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Before you begin

  1. Register a QuickBlox account. This is a matter of a few minutes and you will be able to use this account to build your apps.
  2. Configure QuickBlox SDK for your app. Check out Setup page for more details.
  3. Create a user session to be able to use QuickBlox functionality. See Authentication page to learn how to do it.
  4. Connect to the Chat server. See Connection page to learn how to do it.
Visit Key Concepts page to learn the most important QuickBlox concepts.

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Dialog types

All chats between users are organized in dialogs. There are 3 types of dialogs:
  • private dialog - a dialog between 2 users.
  • group dialog - a dialog between the specified list of users.
  • public dialog - an open dialog. Any user from your app can be joined to it.
You need to create a new dialog and then use it to chat with other users. You also can obtain a list of your existing dialogs.

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Create dialog

To create a private dialog, you need to set the dialog type to 3 and ID of an opponent you want to create a chat with.
JavaScript
var params = {
  type: 3,
  occupants_ids: [56]
};

QB.chat.dialog.create(params, function(error, dialog) {});
To create a group dialog for a predefined number of occupants, you need to set the dialog type to 2 and IDs of opponents, you want to create a chat with.
JavaScript
var params = {
  type: 2,
  occupants_ids: [56, 98, 34],
  name: "Hawaii relax team"
  // Photo can be a link to a file in Content module, Custom Objects module or just a web link.
  // photo: ""
};

QB.chat.dialog.create(params, function(error, dialog) {});
It’s possible to create a public dialog, so any user from your application can be joined to it. There is no list of occupants. This dialog is open for everybody. You just need to set the dialog type to 1 and a name for a new dialog.
JavaScript
var params = {
  type: 1,
  name: "Blockchain trends"
  // Photo can be a link to a file in Content module, Custom Objects module or just a web link.
  // photo: ""
};

QB.chat.dialog.create(params, function(error, dialog) {});

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Create dialog with custom parameters

A dialog can be extended with additional parameters. These parameters can be used to store additional data. Also, these parameters can be used in dialogs retrieval requests. To start using additional parameters, create an additional schema of your parameters. This is a custom objects class. Just create an empty class with all fields that you need. These fields will be additional parameters in your dialog. See this section to learn how to create a schema using Custom Objects. Then, specify the parameters defined in the schema in a new dialog.
JavaScript
// you should already have created a 'CoolDialog'custom objects class

var params = {
  type: 2,
  name: "My friends",
  data:{
    "class_name":"CoolDialog",
    "category":"friends"
  }
};

QB.chat.dialog.create(params, function(error, dialog) {});
Set the following fields of the params.
FieldRequiredDescription
typeyesDialog type. There tree dialog types:- type: 1 - public dialog.- type: 2 - group dialog.- type: 3 - private dialog.
nameyesDialog name.
datayesSpecifies additional parameters in a new dialog.

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Join dialog

Before you start chatting in a group or public dialog, you need to join it by calling the join() method. If you’ve successfully joined the dialog, you can send/receive messages in real-time. See this section to learn how to send/receive messages.
JavaScript
var dialog = "...";

var dialogJid = QB.chat.helpers.getRoomJidFromDialogId(dialog._id);
try {
  QB.chat.muc.join(dialogJid, function(error, result) {});
} catch (e) {
  if (e.name === 'ChatNotConnectedError') {
    // not connected to chat
  }
}
ArgumentRequiredDescription
dialogJidyesRoom JID. JID (Jabber ID) of XMPP room in the XMPP server. Empty for a privatе dialog. Generated automatically by the server after dialog creation. You can get JID from the dialog ID. The JID format is the following: <app_id>-<dialog_id>@muc.chat.quickblox.com
function()yesSpecifies a callback function that accepts an error and result.
Let’s see, how the join() method is used with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublicGroupPrivate
Join✓✓✗
You can join a group dialog only if your user ID is present in the occupants_ids array, in the dialog model.Your user ID is added to the occupants_ids array if you create a dialog or you are added to the dialog by the other user. See this section to learn how to add occupants to the group dialog.

