type

Use getCategory() and getType() to determine how to handle a received message:

TypeScript
JavaScript

const category: string = message.getCategory();
const type: string = message.getType();

switch (category) {
case CometChat.CATEGORY_MESSAGE:
if (type === CometChat.MESSAGE_TYPE.TEXT) {
const textMsg = message as CometChat.TextMessage;
console.log("Text:", textMsg.getText());
} else if (type === CometChat.MESSAGE_TYPE.IMAGE) {
const mediaMsg = message as CometChat.MediaMessage;
console.log("Image URL:", mediaMsg.getData().url);
}
break;
case CometChat.CATEGORY_CUSTOM:
const customMsg = message as CometChat.CustomMessage;
console.log("Custom type:", type, "data:", customMsg.getData());
break;
case CometChat.CATEGORY_ACTION:
console.log("Action:", message.getAction());
break;
case CometChat.CATEGORY_CALL:
console.log("Call status:", message.getStatus());
break;
}

const category = message.getCategory();
const type = message.getType();

switch (category) {
 case CometChat.CATEGORY_MESSAGE:
 if (type === CometChat.MESSAGE_TYPE.TEXT) {
 const textMsg = message as CometChat.TextMessage;
 console.log("Text:", textMsg.getText());
 } else if (type === CometChat.MESSAGE_TYPE.IMAGE) {
 const mediaMsg = message as CometChat.MediaMessage;
 console.log("Image URL:", mediaMsg.getData().url);
 }
 break;
 case CometChat.CATEGORY_CUSTOM:
 const customMsg = message as CometChat.CustomMessage;
 console.log("Custom type:", type, "data:", customMsg.getData());
 break;
 case CometChat.CATEGORY_ACTION:
 console.log("Action:", message.getAction());
 break;
 case CometChat.CATEGORY_CALL:
 console.log("Call status:", message.getStatus());
 break;
}

Standard Messages (`message` Category)

Messages with category message are standard user-sent messages:

Type	Description
`text`	Plain text message
`image`	Image attachment
`video`	Video attachment
`audio`	Audio attachment
`file`	File attachment

Custom Messages (`custom` Category)

Custom messages allow you to send data that doesn’t fit the default categories. You define your own type to identify the message (e.g., location, poll, sticker).

// Example: Sending a location as a custom message
const customMessage = new CometChat.CustomMessage(
  receiverID,
  CometChat.RECEIVER_TYPE.USER,
  "location",
  { latitude: 37.7749, longitude: -122.4194 }
);

See Send Message → Custom Messages for details.

Action Messages (`action` Category)

Action messages are system-generated events. They have a type and an action property: Type: groupMember — Actions on group members:

joined — Member joined the group
left — Member left the group
kicked — Member was kicked
banned — Member was banned
unbanned — Member was unbanned
added — Member was added
scopeChanged — Member’s scope was changed

Type: message — Actions on messages:

edited — Message was edited
deleted — Message was deleted

Call Messages (`call` Category)

Call messages track call events with types audio or video. The status property indicates the call state:

Status	Description
`initiated`	Call started
`ongoing`	Call accepted and in progress
`canceled`	Caller canceled
`rejected`	Receiver rejected
`unanswered`	No answer
`busy`	Receiver on another call
`ended`	Call completed

See Default Calling or Direct Calling for implementation.

Next Steps

Send Messages

Send text, media, and custom messages

Receive Messages

Listen for incoming messages in real time

Message Filtering

Advanced message filtering with RequestBuilder

​Categories Overview

​Checking Message Category and Type

​Standard Messages (message Category)

​Custom Messages (custom Category)

​Action Messages (action Category)

​Call Messages (call Category)

​Next Steps