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Leave dialog

You can leave the group or public dialog by calling the leave() method. If the dialog is left, you can’t send/receive messages. To be able to receive/send messages, you need to join it.
JavaScript
var dialogJid = QB.chat.helpers.getRoomJidFromDialogId(dialog._id);
try {
  QB.chat.muc.leave(dialogJid, function(error) {

  });
} catch (e) {
  if (e.name === 'ChatNotConnectedError') {
    // not connected to chat
  }
}
ArgumentRequiredDescription
dialogJidyesRoom JID. JID (Jabber ID) of XMPP room in the XMPP server. Empty for a privatе dialog. Generated automatically by the server after dialog creation. You can get JID from the dialog ID. The JID format is the following: <app_id>-<dialog_id>@muc.chat.quickblox.com
function()yesSpecifies a callback function that accepts an error.
Let’s see, how the leave() method is used with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublicGroupPrivate
Leave✓✓✗
When a group dialog is left, your user ID is still present in the occupants_ids array, in the dialog model. As a result, the dialog will still be present in the list of dialogs and you will still have access to the chat history.To remove yourself from the group dialog, use the update() method. See this section to learn how to remove occupants from the group dialog.

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Retrieve online users

You can get a list of online users from the dialog. Call the listOnlineUsers() method to get the list of online users who are joined to the dialog. As a result, an array of user IDs is returned.
JavaScript
var dialogId = "...";
var dialogJid = QB.chat.helpers.getRoomJidFromDialogId(dialogId);

try {
  QB.chat.muc.listOnlineUsers(dialogJid, function(users) {

  });
} catch (e) {
  if (e.name === 'ChatNotConnectedError') {
    // not connected to chat
  }
}
Let’s see, how the listOnlineUsers() method is used with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublicGroupPrivate
Retrieve online users✗✓✗
You can retrieve online users from the group dialog only if you are joined to it.

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Retrieve list of dialogs

It’s common to request all your dialogs on every app login. The request below will return all private, group, and public dialogs created before the current date, sorted in descending order by the created_at field, and limited to 10 dialogs on the page.
JavaScript
let params = {
  created_at: {
    lt: Date.now()/1000
  },
  sort_desc: 'created_at',
  limit: 10
};

QB.chat.dialog.list(params, function(error, dialogs) {

});
ArgumentRequiredDescription
paramsnoSpecifies param fields that should be set.
function()yesA callback function that an accepts error and dialogs.
If you want to retrieve only dialogs updated after some specific date time and order the search results, you can apply operators. This is useful if you cache dialogs somehow and do not want to obtain the whole list of your dialogs on every app start. Thus, you can apply search and sort operators to the list of dialogs on the page so that it is easier to view specific dialogs. If you want to get a paginated list of dialogs or just a count of dialogs from the server, you can set the following fields of the filter:
FieldRequiredDescription
skipnoSkip N records in search results. Useful for pagination. Default (if not specified): 0. Should be an Integer.
limitnoLimit search results to N records. Useful for pagination. Default value: 100.

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Search operators

You can use search operators to get more specific search results. The request below will return a list of all private and group dialogs.
JavaScript
let params = {
  type: {
    in: [2,3]
  }
};

QB.chat.dialog.list(params, function(error, dialogs) {

});
Here are the search operator that you can use to search for the exact data that you need.
Search operatorsApplicable to typesApplicable to fieldsDescription
ltnumber, string, datelast_message_date_sent, created_at, updated_atLess Than operator.
ltenumber, string, datelast_message_date_sent, created_at, updated_atLess Than or Equal to operator.
gtnumber, string, datelast_message_date_sent, created_at, updated_atGreater Than operator.
gtenumber, string, datelast_message_date_sent, created_at, updated_atGreater Than or Equal to operator.
nenumber, string, date_id, name, last_message_date_sentNot Equal to operator.
innumber, string, datetype, last_message_date_sent, nameIN array operator.
ninnumber, string, datelast_message_date_sentIN array operator.
allnumberoccupants_idsALL are contained in array.
ctnstringnameAll records that contain a particular substring.

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Sort operators

You can use sort operators to order the search results. The request below will return dialogs created since the beginning of this year and sorted in descending order.
JavaScript
let params = {
  created_at: {
    gte: (new Date(new Date().getFullYear(), 0, 1))/1000
  },
  sort_desc: 'sort_desc'
};

QB.chat.dialog.list(params, function(error, dialogs) {

});
Here are the sort operators that you can use to order search results.
Sort operatorApplicable to typesApplicable to fieldsDescription
sort_ascAll typesid, created_at, name, last_message_date_sentSearch results will be sorted in ascending order by the specified field.
sort_descAll typesid, created_at, name, last_message_date_sentSearch results will be sorted in descending order by the specified field.

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Aggregation operators

You can use an aggregation operator to count search results. The request below will return a count of all group dialogs from the server.
JavaScript
let params = {
  type: 2,
	count:1
};
QB.chat.dialog.list(params, function(err, result) {
  if (err) {
    console.log(err);
  } else {
  }
});
Here are the aggregation operators you can use to retrieve dialogs.
Aggregation operatorDescription
countCount search results. The response will contain only a count of records found. Set count to 1 to apply.

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Retrieve dialogs by custom parameters

You can retrieve dialogs by custom parameters. The request below will return all private, group, and public dialogs with a given category and class_name.
JavaScript
var filters = {
	data: { // search by custom parameters
    category:'friends',
    class_name:'CoolDialog'
  }
};

QB.chat.dialog.list(filters, function(error, dialogs) {});

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Update dialog

You can update the information for a private, group, and public dialog.
JavaScript
var dialogId = "5356c64ab35c12bd3b108a41";

var toUpdateParams = {
  name: "Tesla club"
};

QB.dialog.update(dialogId, toUpdateParams, function(error, dialog) {});
Let’s see what capabilities a particular user role has with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublic dialogGroup dialogPrivate dialog
Update a dialog nameOwnerOwner✗
Update a photoOwnerOwner✗
Update custom parametersOwner,OccupantOwner,OccupantOwner,Occupant

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Add occupants

Set the push_all field to add occupants to the dialog. As a result, the ID of the opponent will be added to the occupants_ids array.
JavaScript
let
 dialogId = "5356c64ab35c12bd3b108a41",
 toUpdateParams = {
  push_all: { occupants_ids: [97, 789] }
};

QB.chat.dialog.update(dialogId, toUpdateParams, function(error, dialog) {});
ArgumentsRequiredDescription
dialogIdyesDialog ID.
toUpdateParamsyesSpecifies the toUpdateParams fields that should be set.
Let’s see what capabilities a particular user role has with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublic dialogGroup dialogPrivate dialog
Add other users✗Owner,Occupant✗

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Remove occupants

Set the pull_all field to remove occupants from the dialog. As a result, the ID of the opponent will be removed from the occupants_ids array.
JavaScript
let
 dialogId = "5356c64ab35c12bd3b108a41",
 toUpdateParams = {
  pull_all: { occupants_ids: [97, 789] }
};

QB.chat.dialog.update(dialogId, toUpdateParams, function(error, dialog) {});
ArgumentRequiredDescription
dialogIdyesDialog ID.
toUpdateParamsyesSpecifies the toUpdateParams fields that should be set.
Let’s see what capabilities a particular user role has with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublic dialogGroup dialogPrivate dialog
Remove other users✗Owner✗
Remove yourself✗Owner,Occupant✗

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Delete dialog

The request below will remove the dialog for a current user, but other users will be still able to chat there.
JavaScript
var dialogId = "5356c64ab35c12bd3b108a41";

QB.chat.dialog.delete([dialogId], function(error) {

});
Set the force to 1 to completely remove the dialog for all users. You can also delete multiple dialogs in a single request.
JavaScript
var dialogId = "5356c64ab35c12bd3b108a41";

QB.chat.dialog.delete([dialogId], {force: 1}, function(error) {

});
Let’s see what capabilities a particular user role has with regard to the dialog type.
CapabilitiesPublicGroupPrivate
Delete dialog for all userusing forceparameter.OwnerOwnerOwner
Delete dialog for a current userOwnerOwner,OccupantOwner,Occupant

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Get number of unread messages

You can get a number of unread messages from a particular dialog using the list() method.
JavaScript
var filters = { limit: 1 };
QB.chat.dialog.list(filters, function(error, dialogs) {
  if (error) {
    // handle error
  } else {
    var dialog = dialogs.items[0];
	var unreadCount = dialog.unread_messages_count;
  }
})
You can also retrieve total unread messages count using unreadCount() method.
JavaScript
var params = {
  chat_dialog_ids: ["5356c64ab35c12bd3b108a41"]
};

QB.chat.message.unreadCount(params, function(error, result) {

});
Set the following fields of the params:
FieldDescription
chat_dialog_idsIDs of dialogs.- If chat_dialog_ids are not specified, the total number of unread messages for all dialogs of the user will be returned.- If chat_dialog_ids are specified, the number of unread messages for each specified dialog will be returned. Also, the total number of unread messages for all dialogs of the user will be returned.

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Resources

A sequence of steps a user takes to start a dialog by moving through the application lifecycle. javascript-starting-dialog.jpg